The Rough Guide to Cult Pop

by Paul Simpson

This new Rough Guide is devoted to pop music; the tacky, catchy and yet enduring music we grew up with when we should have been listening to something more profound. We celebrate the hits, the singers, the impresarios, and the songs that have made up the

Genres: Music, Pop Culture, Reference, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tamelyn Feinstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, and badly in need of editing (misspellings and errors abound), but acutely observed, smartly written, and great fun to read. This is a UK-based publication, so the references are geared toward the British pop scene (in other words, I had to look some stuff up*), but the book also has quite a few interesting compare/contrast entries regarding the relative US/UK pop charts.

*Eurovision

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this is a UK publication, it helps to be well versed with the British Pop charts. Even if one is not, it takes a while to figure it out but then it is pretty enjoyable.

[David Lai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what's "cult" about the pop in this book, which is mostly about the most successful pop acts ever, and to boot has a picture on its cover of the far-from-niche Debbie Harry, but it makes for an entertaining enough read, comprising a fair sprinkling of recondite info as well as lots of facts-you-didn't-know that everyone knows. The arch style often comes over as adolescent, though.