The Philosophy of Modern Song is the first new writing book by Bob Dylan since 2004 and after winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016. Dylan, who began working on the book in 2010, offers his exceptional perspective on the nature of popular music. He writes over 60 essays focusing on songs by other artists, from Stephen Foster to Elvis Costello, and on songs by artists like Hank Williams and Nina Simone. He analyzes pitfalls such as easy symmetries, examines how adding just one syllable can diminish the value of a song, and explains the relationship between bluegrass and heavy metal. These essays are written in Dylan's unique prose, which is mysterious and ever-changing, moving and profound, often also humorous. Although they are ostensibly about music, they are actually meditations and thoughts on the human condition. The book includes nearly 150 selected photographs, as well as a series of dreamy riffs that together resemble an epic poem and add to the work's transcendence.

With the release of the exceptional album Rough and Rowdy Ways in 2020, Dylan became the first artist to have an album reach the Billboard Top 40 in every decade since the 1960s. The Philosophy of Modern Song contains much of what he has learned about his art over the years and, like everything Dylan does, is a significant artistic achievement.

Pages: 352, Year of Publication: 1101, Dimensions: 18.7x18.7cm