Ben Yagoda - The B Side (paperback)

"The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song" by Ben Yagoda is a fascinating exploration of the rise and fall of the American music industry’s Tin Pan Alley era and the transformative shift that followed.

Yagoda delves into the world of popular music, focusing on the role of the B-side, the lesser-known tracks on vinyl singles that often served as hidden gems in the golden age of recorded music. The book examines how these tracks were often overshadowed by their more famous A-side counterparts, yet in many cases, they revealed the true creativity and depth of American songwriting. Through this detailed narrative, Yagoda highlights the evolution of American popular music and the shifting dynamics that gave way to new musical forms in the post-Tin Pan Alley era.