Listen to This

Listen to This compiles essays on music from classical to pop, drawing from Ross's work as a music critic for The New Yorker. The collection examines composers like Mozart and Beethoven alongside contemporary artists including Radiohead and Björk. Ross traces musical connections across genres and centuries, analyzing how different styles influence and echo each other. The book moves between detailed explorations of specific works and broader cultural observations about how music shapes society. The writing bridges academic analysis and accessible criticism, making complex musical concepts clear to general readers. Technical discussions of harmony and composition are balanced with historical context and biographical details about the featured musicians. Through these varied essays, Ross demonstrates how music transcends traditional categories and continues to evolve as an art form that reflects human experience. The book challenges conventional distinctions between high and low culture while exploring music's universal emotional impact.

Readers appreciate Ross's ability to discuss both classical and popular music with equal depth and accessibility. Many note his talent for explaining complex musical concepts to non-musicians while maintaining sophistication for expert readers. Likes: - Clear, engaging writing style - Deep musical analysis without jargon - Fresh perspectives on familiar composers - Strong chapters on Radiohead and Björk - Connections drawn between classical and modern genres Dislikes: - Some chapters feel disconnected from others - Classical music sections can be dense for beginners - A few readers found the Bob Dylan chapter lacking depth - Some technical passages require music theory knowledge Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (90+ ratings) Common reader quote: "Ross writes about music in a way that makes you want to listen to everything he describes." Several reviewers noted the book works better read in segments rather than straight through, as chapters function as standalone essays.

The Rest Is Noise by Alex Ross This chronological exploration of twentieth-century classical music connects compositional developments to historical events and cultural movements.

The History of Music in Fifty Instruments by Philip Wilkinson The evolution of music unfolds through the stories of instruments that shaped musical traditions across cultures and centuries.

This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin The intersection of neuroscience and music reveals how humans process, create, and respond to musical patterns and structures.

Music: A Subversive History by Ted Gioia The examination of music history focuses on the outsiders, rebels, and marginalized figures who transformed musical expression.

How Music Works by David Byrne The Talking Heads founder dissects music's creation, performance, and distribution through technological, social, and economic contexts.

🎵 Alex Ross was the youngest music critic ever hired by The New Yorker magazine, joining their staff at age 28 🎼 The book's title "Listen to This" comes from Ross's first column as The New Yorker's music critic in 1996 🎹 Ross spent 10 years researching and writing his previous book "The Rest Is Noise," which won the National Book Critics Circle Award 🎭 The book connects vastly different musical worlds, drawing parallels between classical composers like Mozart and modern artists like Radiohead and Björk 🎻 The chapter on "Chacona" traces a musical pattern across 400 years of music history, from Renaissance dances to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"