Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock [Hardcover]

Colin Larkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998

An unrivaled, comprehensive reference containing everything that even the most die-hard music fan could want to know about rock. More than 1,800 entries are cross-referenced to include discographies, collaborations, influences, and other connections. 500 color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This encyclopedia is an updated version of Colin Larkin's The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, originally published in 1997. Its pages are saturated with attractive photographs of well-known and lesser-known artists, but, unfortunately, the interest stops there. This book fails to deliver as a resource. Although the pure mass of artists included is impressive, none of the photographs has identifying captions, and some are needlessly too big. Additionally, the inconsistent logic at work assigns more space, and thus importance, to less-influential groups, such as Bananarama and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, than to more influential artists, such as Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, and Queen. Most importantly, however, annotations are poorly written and incomplete. They lack vital information yet provide superfluous and even inaccurate facts (Everything But the Girl's single "Missing" was on the Amplified Heart album, not on Walking Wounded). Libraries already owning The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Fireside, 1995)?a more affordable and a far more useful resource?should make this one a marginal purchase.?Mirela Roncevic, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Billboard Books (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823076970
• ISBN-13: 978-0823076970
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 10.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,270,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)