Back in my day, pop stars came in two standard models: Bimbos and himbos. But the current crop of divine divas seem far more savvy and sophisticated. Or at least the ladies do. Ariana Grande, for instance, appears to take herself slightly less seriously than her worshipful legions of fans. And Dua Lipa seems relatively down to earth — like somebody you could actually have an intelligent conversation with over a beer. Go figure. Or maybe go read about them; they’re both the subject of new tomes. Ditto the singer from P.O.D., Metallica’s back catalog, Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Californication, a Jacques Brel classic and more. Pop goes the world:
Son Of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds
By Sonny Sandoval
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Born and raised on the streets of Southtown, two exits from the Mexico border, Sonny Sandoval was always going to go his own way. And as frontman of the platinum selling nu metal band P.O.D. — a group too Christian for the world and too secular for the church — he has broken every mold, defied every expectation, and reached into the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of people who wanted to belong to something but never felt like they fit in. Sonny’s life has been one lived on the edge between two worlds, a line he has attempted to walk with integrity. Raw and uncut, this memoir tells his true story of growing up in the gritty beauty south of San Diego, his early musical influences and big breaks, his rise to fame and many hardships and struggles along the way. From stories of performing in cornfields to rocking MTV’s Total Request Live with Carson Daly to playing in New York City just weeks after 9/11, and every unglamorous moment in between, this hard-hitting memoir will have you believing that there’s no one right way to follow God’s call. Instead, Sonny’s story will inspire you to be totally and uniquely you at all times, without apology and without compromise — but with passion and integrity.”
Mwah – Dua Lipa: The Illustrated Biography
By Carolyn McHugh
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This lavishly illustrated biography tells the story of Dua Lipa, who has gone from viral sensation to Grammy-winning global superstar. In just a few years the British/Kosovan singer-songwriter has established herself as the doyenne of ‘ dark pop’ with a succession of upbeat catchy hit tracks with dark lyrics and undertones. She’ s also the queen of collaboration, sought after for her vocals and creative input by the industry’ s leading and most dynamic artists, producers and DJs including Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson and Diplo as well as long-established legends of earlier eras such as Chris Martin and Elton John. Dua’s self-titled debut album featured the hits Be the One, IDGAF, Hotter Than Hell and her first U.K. No. 1 single New Rules. Her acclaimed follow up album Future Nostalgia consolidated her status as she continued to provide the soundtrack to the lives of young women via more hits like One Kiss, Levitating, Physical and Don’ t Start Now. She is the real deal — a legitimate pop sensation — and this is her story so far.”
Yours Truly: The Little Guide to Ariana Grande
By Orange Hippo
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of the most-streamed female artists of all time, Ariana Grande is the voice of her generation. From her breakout on Broadway to her victorious path dominating the charts with R&B bops and stunning ballads, she has cemented her place as one of the greatest voices of our time, with the perfect ponytail to go with it. With seven game-changing albums, she’s turned pain into power and grief into grace, giving the world a soundtrack for every emotion. From breaking records with thank u, next to redefining pop with her R&B-infused sound, Ariana’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, talent, and unapologetic self-expression. She’s not just a chart-topper but a cultural icon, using her voice both in and out of the studio to champion causes like mental health, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. With over 300 million followers, sold-out world tours, and accolades that include two Grammy Awards, nine MTV Video Music Awards, and 27 Guinness World Records, her influence extends far beyond music. This little guide is your perfect dose of all things Ari, packed with her most memorable words of wisdom, insight, and charm. As compact as the singer herself, this pocket-sized, petite compendium delves deep into Ariana’s still-rising stardom and throws a bright eternal spotlight on what makes her shine.”
Dennis Morris: Music + Life
By Dennis Morris
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In association with an international touring exhibition and coinciding with what would have been Bob Marley’s 80th birthday, Dennis Morris marks the first full-career retrospective for this groundbreaking photographer. Dennis Morris: Music + Life is the first in-depth career retrospective of the trailblazing photographer, designer, and art director. Although Morris is celebrated for his iconic portraits of reggae superstar Bob Marley, this monograph also shines a light on his documentary work, which explores questions of race and cultural identity as it draws on his experiences as a Black teenager in 1970s Britain. Morris unveils a trove of previously unseen images, offering new insight into the image-maker’s visual language. Jamaican-born Morris moved to East London when he was just five years old. His passion for photography was ignited when he joined a local church’s camera club. A rebellious 13-year-old, Morris skipped school to meet — and photograph — Marley, an encounter that would catapult him into a whirlwind tour with Marley and, subsequently, The Sex Pistols as their official photographer. His adventures in the reggae and punk scenes of the 1970s laid the groundwork for a multidecade career spanning photography, art direction, design, and music. The book unfolds in two symbiotic parts: the first captures Morris’s unapologetic lens on race, culture, and identity in 1970s Britain, while the second surveys his collaborations with music legends, including — in addition to Marley — Lee “Scratch” Perry, Gregory Isaacs and Marianne Faithfull.”
