Frank Hoffman has authored or co-authored several encyclopedias, including The Encyclopedia of Fads, TheCush Box Country Singles Charts, 1958-1987, Album Charts,1964-1988, and The Rise of the Crooners. He teaches music and library science at Sam Houston State University. He resides in Huntsville, Texas.

"This appears to be the most comprehensive reference on recorded sound. Libraries that own the 1993 edition would do well to upgrade since so many new artists and technologies have emerged in the past decade... Highlyrecommended." -- Library Journal"Uniformly well written, understandable, and focused... Most comprehensive reference on recorded sound... Highlyrecommended." -- Library Journal (starred review)"Filling in the gaps by balancing coverage of all time periods and all recorded sound genres and formats." -- Reference & Research Book News"The second edition is larger than the first... This edition provides information from all time periods and recorded sound genres... Abundant cross-references; comprehensive index... Highly recommended. All libraries." -- Choice"This edition tries to present more objectively important information regarding all time periods and recorded sound formats and genres." -- American Reference Books Annual"The most thorough work on its subject availble... Belongs in the collections of colleges, universities, and large public libraries." -- Reference & User Services Quarterly

• AUDIO COMPANIES:ACOUSTIC RESEARCH; ADVENT; ALABAMA PHONOGRAPH CO; ALLGEMEINE ELEKTRIZITäTS GESELLSCHAFT (AEG); AMPEX; BERLINER GRAMOPHONE CO; DYNACO; ELECTRO-VOICE; GRUNING; HARMAN INTERNATIONAL; KLH CORPORATION; LIQUIDAUDIO; MAGNETOPHON; MARANTZ; NAKAMICHI; PANASONIC; REALAUDIO; REVOX; SONY; TEAC; YAMAHA GENRES: ACCORDION RECORDINGS; ACID JAZZ; ADULT CONTEMPORARY; ALTERNATIVE ROCK; ANIMAL IMITATIONS: BASS AND DRUMS; BIG BAND; BRITISH INVASION; CAR SONGS; CLARINET RECORDINGS; DO IT YOURSELF (DIY); DOO-WOP; FUNK; GIRL GROUPS; GOSPEL; GRUNGE; HEAVY METAL; JAZZ; MINIMALISM; MUSIQUE CONCRETE; PROGRESSIVE ROCK; PSYCHEDELIC; PUNK ROCK; RAP/HIP HOP; REGGAE; TEEN IDOLS LABELS: A & M RECORDS; AEOLIAN VOCALION; ANGEL; ARISTA; ASYLUM; BARKING PUMPKIN; BEAR FAMILY; BROADSIDE; CHRYSALIS; COLUMBIA; COMMODORE; DECCA; DEF JAM; EDISON; ELEKTRA; FOLKWAYS RECORDS; HATHUT; HI; INTERSCOPE; ISLAND; KAPP; KING; MERCURY; MILESTONE; MOTOWN; OKEH; PREISER; RED BIRD; RICH-R-TONE; ROULETTE; ROUNDER; STARDAY; TELARC; TOMMY BOY; VANGUARD; VEEJAY; VICTOR; VIRGIN; ZON-O-PHONE PRODUCERS/EXECUTIVES: ABRAHAMSON, HERB; ADLER, LOU; AZOFF, IRVING; BABYFACE (EDMONDS, KENNY); BLACKWELL, CHRIS; BRADLEY, OWEN; BRANSON, RICHARD; COMBS, SEAN PUFFY; EDWARDS, BERNARD; GAMBLE AND HUFF; GEFFEN, DAVID; GRAUER, WILLIAM; HAMMOND, JOHN; HOLLAND/DOZIER/HOLLAND; HOLZMAN, JAC; LAW, DON; LEVY, MORRIS; MILLER, MITCH; MOST, MICKIE; OSTIN, MO; PEER, RALPH; PETTY, NORMAN; PHILLIPS, SAM; RODGERS, NILE; ROSE, FRED; SHERRILL, BILLY; SPECTOR, PHIL; THIELE, BOB; TITELMAN, RUSS; WEXLER, JERRY; ZAENTZ, SAUL