On the Records

An intimate collection of essays by 80 widely acclaimed and esteemed artists, from Brian Eno to Erykah Badu to Angélique Kidjo to Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, each revealing an overlooked but beloved album that has resonated deeply with them and inspired their work.

Discover the music that shaped Dolly Parton’s earliest memories through her mother’s voice, the rare recording that Black Thought of The Roots discovered and continues to draw from, the album that changed the way Chris Stapleton heard and approached music, as well as selections from both Billie Eilish and Finneas.

On the Records gathers musical hidden gems and word-of-mouth albums, selected by 80 celebrated artists. Featuring essays by luminaries across genres and spanning generations, the book offers an intimate look at the music that has privately influenced and moved these artists. Each essay features an album, artist, or a set of songs that the artist feels should have been considered classics among the collective consciousness but have been underappreciated. Some reflect chapters in the work of widely recognized artists, while others are long out of print, self-released, or hard to find. Many of the essays were written by the artists themselves, while others grew out of exclusive new conversations, shaped into written stories that preserve the voice and spirit of those exchanges. Each artist’s reflection is paired with album art and imagery that bring these records to life. On the Records unfolds with the quiet pleasure of browsing a well-loved record collection—a book to linger with as much as to read.

This is the book for music-lovers who want to be inspired again, by the discovery of songs and sounds that they’ve never heard before. For listeners who value discovery and the deeper connections people form with great recordings, On the Records opens a path to extraordinary music, shared by the artists whose work has shaped the way we listen.