A lively and accessible approach to the study of popular music. Moving beyond the typical analysis of ′popular music and society′, Machin offers students a toolkit for looking at popular music, taking it apart and really understanding what makes it ′work′.

Introduction Discourses of Popular Music Album Iconography: Postures, Objects, Settings Visual Composition: Typeface and Colour Analyzing Lyrics: Values, Participants, Agency Semiotic Resources in Sound: Pitch, Melody and Phrasing Sound Qualities: Arrangement and Rhythm Analyzing Genre: The Sounds of Britpop Analyzing Music in Film Analyzing Music in Video and Television Conclusion

A definitive guide to issues of textual analysis, representation and semiotics in popular music. Informed, instructive and refreshingly accessible; it boasts a host of original examples, exercises and invaluable resourcesBill OsgerbyLondon Metropolitan University David Machin has the gift of explaining complex ideas in clear and direct language that will engage students and enrich their experience of musicTheo Van LeeuwenUniversity of Technology Sydney A comprehensive and innovative addition to the literature on the analysis of popular music. Scholars and students will find this an essential reference text for future workBrian LonghurstUniversity of Salford David Machin′s book will be invaluable for anyone who wants to systematically analyse the way that popular music is meaningful in the media. He provides clear, accurate, explanations of the ideas of other writers, and sets out helpful approaches to analysing popular music as a modern form of visual and sound communication. The book will now be on my recommended reading lists for both undergraduate and postgraduate studentsTim WallBirmingham City University In this innovative and invaluable book, David Machin has attempted to address the areas of representation, textual analysis and semiotics in popular music. He presents complex ideas in a way that will be useful to students of media, culture and communications and to any scholars with an interest in why music is made meaningful but with no background in musicology... I would strongly recommend this book for any music and media students, and for anyone with an interest in developing a deeper understanding of popular musicMartin James, Southampton Solent UniversityTHE Textbook Guide