RECORDING ARTISTS: ABBA; ABBADO, CLAUDIO; ACUFF, ROY; AFRIKA BAMBATTAA; ALBANESE, LICIA; ALLMAN BROTHERS; AMMONS, ALBERT; ANIMALS; ANSERMET, ERNEST; AVALON, FRANKIE; BAKER, CHET; BARRETTO, RAY; BEE GEES; BERNSTEIN, LEONARD; BJORK; BLADES, REUBEN; BOOKER T. & THE MGS; BOONE, PAT; BOYZ II MEN; CLASH; CLEVELAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; CLINTON, GEORGE; COLEMAN, MICHAEL; COLEMAN, ORNETTE; COREA, CHICK; DEAD KENNEDYS; DION, CELINE; DIXIE CHICKS; DR. DRE; ENO, BRIAN; EUROPE, JAMES REESE; GLEASON, JACKIE; GLUCK, ALMA; HOROWITZ, VLADIMIR; ITURBI, JOSé; JACKSON, JANET; JACKSON, MAHALIA; JOHNSON, LONNIE; JONES, GEORGE; JUDAS PRIEST; KENNEDY, NIGEL; KOSTELANETZ, ANDRE; LEE, BRENDA; LEE, PEGGY; LEHRER, TOM; LENYA, LOTTE; MARLEY, BOB; MANCINI, HENRY; MASUR, KURT; MULLIGAN, GERRY; N SYNC; N.W.A; NIRVANA; NORMAN, JESSYE; NUGENT, TED; ORBISON, ROY; OSBOURNE, OZZY; PARTRIDGE FAMILY; PAVAROTTI, LUCIANO; PIAZZOLLA, ASTOR; REDDING, OTIS; RILEY, TEDDY; SCHULZE, KLAUS; SELENA; SEX PISTOLS; SHANKAR, RAVI; SKILLET LICKERS; SNOOP DOGGY DOGG; SPIVEY, VICTORIA; STANLEY BROTHERS; STEELY DAN; SUMMER, DONNA; SUN RA; SUPREMES; TINY TIM; TURNER, BIG JOE; TWAIN, SHANIA; VELVET UNDERGROUND; WASHINGTON, GROVER JR; WATSON, DOC; WINTER, PAUL; WONDER, STEVIE; WYNETTE, TAMMY; XTC; YOAKUM, DWIGHT; ZAPPA, FRANK; ZIMBALIST, EFREM, ZORN, JOHN TERMS: A & B SWITCH;ABSORPTION;ACETATE DISC;ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK;ACOUSTIC RECORDING;ALBUM;ALIGNMENT;AMBIANCE;AMPLIFICATION;ANALOG RECORDING; BACKSPINNING;; BITSTREAM RECORDING (DIGITAL); BOOM BOX; BOUNDARY EFFECTS; CD-RECORDABLE; COMB FILTERING (ACOUSTIC);CRITICAL DISTANCE; CROSSTALK (IN RECORDING AND PLAYBACK);DATA COMPRESSION (DIGITAL AUDIO);DIRECT FIELD;DITHER (IN DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEMS); DOPPLER EFFECT (IN AUDIO);DOWNLOAD; DRUM MACHINE; DVD (DIGITAL VERSATILE DISC); ELECTRONIC MUSIC; HAAS EFFECT; LASER TURNTABLE; LEDE (LIVE END/DEAD END ROOM, USED IN SOME STUDIOS AND HIGH-END-AUDIO LISTENING ROOMS);LIVE TO TWO TRACK (IN RECORDING); MASTER TAPE; MIDI (MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE); MP3; CONCERT RECORDS (LABEL); NON-MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING; NYQUEST FREQUENCY; OVERSAMPLING (IN DIGITAL RECORDING); PATCH BAY (IN RECORDING SYSTEMS); PHANTOM CENTER IMAGE;PINK NOISE; REVERBERANT FIELD; ROTATING HEAD RECORDER; SAMPLING; SOUND FILE (DIGITAL); SRS (SOUND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM); VU (VOLUME UNIT);X-Y STEREO RECORDING

Frank Hoffman has authored or co-authored several encyclopedias, including The Encyclopedia of Fads, TheCush Box Country Singles Charts, 1958-1987, Album Charts,1964-1988, and The Rise of the Crooners. He teaches music and library science at Sam Houston State University. He resides in Huntsville, Texas.

