Will Hermes

Will Hermes is a music critic, journalist, and author known for his work covering popular music, culture, and the New York music scene. His writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, where he serves as a senior critic, as well as The New York Times, NPR's All Things Considered, and Pitchfork. His most notable book is "Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever" (2011), which chronicles the diverse music scenes in New York City from 1973-1977. The book examines the parallel emergence of punk, hip-hop, salsa, jazz, and minimalist classical music during this pivotal period. Hermes has established himself as a respected voice in music criticism through his analysis of various genres including rock, electronic, folk, and experimental music. His work often explores the intersection of music with broader cultural and social movements. He has served as a critic and editor for SPIN magazine and holds teaching positions, including work as an adjunct professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

Readers praise Hermes' deep research and ability to weave together multiple music genres and cultural movements, particularly in "Love Goes to Buildings on Fire." Many note his skill at capturing New York City's atmosphere in the 1970s through specific details and first-hand accounts. Liked: - Clear, engaging writing style - Thorough historical context - Personal anecdotes that enhance the narrative - Balance between academic analysis and accessible storytelling Disliked: - Some readers found the multiple narrative threads hard to follow - A few felt certain genres received more attention than others - Occasional complaints about dense detail overwhelming the story flow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (150+ reviews) Representative review: "Hermes excels at showing how different music scenes influenced each other, though the book sometimes gets bogged down in minutiae. His passion for the subject comes through on every page." - Goodreads reviewer

Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever (2011) Chronicles the music scene in New York City from 1973-1977, examining the parallel development of punk, hip-hop, salsa, jazz, and disco.

Your Song Changed My Life: From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired Them (2016) A collection of interviews with musicians discussing songs that influenced their artistic development, based on Hermes' NPR segment "That Song Changed My Life."

Greil Marcus writes about music history, counterculture, and societal changes through the lens of popular music. His work examines connections between American music traditions and cultural movements, similar to Hermes' approach in analyzing music scenes.

Ellen Willis produced music criticism that combined cultural analysis with personal perspective during the 1960s-70s rock era. Her writing examines how music intersects with politics, gender, and social movements.

Simon Reynolds focuses on post-punk, electronic music, and underground music scenes through historical and cultural frameworks. His detailed documentation of music movements parallels Hermes' work on New York's music evolution.

Ann Powers chronicles American popular music with emphasis on gender, sexuality, and identity politics. She combines music criticism with cultural history to examine how music shapes and reflects society.

Alex Ross writes about classical and contemporary music with focus on how different genres connect and influence each other. His work explores musical cross-pollination and cultural context across time periods and styles.