MusicHound

Edited by Gary Graff and published in 1996, MusicHound Rock was the first guide in the series. Among the guide's reviewers were US music critics Joel Selvin (San Francisco Chronicle), Mark J. Petracca (Creem), Greg Kot (Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone), Brian Mansfield (USA Today), Thor Christensen (Dallas Morning News, Spin), and Roger Catlin (Hartford Courant). Grant Alden and Peter Blackstock, co-founding editors of No Depression magazine; The Big Takeover publisher Jack Rabid, who had previously written for Trouser Presss record guide; Guitar World editor Alan Paul; and Anders Wright, news editor of the music website Wall of Sound. In 1996, the book contained entries for some 2,500 artists; in this first edition, the reviewers deemed that 541 albums were worthy of a five-bone rating. The 1999 edition came with a CD, supplied by Capitol Records, and included "What album changed your life?" sidebars written by celebrity musicians. Among the latter contributors were the following: Joan Baez, Peter Buck, Adam Clayton, Phil Collins, Jakob Dylan, Ben Harper, Mickey Hart, Lenny Kravitz, Simon Le Bon, Stevie Nicks, Lou Reed, Robbie Robertson, Gene Simmons, Patti Smith, Paul Stanley, Sting and Pete Townshend. The book's foreword was written by Doug Fieger, singer and guitarist with the Knack. Writing in The Riverfront Times in July 1999, Jason Toon noted "some unique elements" that the guide offered – such as details on each artist's main influences and who they in turn influenced – while comparing MusicHound Rock with reference works by Penguin, Rough Guide and AllMusic. ==Other publications==

;MusicHound Classical: The Essential Album Guide (1996) • Edited by Garaud Mactaggart ;MusicHound Country: The Essential Album Guide (1997) • Edited by Brian Mansfield and Gary Graff ;MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide (1998) • Edited by Leland Rucker; foreword by Al Kooper ;MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide (1998) • Edited by Neal Walters and Brian Mansfield; foreword by Mark Moss ;MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide (1998) • Edited by Gary Graff, Josh Freedom du Lac and Jim McFarlin ;MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album Guide (1998) • Edited by Steve Holtje and Nancy Ann Lee ;MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide to Martini Music and Easy Listening (1998) • Edited by Steve Knopper ;MusicHound Swing!: The Essential Album Guide (1999) • Edited by Steve Knopper ;MusicHound Soundtracks: The Essential Album Guide to Film, Television and Stage Music (1999) • Edited by Didier C. Deutsch; forewords by Lukas Kendall and Julia Michels ;MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide (2000) • Edited by Adam McGovern; forewords by David Byrne and Angélique Kidjo ==Citations==