"This appears to be the most comprehensive reference on recorded sound. Libraries that own the 1993 edition would do well to upgrade since so many new artists and technologies have emerged in the past decade... Highlyrecommended." -- Library Journal"Uniformly well written, understandable, and focused... Most comprehensive reference on recorded sound... Highlyrecommended." -- Library Journal (starred review)"Filling in the gaps by balancing coverage of all time periods and all recorded sound genres and formats." -- Reference & Research Book News"The second edition is larger than the first... This edition provides information from all time periods and recorded sound genres... Abundant cross-references; comprehensive index... Highly recommended. All libraries." -- Choice"This edition tries to present more objectively important information regarding all time periods and recorded sound formats and genres." -- American Reference Books Annual"The most thorough work on its subject availble... Belongs in the collections of colleges, universities, and large public libraries." -- Reference & User Services Quarterly

• AUDIO COMPANIES:ACOUSTIC RESEARCH; ADVENT; ALABAMA PHONOGRAPH CO; ALLGEMEINE ELEKTRIZITäTS GESELLSCHAFT (AEG); AMPEX; BERLINER GRAMOPHONE CO; DYNACO; ELECTRO-VOICE; GRUNING; HARMAN INTERNATIONAL; KLH CORPORATION; LIQUIDAUDIO; MAGNETOPHON; MARANTZ; NAKAMICHI; PANASONIC; REALAUDIO; REVOX; SONY; TEAC; YAMAHA GENRES: ACCORDION RECORDINGS; ACID JAZZ; ADULT CONTEMPORARY; ALTERNATIVE ROCK; ANIMAL IMITATIONS: BASS AND DRUMS; BIG BAND; BRITISH INVASION; CAR SONGS; CLARINET RECORDINGS; DO IT YOURSELF (DIY); DOO-WOP; FUNK; GIRL GROUPS; GOSPEL; GRUNGE; HEAVY METAL; JAZZ; MINIMALISM; MUSIQUE CONCRETE; PROGRESSIVE ROCK; PSYCHEDELIC; PUNK ROCK; RAP/HIP HOP; REGGAE; TEEN IDOLS LABELS: A & M RECORDS; AEOLIAN VOCALION; ANGEL; ARISTA; ASYLUM; BARKING PUMPKIN; BEAR FAMILY; BROADSIDE; CHRYSALIS; COLUMBIA; COMMODORE; DECCA; DEF JAM; EDISON; ELEKTRA; FOLKWAYS RECORDS; HATHUT; HI; INTERSCOPE; ISLAND; KAPP; KING; MERCURY; MILESTONE; MOTOWN; OKEH; PREISER; RED BIRD; RICH-R-TONE; ROULETTE; ROUNDER; STARDAY; TELARC; TOMMY BOY; VANGUARD; VEEJAY; VICTOR; VIRGIN; ZON-O-PHONE PRODUCERS/EXECUTIVES: ABRAHAMSON, HERB; ADLER, LOU; AZOFF, IRVING; BABYFACE (EDMONDS, KENNY); BLACKWELL, CHRIS; BRADLEY, OWEN; BRANSON, RICHARD; COMBS, SEAN PUFFY; EDWARDS, BERNARD; GAMBLE AND HUFF; GEFFEN, DAVID; GRAUER, WILLIAM; HAMMOND, JOHN; HOLLAND/DOZIER/HOLLAND; HOLZMAN, JAC; LAW, DON; LEVY, MORRIS; MILLER, MITCH; MOST, MICKIE; OSTIN, MO; PEER, RALPH; PETTY, NORMAN; PHILLIPS, SAM; RODGERS, NILE; ROSE, FRED; SHERRILL, BILLY; SPECTOR, PHIL; THIELE, BOB; TITELMAN, RUSS; WEXLER, JERRY; ZAENTZ, SAUL