John Seabrook, staff writer at the New Yorker, has been watching what’s happening to the art of songwriting, and he’s not impressed.
His new book, The Song Machine: Inside The Hit Factory ($34.95, Norton), documents its slow decline. He says songs are now made for malls, stadiums, airports, casinos, gyms and the Super Bowl halftime show, while their insights into the human condition extend no further than the walls of the vocal booth.
He talks about the book at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on Wednesday (March 16).
See Readings.