The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul [Paperback]

Irwin Stambler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1990

Featuring more than 600 entries in all, this reference book covers four decades of popular music, providing information on artists' career histories, vital statistics, chart positions, and influences on the music world. Black-and-white photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This long-overdue revision of a classic in popular music reference ( LJ 12/15/74) contains nearly 500 entries. Focusing on mainstream pop and rock musicians and groups, with a much less representative sampling of soul, new wave, and punk, the lengthy entries feature significant background, recording, and critical information. The revision complements rather than replaces the first edition, which should not be withdrawn from circulation; definitions of musical terms and rock vernacular have been dropped as, unfortunately, have been numerous listings for groups and individual recording artists. More intensive though less inclusive than The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll ( LJ 12/1/83), this book belongs on the reference shelf of every library, and those with more liberal budgets should also consider adding a circulating copy.
- Barry Miller, Austin P.L. , Tex.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 887 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; Revised edition (April 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312043104
• ISBN-13: 978-0312043100
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,470,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary Reference Book, October 14, 2002

By 

Mary J. Hillmeyer (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book that provides all the information you may need to sate your curiosity about a particular aspect of a band like "Where are they from?", When did this album come out?", "Was she once in this other band?". I've been referring to an earlier edition of this rock encyclopedia by Stamler for 20 years! I felt it was time to get the newer edition for more information and it's great too.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old-fashioned, but informative, August 10, 2001

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul (Paperback)

A stiff wind from squaresville, this survey comes to us from a writer/editor at "Rolling Stone"... By definition, that makes its focus fairly mainstream, not that that really detracts much from its value as a reference work (especially considering how snobbish we've gotten about all those bloated, scary AOR bands from the '70s). Some entries seem a bit overlong, and starstruck, but this is a solid reference work.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Quick Reference, March 11, 2004

By 

gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul (Paperback)

The beauty of this book is that it is concise. If you want information regarding musical rock you get a succinct overview. I liked how the book covers the diverse music of the 80's. It is a handy reference.