The popularity of "college rock" or "alternative rock" exploded after the turn of the 21st century, further blurring the lines between commercial music and the independent rock music scene that had formed a countercultural identity for so many of its ardent listeners. Chris DeVille, who is now the managing editor at Stereogum, grew up in the heart of that scene and is perfectly and passionately positioned to describe its evolution in the fun and comprehensive Such Great Heights.
DeVille's personal narrative is the engine of the book, which takes readers through his transformation from a teenage fan poring over liner notes to a prominent voice in the music journalism world. He paints a vibrant picture of the transition from the scrappy days of early-aughts music blogs and nascent social media, when a single post could launch a band into the stratosphere, to the fractured and data-driven landscape of modern streaming services. "The harder it got for bands to make a living through traditional means like selling records and going on tour, the less of a scandal it became to license your music for commercial purposes."
The book's title is, of course, a nod to the 2003 hit record by indie royalty band the Postal Service. DeVille uses the song to encapsulate the era's blend of earnest emotion and electronic sheen. He charts the rise of an exhaustive list of artists from a dazzling array of overlapping subgenres through the changing intersection of art and commerce that has characterized this century thus far. Such Great Heights is a magnificent read and an inspiration for countless playlists. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, WA