Skip to product information
1 of 2

Basic Books

Music: A Subversive History

Music: A Subversive History

Book Details
  • Author: Ted Gioia
  • Binding: Paperback
  • Publisher: Basic Books
  • Published: 2021-04-20
Regular price $19.99 USD
Regular price Sale price $19.99 USD
Sale Sold out
Condition
"A dauntingly ambitious, obsessively researched" (Los Angeles Times) global history of music that reveals how songs have shifted societies and sparked revolutions.

Histories of music overwhelmingly suppress stories of the outsiders and rebels who created musical revolutions and instead celebrate the mainstream assimilators who borrowed innovations, diluted their impact, and disguised their sources. In Music: A Subversive History, Ted Gioia reclaims the story of music for the riffraff, insurgents, and provocateurs.

Gioia tells a four-thousand-year history of music as a global source of power, change, and upheaval. He shows how outcasts, immigrants, slaves, and others at the margins of society have repeatedly served as trailblazers of musical expression, reinventing our most cherished songs from ancient times all the way to the jazz, reggae, and hip-hop sounds of the current day.

Music: A Subversive History is essential reading for anyone interested in the meaning of music, from Sappho to the Sex Pistols to Spotify.

The More Than Words double bottom line: Every purchase provides hands on job training opportunities, and all revenue supports our nonprofit to empower youth to take charge of their lives.

Shipping Info

We offer standard and express shipping starting at $5.99. Live local? We offer local pickup on select items at our Boston Store and Mobile Bookstore location.

Returns

We accept returns within 30 days of purchase for a refund. Simply reach out to us if you have any trouble with your order.

Care Instructions

We are here to help with any questions or concerns you may have at any time. Reach out to us and we can't wait to help!

View full details

can't find what you are looking for...

We Can Help