Metallica: The Stories Behind the Songs
By Chris Ingham
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A must-read for any metalhead, Metallica: The Stories Behind the Songs breaks down the writing and recording of every track from each of the band’s studio albums, including classic records such as Master of Puppets (1986) and Metallica (aka The Black Album) (1991), right through to 2023’s 72 Seasons. Written by Chris Ingham and illustrated with hundreds of stunning photos spanning more than 40 years, this updated entry in the bestselling Stories Behind the Songs series explores the influences behind more than 100 of the band’s most celebrated tracks, offering fans a unique perspective into the creation, evolution and performance of their favourite songs.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication: Rock Classic
By Matt Karpe
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 1998, the future of the Red Hot Chili Peppers seemed extremely uncertain. Once considered alternative rock’s hottest act on the back of their triumphant 1991 album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the L.A. quartet would spend the next few years somewhat languishing in the doldrums, with drug addiction and in-house tension threatening to undo all those previous years of hard work. To say that Californication saved the band is an understatement. For Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and the returning John Frusciante — long considered the band’s classic lineup by many — the 1999 album cemented the Red Hots as not only the poster boys for alt-rock but as some of rock’s greatest artists. Musically, Californication still featured a lethal dose of the band’s powerhouse funk, but the album was also more melodic, minimalistic, and structured. Combined with Kiedis’ often brutally honest and introspective lyricism, songs such as the delicate and sombre Scar Tissue, the epiphanic Otherside, and the scathing title track, would usher in a new era of the band, where the promise they had previously shown was about to be fully realised. In great detail, this book discusses album’s writing and recording processes, the stories behind every song — including the B-sides and unreleased material, the ensuing world tour, and the legacy the record has left behind.”
Ne Me Quitte Pas: A Song by Jacques Brel and Interpreted by Nina Simone and Others
By Maya Angela Smith
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 1959, Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel wrote and performed Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me), a visceral and haunting plea for his lover to come back. As a teenager, Maya Angela Smith was so captivated by Nina Simone’s powerful 1965 cover of the song that it inspired her to be a French professor. In Ne Me Quitte Pas, Smith follows the classic song’s long and varied journey, from Brel’s iconic 1966 performance on French television to Simone’s cover to Shirley Bassey’s English-language version (If You Go Away) to its contemporary manifestations in popular culture. Throughout, Smith shows that as the song travels across languages, geographies, genres, and generations, it accumulates shifting artistic and cultural significance as each listener creates their own meaning.”
The Routledge Handbook of Progressive Rock, Metal, and the Literary Imagination
Edited by Chris Anderton & Lori Burns
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This handbook illustrates the many ways that progressive rock and metal music forge striking engagements with literary texts and themes. The authors and their objects of analytic inquiry offer global and diverse perspectives on these genres and their literary connections: from ancient times to the modern world, from children’s literature to epic poetry, from mythology to science fiction, and from esoteric fantasy to harsh political criticism. The musical treatments of these literary materials span the continents from South and North America through Europe and Asia. The collection presents critical perspectives on the enduring and complex relationships between words and music as these are expressed in progressive rock and metal.”
Ponk!
By Marcus Clayton
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A punk rock anti-memoir told through the eyes of a biracial Afrolatino punk academic, PÓNK! follows Moose, an alienated academic and lead guitarist for Pipebomb! as he navigates through spaces in and out of South East Los Angeles: punk clubs, college classrooms, family gatherings, street protests, and euphoric backyard shows. Oscillating between autofiction, memoir, and lyric, Clayton blurs genres while articulating the layered effects of racism, trauma, immigration, policing, Black hair, performance, and toxic academic language to uncover how one truly becomes an ally. Borrowing from the spatial lyricism of Claudia Rankine, the genre-bending storytelling of Alexander Chee, and the racial musings of James Baldwin, PÓNK!’s narrative takes back punk rock and finds safe space in the mosh.”
Remixing the Hip-Hop Narrative: Between Local Expressions and Global Connections
By James Barber, Christian Büschges & Dianne Violeta Mausfeld
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Although hip-hop is now a well-established global music genre and cultural form, its history and current impact have not yet been sufficiently studied. The interdisciplinary contributions to this volume address hip hop’s historical and regional struggles for representation of race, gender, generation, place, and language, as well as the tension between authenticity and commercialization. Contributors offer approaches to historicizing hip-hop culture, and present new theoretical perspectives and methodological tools for addressing hip hop’s global impact. This volume targets not only scholars and students but also resonates with recent public debates about identity politics and cultural appropriation.”
