Counting Down – serie

Counting Downis a unique series of titles designed to select the best songs or musical works from major performance artists and composers in an age of design-your-own playlists. For fifty years, Bob Dylan’s music has been a source of wonder to his fans and endless fodder for analysis by music critics. In Counting Down Bob Dylan, rock journalist Jim Beviglia dares to rank these songs in descending order from Dylan’s 100th best to his #1 song. Surveying the near six-decade career of this musical legend, Beviglia offers insightful analyses into the music and lyrics and dishes out important historical information and fascinating trivia to explain why these 100 rank among Dylan’s best to date. At the same time, a portrait of the seemingly inscrutable Dylan emerges through the words of his finest songs, providing both the perfect introduction to his work and a comprehensive new take on this master of American songwriting.This work will appeal to the legions of Bob Dylan fans who have taken to analyzing his music. Unlike other Dylan books, which vary between the academic and the journalistic, Counting Down Bob Dylan uniquely renders Dylan’s music approachable to new fans by highlighting the powerful emotional forces that fuel his dazzling lyrics.

For 40 years, Bruce Springsteen has held center stage as the quintessential American rock and roll artist, expressing the hopes and dreams of the American everyman and every woman through his vast array of insightful and inspirational songs. In Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs, rock writer Jim Beviglia dares to rank his finest songs in descending order from the 100th to his no. 1 greatest song. In this unique book, Beviglia reflects not only on why each song has earned its place on list but lays out the story behind each of the 100, supplying fresh insights on the musical and lyrical content of Springsteen's remarkable body of work. Counting Down Bruce Springsteen brings together critical historical and biographical information to explain the making and importance of each song to its listeners, painting a fascinating portrait of Springsteen as a major American songwriter and consummate recording artist. Counting Down Bruce Springsteen is the perfect playlist builder, whether it is for the diehard fan or the newbie just getting acquainted with the work of the Boss!

When Southern rock acts like the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynrd stormed American concert stages, detractors immediately came to the fore declaring the genre to be little more than a marketing gimmick. But those on stage themselves would have called its appearance not only inevitable but also a way of life. In the end, the musicians who played Southern rock reflected a robust and broad variety of influences, drawing deeply from the wellsprings of blues, rock, country, and even jazz. Listeners gravitated to the sounds of the New South, a place that had captured pop culture’s imagination amid the turbulence following President Nixon’s successful Southern strategy and silent majorities. Southern rock garnered a second wave of enthusiasm with the rise of the urban cowboy and Bill Clinton’s ascension to the presidency. For nearly half a century, Southern rock has captured and expressed the energy of the New South, inspiring a legacy that listeners can still hear from jam bands, indie acts, and mainstream country musicians.In Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs, C. Eric Banister considers the best songs to emerge from the bands who made Southern rock what it is. Banister examines the impact of the songs on the society and culture of devoted fans and delves deep into the history and production of each song. Featuring such well-known bands as the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as less visible groups like Blackhorse and Heartsfield, this book is the perfect introduction for both newbies and dedicated fans.

Over the course of the last six decades, Elvis Presley has sold more than a billion records; his music has touched nearly every modern listener. Despite an avalanche of books on his life, there are, surprisingly, few about his musical creativity. In Counting Down Elvis: His 100 Finest Songs, Mark Duffett urges readers to put aside the misleading stereotypes and rumor-filled debates about Elvis and listen once again to the legend who emerged from Memphis.Elvis had a unique approach to music—one that was both powerful and versatile. In a career stretching across more than twenty years, Presley changed the face of popular music, drawing together genres—from country and blues to contemporary folk—and placing a unique stamp on all of them. Counting Down Elvis: His 100 Finest Songs explores the full range of Presley recordings, from his earliest numbers to posthumous hits, combing through gold records and unpolished gems to distill the best that Presley has to offer.

No band has ever been able to demonstrate the enduring power of rock and roll quite like the Rolling Stones, who continue to enthrall, provoke, and invigorate their legions of fans more than fifty years since they began. In Counting Down the Rolling Stones: Their 100 Finest Songs, rock writer Jim Beviglia dares to rank the band’s finest 100 songs in descending order.Beviglia provides an insightful explanation about why each song deserves its place. Looking at the story behind the song and supplying a fresh take on the musical and lyrical content, he illuminates these unforgettable songs for new and diehard fans alike. Taken together, the individual entries in Counting Down the Rolling Stones tell a fascinating story of the unique personalities and incredible talents that made the Stones a band for the ages.Counting Down the Rolling Stones is the perfect playlist builder, whether it is for the longtime fan or the newbie just getting acquainted with the work of Mick, Keith, and the boys.

No band has ever been able to demonstrate the enduring power of rock and roll quite like the Rolling Stones, who continue to enthrall, provoke, and invigorate their legions of fans more than fifty years since they began. In Counting Down the Rolling Stones: Their 100 Finest Songs, rock writer Jim Beviglia dares to rank the band’s finest 100 songs in descending order.Beviglia provides an insightful explanation about why each song deserves its place. Looking at the story behind the song and supplying a fresh take on the musical and lyrical content, he illuminates these unforgettable songs for new and diehard fans alike. Taken together, the individual entries in Counting Down the Rolling Stones tell a fascinating story of the unique personalities and incredible talents that made the Stones a band for the ages.Counting Down the Rolling Stones is the perfect playlist builder, whether it is for the longtime fan or the newbie just getting acquainted with the work of Mick, Keith, and the boys.

The Beatles loom large over the musical landscape even now that nearly a half-century has passed since the four men from Liverpool played their last notes together. While the story of their stunning rise and brief but brilliant time together on top of the pop music world is undoubtedly fascinating, it would ring hollow without the scores of incredible songs that accompanied each milestone. These songs are the focus of rock writer Jim Beviglia’s latest foray into the catalogs of rock royalty.Counting Down the Beatles: Their 100 Finest Songs features Beviglia’s list of the best songs in the band’s unparalleled oeuvre. Ranked in descending order from #100 to #1, each song is accompanied by a lengthy essay providing information on the song’s writing and recording, context on where it falls within the band’s timeline, and the author’s analysis and explanation why it deserves its position in this hallowed canon. Every fan of the Beatles, from attendees at their first U.S.tour to the newest generation's devotees, will find this collection an informative, insightful, and entertaining adventure. Not only will it reveal little-known facts, but it just may start some arguments and settle a few debates.