Colin Larkin

Colin Larkin is a prominent British music writer and editor best known for creating the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, a comprehensive ten-volume work that became a definitive reference source for popular music. His extensive publishing career has resulted in over 650,000 copies of his works in print. Born in Dagenham, Essex in 1949, Larkin developed his passion for popular music during his childhood at travelling fairs where his father worked. His early exposure to music came from the fairground's 78 rpm turntables playing rock and roll classics. After studying typography and graphic design at the London College of Printing, Larkin went on to author and edit numerous influential music reference works. His notable publications include All Time Top 1000 Albums, Guinness Who's Who of Jazz, Guinness Who's Who of Blues, and the Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock. Through his company Scorpion Publishing, Larkin expanded beyond music writing to publish other works, including John Gorman's trilogy on Labour history. His encyclopedic works are recognized for their comprehensive coverage and detailed research of popular music across various genres.

Readers value Colin Larkin's deep research and comprehensive coverage in his music encyclopedia works like the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Reviews note his ability to distill complex music history into clear, readable entries. Likes: - Thorough coverage of both major and obscure artists - Clear writing style free of jargon - Inclusion of accurate discographies and chart data - Regular updates to reflect new information Dislikes: - Some readers found inconsistent depth between entries - High price point of print editions - Occasional factual errors in early editions - Limited coverage of non-Western music Available ratings: Amazon: 4.5/5 (87 reviews) for Encyclopedia of Popular Music Goodreads: 4.3/5 (42 ratings) averaged across his works One reader commented: "An invaluable reference - I've worn out three copies." Another noted: "The depth of research is apparent but some entries feel rushed compared to others."

All Time Top 1000 Albums (1994) A comprehensive guide ranking and analyzing the most significant popular music albums from the 1950s to the 1990s, including detailed reviews and historical context for each entry.

Guinness Who's Who Of Jazz (1992) An alphabetical reference work containing biographical entries and career details of major jazz musicians and performers throughout history.

Guinness Who's Who Of Blues (1995) A biographical encyclopedia documenting the lives and careers of influential blues musicians, featuring extensive historical information and discographies.

Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (1999) A detailed reference guide covering heavy rock bands and artists, including discographies, line-up changes, and career histories.

Encyclopedia of Popular Music (1992-2007) A ten-volume comprehensive reference work covering all genres of popular music, featuring over 50,000 entries on artists, bands, and recordings.

Peter Guralnick documents American roots music and its key figures with deep historical context and extensive first-hand interviews. His biographies of Elvis Presley and Sam Phillips show similar dedication to detailed research and archival work as Larkin's encyclopedic approach.

Robert Palmer wrote extensively about blues, rock, and world music with a focus on cultural context and musical developments. His work Deep Blues shares Larkin's commitment to documenting the evolution of popular music genres through detailed historical investigation.

Charlie Gillett produced comprehensive histories of popular music with particular attention to record industry development and cultural impact. His book The Sound of the City examines rock and roll's emergence with the same systematic approach found in Larkin's encyclopedic works.

Dave Marsh created reference works and criticism covering multiple decades of popular music history. His Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made demonstrates the same encyclopedic scope and systematic evaluation methods as Larkin's album guides.

Paul Oliver focused on blues history and developed extensive documentation of the genre's development. His research methodology and commitment to factual documentation mirror Larkin's approach to building comprehensive music references.