All Music Guide: The Best CDs, Albums and Tapes: The Experts' Guide to the Best Releases from Thousands of Artists in

by Michael Erlewine

Book Overview

Describes the best recordings of artists in twenty-two music categories.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087930331X
• ISBN13: 9780879303310
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Backbeat Books
• Length: 1417 Pages
• Weight: 3.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

THE BOOK IS GOOD!

This book needs no review. Buy it

Good, But Lacking In The "World Music" Area

It is a very comprehensive, useful and well-organized guide. But there is not nearly enough about world music artists. For that, you need to turn to "World Music: The Rough Guide" or "The Brazilian Sound."

Reviewed by Joel Selvin of the San Francisco Chronicle

"The most useful single volume your money can buy. The Rolling Stone Record Guide pales by comparison." -- Joel Selvin

My Favorite Guide

Sorry to say, but I guess I own all or most of the guides out there. I can't resist. The All-Music Guide is my hands-down favorite. I can't agree with everything I read in it, but dollar-for-dollar, this single book has saved me a small fortune in buying CDs. Great in the bathroom too.

Without a doubt, the best record guide in print.

Musichound, Virgin, Roughguide, Penguin... they can all take a hike. For my money, the All Music Guide series provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the music available to the masses. I may not agree with all the commentary -- and somebody's got to explain whether there's any real difference between a dot that's filled in vs. one that's empty -- but I've found it to be an essential tool in helping me build my music collection and expand the breadth of my listening tastes. Especially helpful are the timelines describing the orgins of various music sub-genres. Personally, I never was able to figure out the difference between "house" and "industrial," and where did "ska" come from? The answers are in the All Music Guide. I've graduated from the all-encompassing tome, which covers all music categories ranging from classical to country to rap, to the All Music Guide to Rock. For anyone looking to build a collection of so-called "essentials", this book is the one to get.