Every Song Ever: Twenty Ways to Listen in an Age of Musical Plenty - Ben Ratliff (Book)

Title: Every Song Ever: Twenty Ways to Listen in an Age of Musical Plenty

Author: Ben Ratliff

Date Published: February 16, 2016

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Category: Nonfiction / Music Appreciation / Cultural Criticism

In Every Song Ever: Twenty Ways to Listen in an Age of Musical Plenty, music critic Ben Ratliff presents a compelling exploration of how we can engage with music in today’s digital world, where virtually every song ever recorded is available at the touch of a button. Ratliff suggests that the vast amount of music at our fingertips should encourage deeper, more thoughtful listening rather than a frantic pursuit of accumulating every track. He introduces twenty different ways to appreciate music, focusing on fundamental aspects like repetition, speed, or emotional impact, and argues that these elements allow listeners to transcend traditional genre boundaries.

The book is structured around these twenty listening methods, each designed to encourage a fresh perspective on music. For example, Ratliff explores how seemingly disparate styles, such as drone metal and classical opera, can be understood through their shared use of repetition or tempo. This approach invites readers to reconsider the role of musical genres and to listen with an open mind to all kinds of music, finding connections that might not be immediately apparent. Ratliff’s work is both a critique of modern music consumption and a call for a more reflective and personalized way of experiencing the songs that shape our world.