Kill Your Idols: A New Generation of Rock Writers Reconsiders the Classics

Kill Your Idols assembles essays from a new wave of music critics who challenge the accepted canon of "greatest albums." The collection takes aim at records widely considered classics, from Pet Sounds to OK Computer, examining them with fresh skepticism. Each contributor dismantles a legendary album through detailed analysis and cultural context. The writers represent publications like Chicago Sun-Times, Village Voice, and SPIN, bringing professional expertise to their deconstructions of these supposedly untouchable works. The essays examine sacred cows from the Beatles, Beach Boys, Dylan, Springsteen, Pink Floyd and other titans of rock history. Personal experiences and reactions mix with musical and historical analysis as the writers make their cases. At its core, the book questions how reputations become solidified and explores the relationship between critical consensus and individual taste. The collection serves as both a critique of music criticism itself and an argument for more rigorous evaluation of art beyond established hierarchies.

Readers see this collection as deliberately contrarian and uneven in quality. The essays range from thoughtful critiques to what many view as attention-seeking takedowns. Readers appreciated: - Fresh perspectives challenging accepted musical canon - Strong writing in pieces about Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen - Historical context provided for the albums discussed Common criticisms: - Arguments often feel forced and designed to provoke - Several essays come across as mean-spirited rather than analytical - Writers seem more focused on being controversial than making valid points - Many criticisms feel like personal attacks on the artists Ratings: Goodreads: 3.1/5 (47 ratings) Amazon: 2.5/5 (11 reviews) One reader noted "the best essays make you reconsider albums thoughtfully, while the worst just seem angry for anger's sake." Another called it "more interested in shock value than substance." Reviewers frequently mention the uneven quality between different contributors' essays.

Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson A music critic dissects Celine Dion's music and examines the nature of taste, cultural criticism, and the divide between popular and critical acclaim.

The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross This history of twentieth-century classical music challenges traditional perspectives and deconstructs the canon of musical greatness.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé by Bob Stanley The book dismantles conventional rock history narratives and questions established hierarchies of musical importance.

How Music Works by David Byrne The Talking Heads founder examines music creation, reception, and criticism through a systematic deconstruction of musical conventions and assumptions.

The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper This collection of essays challenges the male-dominated canon of music criticism and questions long-held assumptions about rock music's greatest works.

🎸 The book challenges the traditional rock canon by having young music critics write critical essays about albums that are widely considered "classics," questioning their legendary status. 📝 Jim DeRogatis, the editor, was a longtime music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and gained national attention for his investigative reporting on R. Kelly. 🎼 Many essays in the book tackle iconic albums like The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run," offering contrarian viewpoints to their universally acclaimed status. 📚 The book's title references the Sonic Youth song "Kill Yr Idols," which itself was a commentary on the tendency to elevate certain musicians to untouchable status. 🎵 The collection sparked controversy among older music critics and fans, who saw it as an intentionally provocative attack on established musical landmarks rather than legitimate criticism.