RECORDING ARTISTS: ABBA; ABBADO, CLAUDIO; ACUFF, ROY; AFRIKA BAMBATTAA; ALBANESE, LICIA; ALLMAN BROTHERS; AMMONS, ALBERT; ANIMALS; ANSERMET, ERNEST; AVALON, FRANKIE; BAKER, CHET; BARRETTO, RAY; BEE GEES; BERNSTEIN, LEONARD; BJORK; BLADES, REUBEN; BOOKER T. & THE MGS; BOONE, PAT; BOYZ II MEN; CLASH; CLEVELAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; CLINTON, GEORGE; COLEMAN, MICHAEL; COLEMAN, ORNETTE; COREA, CHICK; DEAD KENNEDYS; DION, CELINE; DIXIE CHICKS; DR. DRE; ENO, BRIAN; EUROPE, JAMES REESE; GLEASON, JACKIE; GLUCK, ALMA; HOROWITZ, VLADIMIR; ITURBI, JOSé; JACKSON, JANET; JACKSON, MAHALIA; JOHNSON, LONNIE; JONES, GEORGE; JUDAS PRIEST; KENNEDY, NIGEL; KOSTELANETZ, ANDRE; LEE, BRENDA; LEE, PEGGY; LEHRER, TOM; LENYA, LOTTE; MARLEY, BOB; MANCINI, HENRY; MASUR, KURT; MULLIGAN, GERRY; N SYNC; N.W.A; NIRVANA; NORMAN, JESSYE; NUGENT, TED; ORBISON, ROY; OSBOURNE, OZZY; PARTRIDGE FAMILY; PAVAROTTI, LUCIANO; PIAZZOLLA, ASTOR; REDDING, OTIS; RILEY, TEDDY; SCHULZE, KLAUS; SELENA; SEX PISTOLS; SHANKAR, RAVI; SKILLET LICKERS; SNOOP DOGGY DOGG; SPIVEY, VICTORIA; STANLEY BROTHERS; STEELY DAN; SUMMER, DONNA; SUN RA; SUPREMES; TINY TIM; TURNER, BIG JOE; TWAIN, SHANIA; VELVET UNDERGROUND; WASHINGTON, GROVER JR; WATSON, DOC; WINTER, PAUL; WONDER, STEVIE; WYNETTE, TAMMY; XTC; YOAKUM, DWIGHT; ZAPPA, FRANK; ZIMBALIST, EFREM, ZORN, JOHN TERMS: A & B SWITCH;ABSORPTION;ACETATE DISC;ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK;ACOUSTIC RECORDING;ALBUM;ALIGNMENT;AMBIANCE;AMPLIFICATION;ANALOG RECORDING; BACKSPINNING;; BITSTREAM RECORDING (DIGITAL); BOOM BOX; BOUNDARY EFFECTS; CD-RECORDABLE; COMB FILTERING (ACOUSTIC);CRITICAL DISTANCE; CROSSTALK (IN RECORDING AND PLAYBACK);DATA COMPRESSION (DIGITAL AUDIO);DIRECT FIELD;DITHER (IN DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEMS); DOPPLER EFFECT (IN AUDIO);DOWNLOAD; DRUM MACHINE; DVD (DIGITAL VERSATILE DISC); ELECTRONIC MUSIC; HAAS EFFECT; LASER TURNTABLE; LEDE (LIVE END/DEAD END ROOM, USED IN SOME STUDIOS AND HIGH-END-AUDIO LISTENING ROOMS);LIVE TO TWO TRACK (IN RECORDING); MASTER TAPE; MIDI (MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE); MP3; CONCERT RECORDS (LABEL); NON-MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDING; NYQUEST FREQUENCY; OVERSAMPLING (IN DIGITAL RECORDING); PATCH BAY (IN RECORDING SYSTEMS); PHANTOM CENTER IMAGE;PINK NOISE; REVERBERANT FIELD; ROTATING HEAD RECORDER; SAMPLING; SOUND FILE (DIGITAL); SRS (SOUND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM); VU (VOLUME UNIT);X-Y STEREO RECORDING