Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

If writing about music is like dancing about architecture, you'd do best to hone your chops and avoid clichés (like the one that begins this sentence) by learning from the prime movers. How to Write About Music offers a selection of the best writers on what is perhaps our most universally beloved art form. Selections from the critically-acclaimed 33 1/3 series appear alongside new interviews and insights from authors like Lester Bangs, Chuck Klosterman, Owen Pallet, Ann Powers and Alex Ross.

How to Write About Music includes primary sources of inspiration from a variety of go-to genres such as the album review, the personal essay, the blog post and the interview along with tips, writing prompts and advice from the writers themselves.

Music critics of the past and the present offer inspiration through their work on artists like Black Sabbath, Daft Punk, J Dilla, Joy Division, Kanye West, Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead, Pussy Riot and countless others. How to Write About Music is an invaluable text for all those who have ever dreamed of getting their music writing published and a pleasure for everyone who loves to read about music.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. xi)
• Acknowledgments (p. xv)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• How To Use This Book (p. 5)
• The Writers (p. 7)
• Overture: Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 13)
• Chapter 1 The Album Review (p. 17)
• Introduction (p. 18)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 20)
• Ann Powers On Daft Punk's Random Access Memories (p. 24)
• Jim Derogatis On Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends (p. 27)
• Laurie Anderson On Animal Collective's Centipede Hz (p. 30)
• Lou Reed On Kanye West's Yeezus (p. 32)
• Writing Prompt: The Blind Review (p. 36)
• Writing Prompt: Make It Better (p. 37)
• The Go-Betweens: How to Make Contacts (p. 38)
• Chapter 2 The Live Review (p. 43)
• Introduction (p. 44)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 45)
• Paul Morley On Joy Division At University College London (p. 49)
• Zach Schonfeld On Spiritualized At Webster Hall (p. 52)
• Charles Aaron On Hole At Nautica Stage (p. 54)
• Writing Prompt: The Live Review On Deadline (p. 57)
• The Go-Betweens: The Five Things Every Music Writer Or Editor Needs (p. 58)
• Chapter 3 Track-By-Track (p. 65)
• Introduction (p. 66)
• Kim Cooper On Neutral Milk Hotel (p. 67)
• Mary Gaitskill On B-Movie (p. 73)
• Tavi Gevinson On Taylor Swift (p. 76)
• Jonathan Lethem On Talking Heads (p. 85)
• Writing Prompt: Track-By-Track (p. 88)
• The Go-Betweens: How Did You Land Your Job? (p. 89)
• Chapter 4 Analysis (p. 91)
• Introduction (p. 92)
• Richard Meltzer On Evil And Rock 'n' Roll (p. 94)
• Luke Turner On Enya (p. 97)
• Brian Morton On Computer Music (p. 100)
• Jordan Ferguson On J Dill As Donuts (p. 103)
• Writing Prompt: Late Style (p. 107)
• The Go-Betweens: Offbeat Advice (p. 108)
• Chapter 5 The Artist Interview (p. 111)
• Introduction (p. 112)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers 1 (p. 113)
• Lizzy Goodman With Kim Gordon (p. 117)
• Thomas Sayers Ellis With Bootsy Collins (p. 122)
• Allen Ginsberg With Beck (p. 134)
• Writing Prompt: Be Both Interviewer And Interviewee (p. 138)
• Writing Prompt: Learn From The Best (p. 139)
• The Go-Betweens: Your Dream Interview Subject (p. 140)
• Chapter 6 The Personal Essay (p. 143)
• Introduction (p. 144)
• Bruce Eaton On Big Star (p. 146)
• Lester Bangs On Van Morrison (p. 152)
• James Wood On Keith Moon (p. 159)
• Rick Moody On Otis Redding, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Funkadelic And Others (p. 169)
• Writing Prompt: The Personal Essay (p. 179)
• Writing Prompt: Off-The-Radar Music That Matters (p. 180)
• The Go-Betweens: How Is Music Writing Different? (p. 181)
• Chapter 7 The Blog Piece (p. 185)
• Introduction (p. 186)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 188)
• Chris Deville On Mum Ford & Sons (p. 191)
• Nicholas Croggon And James Parker On The Trouble With Contemporary Music Criticism (p. 194)
• Matt Melis On Fandom (p. 203)
• Writing Prompt: The Blog Piece (p. 206)
• The Go-Betweens: Your Biggest Mistake (p. 207)
• Chapter 8 The Artist Profile (p. 211)
• Introduction (p. 212)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 214)
• Alexross On Radiohead (p. 217)
• John Jeremiah Sullivan On Axl Rose (p. 231)
• Lindsay Zoladz On Pussy Riot (p. 247)
• Sasha Frere-Jones On Beyoncé (p. 253)
• Writing Prompt: The Local Artist Profile (p. 256)
• The Go-Betweens: What Sources Do You Use? (p. 258)
• Chapter 9 Alternatives (p. 261)
• Introduction (p. 262)
• John Darnielle On Black Sabbath (p. 264)
• Marty Davis On Black Flag (p. 270)
• Rob Sheffield On Tommy James And The Shondells, Pixies, The Cure, Rolling Stones And Others (p. 280)
• Joseph Deuel On Hüsker Dü (p. 284)
• Campbell McGrath On Bob Dylan (p. 287)
• Writing Prompt: The Annotated Mix Tape (p. 288)
• Writing Prompt: Other Voices (p. 289)
• Writing Prompt: Headlines From Titles (p. 290)
• The Go-Betweens: Desert Island Discs (p. 291)
• Chapter 10 How It Sounds (p. 297)
• Introduction (p. 298)
• Expert Advice From Our Writers (p. 299)
• Andy Babiuk On The Beatles (p. 303)
• Owen Pallett On Katy Perry (p. 306)
• Susan Fast On Led Zeppelin (p. 308)
• John Perry On Jimi Hendrix (p. 317)
• Writing Prompt: Isolated Tracks (p. 320)
• Writing Prompt: What's Important (p. 321)
• The Go-Betweens: Do You Need To Know How To Make Music To Write About It? (p. 322)
• Chapter 11 Music Scenes (p. 327)
• Introduction (p. 328)
• Gina Arnold On Liz Phair (p. 329)
• Ross Simonini On Jamaican Rude Boys (p. 333)
• Simon Morrison On Dance Clubs In Kosovo (p. 338)
• Writing Prompt: Music Scenes (p. 341)
• The Go-Betweens: How Has The Field Of Writing About Music Changed? (p. 342)
• Chapter 12 Cultural Criticism (p. 345)
• Introduction (p. 346)
• Carl Wilson On Céline Dion (p. 347)
• Chuck Klosterman On Eminem (p. 356)
• Greil Marcus On Clarence Ashley (p. 361)
• Writing Prompt: Cultural Criticism (p. 364)
• The Go-Betweens: Words Of Advice To The Lonely Music Critic (p. 365)
• Chapter 33 1/3 Introduction: How To Pitch A 33 1/3 (p. 367)
• Introduction: How To Pitch A 33 1/3 (p. 368)
• Describe What It Was Like To Write A 33 1/3 (p. 372)
• A Successful Pitch: Susan Fast On Michael Jackson's Dangerous (p. 373)
• A Successful Pitch: Phillip Crandall On Andrew W K.'s I Get Wet (p. 386)
• Phillip Crandall Revisits His (p. 386)
• Proposal (p. 395)
• Writing Prompt: The 33 1/3 Pitch (p. 397)
• The Go-Betweens: Where Do You Find Inspiration? (p. 398)
• Companion Website (p. 403)
• Index (p. 409)