This is an account of the history of women in all aspects of the music business. It traces women's progress in the business, their struggles for acceptance as well as recognition and success. From the early years of ragtime and the jazz age, women have been stereotyped and kept in "their place" in an industry which has always been dominated and controlled by men. In order to survive, women have allowed themselves to be manipulated and there have been many casualties along the way. Today, female artists are starting to take control of all aspects of the business and men are being forced to listen. This book contains interviews with singers, musicians and women working in the music industry, and is written from a feminist perspective.

She Bop

LUCY O'BRIEN

Biographies & Memoirs

Penguin Books, Ltd.

The author charts Annie Lennox's career from the early troubled days of The Tourists through the monumental success of Eurythmics to the recent decision to take a pop sabbatical at the height of her career to work on behalf of the homeless.

Annie Lennox

Arts & Literature

Sidgwick Jackson Ltd

Material Girl. Immaculate sexpot. Kabbalah enthusiast. British mum.She has defied categorization for three decades and remained one of our greatest living pop iconsMadonna: Like an Icon is a groundbreaking biography that finally solves the mystery at the heart of Madonna's chameleonlike existence. Extensively researched and perceptively written by journalist Lucy O'Brien, it explores the complex personality and legendary drive that has made Madonna the most famous female pop artist of our time. O'Brien draws upon scores of interviews with producers, musicians, collaborators, lovers, and friends—many of whom have never spoken so candidly—to examine Madonna's fascinating life. From her mother's premature death to her dynamic arrival on the New York club scene to her training for Evita and beyond, every stage of her life is illuminated. Unlike any previous Madonna biographer, O'Brien deconstructs the stereotypes that have plagued the star, whether it was being labeled a self-indulgent siren for her book Sex or criticized for exploiting her celebrity status to adopt baby David in 2006. O'Brien provides an incisive portrayal, from Madonna's early days dancing at gay clubs in Detroit to the producers and musicians she both alienated and amazed in her uncompromising quest to seize on the next cultural wave.

Madonna

Corgi Adult

Popular music grew out of ragtime, vaudeville and the blues to become global mass entertainment. Women like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were the original pop divas, yet eighty years after they blazed a trail, have their successors achieved the recognition and affirmation they deserve? Or has the only way to success been to slot into saleable images of the cute babe or sexy chanteuse? 
Since its publication in 1995, the first edition of Lucy O'Brien's book has garnered worldwide acclaim. This fully revised and updated edition, with an additional chapter and dozens of extra interviews, is the ultimate hands-on history of women in rock, pop and soul. Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dusty Springfield, Patti Smith, Madonna, Joni Mitchell, Whitney Houston, Courtney Love, Alanis Morissette, Destiny's Child - all the key names are here. But 'She Bop 2' refuses to look at women artists simply as personalities, problems or victims. From Dream Babes to rock chicks, Riot Grrrls and ragamuffins, Girlpower, Lilith Fair rock, and the rise of the corporate Diva, 'She Bop 2' is the uncompromising story of women as creators and innovators.

She Bop 2: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul

Arts & Photography

Music

Continuum Intl Pub Group

It Takes Blood and Guts

Skin

Community & Culture

Simon&Schuster

A groundbreaking biography reevaluating the life and legacy of transcendent musician Karen Carpenter As one of the biggest-selling acts of the 1970s, the Carpenters are celebrated for their melodic pop and unforgettable hits like “Close to You,” “Yesterday,” and “Top of the World.” Though Karen is rightly recognized as one of the greatest singers in popular music, the tragedy of her early death in 1983 at the young age of just thirty-two sometimes overshadows her incredible achievements. She has often been portrayed as a victim, controlled by her family and exploited by the music industry. Forty years after her death, this biography reframes her life and legacy as a pioneering woman with her own vision and agency. With exclusive interviews with friends, musicians, and collaborators, bestselling author Lucy O’Brien explores Karen’s contributions as a singer, drummer, arranger, and producer, and traces the roots of the Carpenters’ iconic sound. Lead Sister also honors Karen’s triumphs in the face of her struggle with anorexia, providing contemporary perspectives on eating disorders and mental health. Despite the chronic nature of her illness, Karen Carpenter was, above all, a creative, dedicated, and assured artist whose music delivers an emotional resonance that has transcended generations—and that is how she should be remembered.

Lead Sister: The Story of Karen Carpenter: A Times Book of the Year

Nine Eight Books

SHE BOP: The Definitive History of Women in Popular Music

Madonna - 50 Anos - Portuguese Edition)

Nova Fronteira

Lucy O'Brien 2 Books Collection Set (Lead Sister: The Story of Karen Carpenter, Dusty)

Nine Eight Books/Michael O'Mara Ltd

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Books by LUCY O'BRIEN