Five of the best music books of 2025

Here are the five music books of 2025 that you need to know about.

Liz Pelly's 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist' is a scathing critique of the streaming giant, exposing its business practices as manipulative and exploitative. Pelly's account reveals how Spotify views artists as mere commodities, prioritizing profit over creative expression, and how the algorithm churns out playlists that suckle the listener into mindless consumption. The book's unflinching examination of the industry's darker side makes for a compelling read, even if its message feels depressingly familiar.

Kate Mossman's 'Men of a Certain Age: My Encounters with Rock Royalty' is an original and captivating take on rock history. Mossman's semi-autobiographical account of her obsession with aging male artists - from Queen's Roger Taylor to Jon Bon Jovi - is both insightful and moving. Her writing sparkles, making it impossible not to be drawn in by her encounters with the likes of Bruce Hornsby and Steve Perry.

Jeff Pearlman's 'Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur' offers a nuanced and incisive biography that sets the record straight on the rapper's life. Gone is the hagiographic portrayal, replaced by a more complex and contradictory figure - one who was sensitive, geeky, and struggling to find his place in the world of hip-hop. Pearlman's research shines through on every page.

Justin Currie's 'The Tremolo Diaries' is an honest and often hilarious exploration of life in a band struggling with illness, depression, and fading commercial success. With his characteristic wit and candor, Currie pulls no punches as he recounts the highs and lows of Del Amitri's journey. The book is richly rewarding, even for those who don't know much about the band.

Darryl W Bullock's 'Love and Fury: The Extraordinary Life, Death, and Legacy of Joe Meek' tells the story of a sonic genius whose life was marked by tragedy and turmoil. From his groundbreaking production work to his struggles with mental illness and addiction, Meek's legacy is fascinating and complex. Bullock's authoritative biography offers a compelling page-turner that sheds new light on this pivotal figure in pop history.

I'm loving the depth these music books are bringing to the table! You know what really gets me excited? The way they're shedding light on the less-than-glamorous side of the industry - like how Spotify is treating artists as commodities . At first, it sounds pretty bleak, but I think that's exactly what makes 'Mood Machine' so compelling... it's a wake-up call to make us think differently about our streaming habits . And can we talk about Kate Mossman's take on rock royalty? Her writing sparkles like, literally! It's amazing how these books are humanizing the "rock stars" and making us see them as multidimensional beings with their own struggles and passions . Overall, I'm so stoked to dive into these reads and explore the stories behind some of my favorite artists

Spotify's algorithm is like a manipulative partner - it knows exactly what you want, but never really gives you what you need... I mean, think about it, they churn out playlists that suckle us into mindless consumption. It's not even a challenge anymore to create something good on the platform. The business practices are so focused on profit, it's like we're just products for them.

And have you noticed how most artists aren't really making any money from their music? It's crazy! They need Spotify to make ends meet. We should be supporting our favorite artists directly instead of relying on the algorithm. The book 'Mood Machine' is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the dark side of the industry.

I'm intrigued by Justin Currie's 'The Tremolo Diaries'. It sounds like an honest and hilarious look at life in a band struggling with illness and depression... Does anyone have any experience with that kind of thing?

omg u guys i just read these music book reviews & i'm literally OBSESSED w/ 'Mood Machine' by Liz Pelly she's so right about Spotify's business practices it's like they're trying to control our minds w/ playlists and Kate Mossman's 'Men of a Certain Age' is giving me all the rockstar feels i love how she wrote about her encounters with these iconic artists, it's like reading a fanfiction but way more real

and can we talk about Jeff Pearlman's 'Only God Can Judge Me'? it's like he finally gave us the truth about Tupac's life & it's so fascinating! I love how nuanced and complex his biography is, it's not just some hagiography or glorified myth-making Justin Currie's 'The Tremolo Diaries' is also a total fave of mine Del Amitri fans unite! Darryl W Bullock's 'Love and Fury' is like the ultimate biopic, can't wait to dive in & learn more about Joe Meek

Ugh I'm so done with the music industry right now I mean have you seen how much money Spotify makes off one playlist It's insane! Liz Pelly's book is literally exposing all these dark secrets and I feel like it's a major "aha" moment for me. I always thought Spotify was just a cool way to discover new music, but now I'm like nope, they're exploiting us all

And on the other hand, I'm so inspired by Kate Mossman's book Men of a Certain Age is literally my new favorite thing. I've been obsessed with Queen since I was 12 and it's amazing to see how much history and depth there is behind their music. The way she writes about these iconic guys like Roger Taylor and Bruce Hornsby... it's just magic

I'm also super excited to dive into Jeff Pearlman's Tupac biography I've always been fascinated by his life and legacy, but we don't get enough real talk about the complexities of his personality. Can't wait to learn more!

omg I'm so hyped about these music books!! first off 'Mood Machine' sounds like such a wild read, I need to know more about Spotify's shady business practices and how they're affecting artists Kate Mossman's book 'Men of a Certain Age' has me dying to hear more about her encounters with rock royalty - Queen, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Hornsby... my ultimate fave! I'm also super intrigued by Jeff Pearlman's Tupac bio, finally getting the real story behind the legend and Justin Currie's 'The Tremolo Diaries' sounds like a hilarious and heart-wrenching read - love Del Amitri btw! lastly Darryl W Bullock's book on Joe Meek is giving me all the feels... his music is iconic and I need to learn more about his life

I'm always skeptical about music books, you know? Like, are they really telling us something new or just rehashing old stories? But these five books seem to be doing something different. Liz Pelly's book is making me think about how Spotify affects the artists we love. Like, do we really want our favorite songs to be curated by a machine that just wants to make us happy? It's not exactly a new question, but I guess it's one we need to keep asking.

And Kate Mossman's book is like a secret history lesson. Who knew Queen and Bruce Hornsby had so much in common? Justin Currie's book about Del Amitri just made me laugh out loud - I mean, can't we all relate to feeling like we're failing as musicians?

But what really impressed me was Jeff Pearlman's Tupac biography. I've always felt like there's a lot of myth around him, but this book really humanizes the guy. Like, he wasn't just a rapper - he was a person who struggled with stuff and tried to make sense of it all.

Darryl W Bullock's book about Joe Meek is like... wow. I had no idea his life was so complicated. It's like, we think we know our musical heroes, but really they're just people too.