Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Popular Musicians since 1990 » (2 Vol. Set)

The two volumes follow the 2001 expansion of Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians and offer 583 approximately one-page profiles of bands and individual artists working in all popular musical genres—from electronica and hip hop to heavy metal, country, and world music. Entries for bands list members and cite where and when the band was formed, genre, and best-selling album since 1990. This is followed by the biography which includes some history and discography as well as a characterization of the band's sound (several of the contributors are music reviewers). Entries for individuals include the artists place and date of birth. About a quarter of the entries include a b&w photo. The appendix includes four essays on themes such as the rise and fall of grunge and the role of the Internet and the crisis of the music industry in the early 2000s. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Library Journal

An excellent companion to the 2001 expansion of Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, this two-volume set deals with popular musicians from around the world who have been active since 1990. Readers will find the likes of late rhythm-and-blues star Aaliyah, Mexican pop idol Juan Gabriel, and bluegrass darling Dolly Parton, as well as tenor Luciano Pavarotti, Broadway's Bernadette Peters, and grizzled rocker Neil Young. Senior editor Stephen Wasserstein oversees a panel of 24 writers (many of them academics) who contributed 583 essays ranging from 500 to 2000 words. All are accessible and include biographical details, critical analysis of the artists' work, a discography, and (when applicable) an official web site, a filmography, and a bibliography. Some entries contain black-and-white photographs and "Spotlight" sidebars that delve more deeply into a notable album, song, event, or cultural context. The editors have included entries for musicians whose greatest impact was before 1990 (e.g., the Grateful Dead and Lou Reed), but they focus on answering the question, "What has this artist done lately?" The appendix contains four essays that chart the development of key musical movements since 1990 (e.g., grunge, rap's mainstream arrival, corporate radio, and the file-sharing crisis), and the index is thorough. Given the broad spectrum of musical styles covered here, this would make an excellent reference for public and academic libraries. One caveat: because most of the artists are still active today, many of the entries will quickly date. Nonetheless, this book is highly recommended; the only title that comes close to being comparable is Stan Jeffries's Encyclopedia of World Pop Music 1980-2001, which focuses on non-U.S. and non-U.K. musicians-also covered in Baker's inclusive work.-James E. Perone, Mount Union Coll., Alliance, OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.