Who wrote the first true opera? Why did jazz go Latin? And how did blues influence rock? Find out in the story of how music has shaped the world.

Music has the ability to evoke the full spectrum of human emotions, irrespective of the listener's culture or nationality. This groundbreaking book examines that shared experience - from prehistory to the present.

A compelling and richly illustrated narrative, Music explores the roots of all genres from the chants of the middle ages through the grandeur of the classical period to the modern rhythms of blues, jazz, hip-hop, and pop. Spectacular galleries display families of instruments from around the world, while special features showcase the evolution of key instruments, such as the piano and the violin, and profile iconic innovators as diverse as Mozart, George Gershwin, and David Bowie.

Charting every musical revolution, from bone flutes to electronica and from jazz to hip-hop, this visually stunning history will hit the right note with you, whether you are into pop or rock or disco or rap, classical or opera.