Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me
What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal About the Meaning of Life
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4.3 • 6 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Steven Hyden explores nineteen music rivalries and what they say about life in this "highly entertaining" book (Rolling Stone) perfect for every passionate music fan.
Beatles vs. Stones. Biggie vs. Tupac. Kanye vs. Taylor. Who do you choose? And what does that say about you? Actually -- what do these endlessly argued-about pop music rivalries say about us?
Music opinions bring out passionate debate in people, and Steven Hyden knows that firsthand. Each chapter in Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me focuses on a pop music rivalry, from the classic to the very recent, and draws connections to the larger forces surrounding the pairing.
Through Hendrix vs. Clapton, Hyden explores burning out and fading away, while his take on Miley vs. Sinead gives readers a glimpse into the perennial battle between old and young. Funny and accessible, Hyden's writing combines cultural criticism, personal anecdotes, and music history -- and just may prompt you to give your least favorite band another chance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Freelance pop-culture writer Hyden puts his knowledge of pop music and pop culture on full display in his first book. Though the premise of debating the merits of one band or artist over another may seem a bit contrived, Hyden notes in the preface that he is "not interested in settling these arguments," which allows him to take his deliberations in fun and original directions. For instance, investigating his own dislike of Blur and his love of Oasis leads Hyden to quote early 20th-century sociologist Charles Cooley, so that he can talk about "how a person's indemnity is shaped by... the ways in which that individual thinks he or she is perceived by others." In another example, Pearl Jam versus Nirvana evolves into an exploration of what's more important: sacrifice or survival. If Nick Hornby's writing had a love child with Chuck Klosterman's, the result would be Hyden's clever prose, as evidenced by his funny-because-it's-true line about Eric Clapton: "He's the Vince Carter of guitar legends." By combining music journalism and pop psychology with some of his own life lessons, Hyden has created a literary mix tape that will be music to pop-culture junkies and the music-obsessed.
