Motorbooks

By Bobby Borg & Michael Eames

is a down-to-earth new book written by two musicians and industry Music Connection contributors) with decades of experience. They’ve organized it into seven clearly-written sections that will help musicians, students, songwriters, beat makers and others save time and avoid getting screwed. Topics include the basics of copyrights, types of publishing income, publishing companies and types of deals, creative matters of music publishing, and things you need to know about music publishing’s future.

By Dave Grohl

By Gina Schock (hardcover) $40.00

Often asked to work with legacy artists, Israel says that—while riskier— he finds it much more fulfilling to work with new artists, and confesses that he learned far more from the failures of those who did not succeed (or who quit) than from those who did. He says lyric-writing presents the biggest creative challenge for artists, and he recommends immersing yourself in the lyrics of hit songs, taking note of what is done right. Israel believes the words of a song need to be honest, sincere, conversational, and disciplined. “To have a song that does well on Spotify, DSPs, radio, or in a live setting, it has to connect,” he counsels.

“Have hobbies. Have other interests. Do other things that fulfill and inspire you, and you'll write better music,” says rising singer-songwriterproducer Delacey (born Brittany Marie Amaradio). “I have written some of my biggest songs when I've taken time away, lived my life for inspiration, and come back in that frequency.”

(hardcover) $29.99

Leader in Illustrated Publishing: Launched in 1976, U.K.-based Quarto is a longtime leader in the world of illustrated non-fiction publishing. While diversifying and adding numerous imprints over the decades, its ongoing mission has remained the same—to make and sell books that entertain, educate and enrich the lives of readers around the world. One of the most exciting current manifestations of this comes from their Minneapolis-based Motorbooks imprint, which Quarto acquired in 2007. Since 1965, Motorbooks has been among the world’s leading transportation publishers, creating volumes about cars, motorcycles, aviation, racing, etc.

Israel emphasizes keeping things simple to avoid losing the listener, and says that lyrics should include poetic devices to be e ective. “A song is never a solo e ort,” he adds. “In order for me to share my emotions, I literally have to have you understand… What is a song if you're the only one who understands it?”

Recognizing AI as a helpful new tool for writing powerful lyrics, Israel penned guidebook, Want to Write the Best Lyrics of Your Life? OpenAI is the Secret Weapon You Need!. Admitting that AI-written lyrics are unlikely to be hits, he says that prompting ChatGPT for a story about what you are trying to express provides a new lens through which to write.

Having co-written “New York City” (The Chainsmokers), Platinumcertified “Boyfriend” (Dove Cameron), Gold-certified “Ruin The Friendship” (Demi Lovato), and Diamond-certified/No. 1 Billboard Hot 100-placing “Without Me’ (Halsey), Delacey’s journey started with a passion for musical theater. Beginning on piano at age 5, teacher Darrolyn Fennelly allowed her to play original compositions during lessons and perform them in recitals. Says Delacey, “I'm really grateful because it really did cultivate something inside me that lasted. She gave permission to play and actually enjoy [music].” Cindy Smith was also a pivotal influence. At 10 or 11, Smith insisted that Delacey sing and perform in every musical. “That really stuck with me,” admits Delacey. “It changed the course of my whole life. I don't know if I would have ever sung.”