if you're giving an iPod for Christmas...

books:

	• Joel Whitburn Presents Songs and Artists 2007: The Essential Music Guide for Your iPod and Other Portable ... Record Research, 2006 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A varied playlist.

Albeit I didn't agree with all the choices, a lot of thought went in to the choosing of this varied music selection. There is something for just about everyone who loves popular music. You will enjoy the well-rounded music choices. Personally, I would like to have seen music selections from the 1930's and 1940's (various genres) included. However, I realize I'm not as contemporary as most others may be. Thank you Mr. Whitburn for producing yet another compelling music compilation!

Disappointed

Perhaps I should have taken the cover blurb to heart: "Featuring over 14,500 of the most popular songs and artists from 1955 to present", because that is exactly what you get, a list of popular artists and their greatest hits. This is not unuseful for a quick reference, but you could glean the same information yourself from artists' "Greatest Hits" CD listings, artist profiles on your favorite music service (iTunes, Rhapsody,...), Billboard and Rolling Stone lists and other widely available sources.

You don't get any surprises or hidden gems, just big hits. Nor is there much subjective analysis; dreck or not, if the song was popular, it is listed. Does *anyone* want Paul Anka's "Having My Baby" on their iPod? Ew!

I wouldn't use the term "essential" in the subtitle, essential implies that some analysis was applied, it doesn't appear so.

I'm well aware that any list is limited by space - and that any list automatically inspires argument - but I would have much preferred lists with some unexpected gems alongside the obvious.

Some examples of songs I might have included:
The Allman Brothers Band: Stormy Monday Blues or Southbound
Merle Haggard: Footlights
John Mellencamp: Last Chance
Don McLean: Empty Chairs
Amazing Rhythm Aces: Who Will The Next Fool Be?
Bob Dylan: Every Grain of Sand
Emmylou Harris: Defying Gravity or Icy Blue Heart

How about anything by Nanci Griffith or Fred Neil?

You get the idea.

The back cover indicates what this book is good for:

"I know that song, but who recorded it?"
"I know that band, but what's that song?"
"What are my favorite artist's top hits?"

If that is what you need fine, but don't expect anything deeper. And besides, the above questions are easily answered online.

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if you're giving an iPod for Christmas...

This book is a must have! This book contains thousands of the best songs from 1955 to the present. It's laid out in so many ways, that it makes the songs easy to find, by artist, song title, half decade...it's great! It even includes some ideas for playlists...Dance, road trip, work out, instrumental, take it easy...and so many more! It gives a great place to start!

Love This Little Book

This book is so handy. I can lookup music so much faster then in Joel Whitburn's Top 40 Hits books, everything listed for an artist is in alphabetical order rather then by year. Years are included in listings they just are not sorted by year. Book goes a little behond the Top 40, (would be nice if when a song was in the top 40 a letter or something were added to the listing to identify it). I like the Song title section as well but I would like to have the print a little larger. If you Collect popular Music (1955-2006), this is a can't miss book.

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Almost Perfect

if you own over 100 gig of music like I do, then you owe it to yourself to pick this up.
Would have love to have seen more "lists".

Record expert lists over 15,000 popular songs in this annual. This book is the perfect companion handbook for an iPod or other portable MP3 player. It lists over 15,000 significant songs and essential hits of the past half-century, from 1955 to the present. Joel Whitburn and Record Research have been highlighting the hits, archiving the artists and tracking the trends longer and more definitively than anyone else in the business, so there's no better source to bring you the book on the hottest new trend in recorded music! This is the only guide that gives the biggest hits in all genres all shown in an easy-to-use A-Z artist listing. There's also a convenient A-Z song title cross-reference section and playlists of each half-decade's biggest hits. The book also includes complete playlist compilation suggestions for many types of events, activities and moods, including road trips, stadium/sports, weddings, workouts, Christmas and various musical genres, including British Invasion, surf/hot rod, Motown sound, new wave/punk, dance party, classic rock, and much more. "Here are my personal playlist picks for your portable MP3 players - the must-have tracks for every artist of the last 50 years. Dive in, download and enjoy!" - Joel Whitburn New edition features: * Over 1000 new songs; * 20 more playlists; * New artists that charted in 2005-06.

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