Rating: 
Summary: Graff and Durchholz hit the mark!
Review: This is the best music guide I have ever read. The book is accessible to all levels of readers and music buyers. It is written in a style that provides a great deal of information without feeling like a text book. Thanks!
Rating: 
Summary: Lack of talent
Review: This review is based solely on Graff, et. al.'s brief summary (critique) of Ozzy Osbourne's career. In what should have been a simple synopsis of Osbourne's career, quickly became a parody of what a review should really be. I found the summary annoying, irritating, and insulting to the legion of Ozzy Osbourne fans who, instead of being "...perfectly happy to board the "Crazy Train" now and again even if the conductor's abilities have diminished...", revel in the fact that Osbourne has more innate and untapped talent than Graff et. al will ever realize themselves. Songs are written by a writer to summarize what they are feeling, what they are seeing, and what they are hearing...what's wrong with "Perry Mason?" In closing, if the rest of the book is covered in the same annoying way, I would suggest all readers steer clear of this innane piece of "work."
Rating: 
Summary: none too good, I fear...
Review: This was the first album-review book I bought, and as such I had no basis for comparison, but looking back I have to admit, it's really pretty awful. Instead of reviewing an artist's discography album by album, we instead have scattershot recommendations of a few albums (perplexingly glossing over a group's best work at times), and then a section citing albums the reviewer considers "bad"--interestingly, all artists in this world seem to have exactly one or two albums that are "bad", and very often perfectly good albums are condemned. Also, there's the unfortunate supercilious dismissal of artists whom the reviewer personally has something against. And of course omissions abound. I'll admit I got SOME useful information out of this, but you can to SO much better. Get the AMG Guide to Rock instead; it's a MUCH better book.
Rating:
Summary: Essential!
Review: Very enjoyable book for those who like reading about rock/pop artists and their music. Certainly some omissions, Gordon Lightfoot, for example (Gee, I hope he hasn't been put into the Folk guide), but generally comprehensive. Less arrogant than the Rolling Stone's counterpart publication, which has a much narrower definition of what is quality "rock". This one allows for a greater diversity of tastes among the populace. The breadth of artists and time periods covered forces them into focusing on fewer albums pertaining to artists with large catalogues, in order to keep the size reasonable.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the money
Review: Very enjoyable book for those who like reading about rock/pop artists and their music. Certainly some omissions, Gordon Lightfoot, for example (Gee, I hope he hasn't been put into the Folk guide), but generally comprehensive. Less arrogant than the Rolling Stone's counterpart publication, which has a much narrower definition of what is quality "rock". This one allows for a greater diversity of tastes among the populace. The breadth of artists and time periods covered forces them into focusing on fewer albums pertaining to artists with large catalogues, in order to keep the size reasonable.
Rating:
Summary: A+
Review: Very useful album guide. If you buy a lot of CDs, you must have this book. I even got turned on to a couple of new bands on the CD sampler. Nice work Graff & Durchholz!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: When this book arrived I opened it and started flipping through it, looking up my favorite bands. Three hours later, I was still flipping through it, reading about more of my favorite bands; and bands I've heard of but don't know anything about; and bands I've never heard of but now will investigate. This book is filled to the brim with fascinating stuff. WARNING: Pick it up and start reading it and you might just miss the latest episodes of "Friends" and "E.R." Hey, if it happened to me, it can happen to anyone. Five stars all the way!!!
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