The chief creative officer of Sony Music presents a candid assessment of his life and the past half-century of popular music from an insider's perspective, tracing his work with a wide array of stars and personalities.

"Everybody knows and loves the American Songbook. But it's a bit less widely understood that in about 1950, this stream of great songs more or less dried up. All of a sudden, what came over the radio wasn't Gershwin, Porter, and Berlin, but "Come on-a My House" and "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?" Elvis and rock and roll arrived a few years later, and at that point the game was truly up. What happened, and why? In The B Side, acclaimed cultural...

Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller shaped the rock and roll era - this is their story in their own words.In 1950 a couple of rhythm and blues loving teenagers named Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller met for the first time. Leiber was looking for someone to help compose music for lyrics he'd written, and a friend recommended a Piano player named Mike Stoller. They discovered their mutual affection for R&B, and, as Jerry and Mike put it in this fascinating

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"From one of the preeminent cultural critics of her generation, a radiant weave of memoir, criticism, and biography that tells the story of black women in music--from the Dixie Cups to Gladys Knight to Janet, Whitney, and Mariah-- as the foundational story of American pop"--

"In Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1950s, there was hard-edged blues playing on Beale Street, and hillbilly boogie on the outskirts of town. But at Sam Phillips' Sun Records studio on Union Avenue, there was something different going on--a whole lotta shakin', rockin', and rollin'. The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: 70 Years of Sun Records is the official history of this legendary label, and looks at its story in a unique way: through the lens of 70 of its most...

"The fascinating story of America's national anthem and an examination of its powerful meaning today. Most Americans learn the tale in elementary school: During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the daylong bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry by British navy ships; seeing the Stars and Stripes still flying proudly at first light, he was inspired to pen his famous lyric. What Americans don't know is the story of how this everyday "broadside...

Ken Burns chronicles the history of a uniquely American art form, rising from the experiences of remarkable people in distinctive regions of the nation. From its roots in ballads, hymns, and the blues to its mainstream popularity, meet the unforgettable characters and storytellers who made it 'America's Music.' Viewers will follow the evolution of country music over the course of the twentieth century as it eventually emerged to become America's music....

"The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll and author of classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell," and "Roll Over Beethoven." Chuck Berry long ago earned a reputation as a personwho gave nothing away. Best known as the groundbreaking innovator of rock and roll and the artist behind classics ranging from "Johnny B. Goode" and "Maybellene" to "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over...