Music Is History

Questlove, the five-time Grammy Award winner and visionary drummer of The Roots, takes readers on a decade-by-decade journey from 1971 to the present. In this New York Times bestseller, he explores how the melodies of our lives are inextricably linked to the shifts in our politics, our culture, and our collective identity.

A history of the last half-century and an intimate conversation with one of music’s most influential and original voices, Music Is History is a singular look at contemporary America.

Questlove finds the hidden connections in the American tapestry, whether investigating how the Blaxploitation era reshaped Black identity or considering the way disco took an assembly line approach to Black genius. And these critical inquiries are complemented by his own memories as a music fan, and how his appetite for pop culture taught him about America.

The narrative is fueled by Questlove's singular perspective as a musician, producer, and cultural omnivore. He blends personal anecdotes with rigorous historical analysis, questioning which stories we tell about the past and which voices have been traditionally sidelined in the canon of American music.

This exploration is essential for anyone who believes that a playlist can be a manifesto. It is a vibrant, challenging, and deeply personal account of how we have arrived at the present moment, one beat at a time. Questlove invites you to listen closer and see the world as a symphony of intersecting histories.

“An entertaining, informative and far-reaching work, meticulously excavating American culture and history with the eye of a seasoned cratedigger.” —The Washington Post