33+1⁄3 (Thirty-Three and a Third) is a series of books, each about a single music album. The series title refers to the rotation speed of a vinyl LP, 33+1⁄3 RPM.
History
Originally published by Continuum, the series was founded by editor David Barker in 2003. At the time, Continuum published a series of short books on literature called Continuum Contemporaries. One-time series editor Ally-Jane Grossan described Barker as "an obsessive music fan who thought, 'This is a really cool idea, why don't we apply this to albums.'" PopMatters wrote that the range consists of "obscure classics to more usual suspects by the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones".
In 2010, Continuum was bought out by Bloomsbury Publishing, which continues to publish the series. Following a leave, Barker was replaced by Grossan in January 2013. Leah Babb-Rosenfeld has been the editor of the series since 2016.
Several independent books have been spun off of the series. The first, Carl Wilson's 2007 entry on Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love, was expanded for a 2014 Bloomsbury reissue with material not specifically pertaining to the Dion album and retitled Let's Talk About Love: Why Other People Have Such Bad Taste. Joe Bonomo, at the invitation of Barker, expanded his 33+1⁄3 proposal on Jerry Lee Lewis's Live at the Star Club, Hamburg album into a full-length book about Lewis, the album, and his career titled Jerry Lee Lewis: Lost and Found, published by Continuum in 2009. A rejected proposal from writer Brett Milano for an entry on Game Theory's 1987 album Lolita Nation was instead expanded by Milano into a biography on the band's leader Scott Miller; that project, titled Don't All Thank Me at Once: The Lost Genius of Scott Miller, was released by 125 Books in 2015.
In August 2017, Bloomsbury announced the launch of 33+1⁄3 Global, an extension of the 33+1⁄3 series to popular music from around the world. The first two sub-series launched were 33+1⁄3 Brazil, edited by Jason Stanyek, and 33+1⁄3 Japan, edited by Noriko Manabe. The first book for 33+1⁄3 Brazil was Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound by Barbara Browning. The first books for 33+1⁄3 Japan were Supercell ft. Hatsune Miku by Keisuke Yamada and Yoko Kanno's Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack by Rose Bridges.
Published titles
As of November 2024, 189 books have been published in the main series.
Main series
- Intentionally mis-numbered
- The original Smile album remains unfinished; not to be confused with The Smile Sessions (2011) box set
33⅓ Japan
# | Work | Artist | Year (album) |
Year (book) |
Author of book | ISBN # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Supercell | Supercell | 2009 | 2017 | Keisuke Yamada | ISBN 978-1-5013-2597-7 |
2 | Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack | Yoko Kanno | 1998 | 2017 | Rose Bridges | ISBN 978-1-5013-2585-4 |
3 | Game | Perfume | 2008 | 2018 | Patrick St. Michel | ISBN 978-1-5013-2590-8 |
4 | AKB48 | AKB48 | N/A | 2019 | Patrick W. Galbraith; Jason G. Karlin | ISBN 978-1-5013-4111-3 |
5 | Fantasma | Cornelius | 1997 | 2019 | Martin Roberts | ISBN 978-1-5013-3017-9 |
6 | Joe Hisaishi's Soundtrack for My Neighbor Totoro | Joe Hisaishi | 1988 | 2020 | Kunio Hara | ISBN 978-1-5013-4512-8 |
7 | Happy Hour | Shonen Knife | 1998 | 2021 | Brooke McCorkle Okazaki | ISBN 978-1-5013-4795-5 |
8 | Koza Dabasa | Nenes | 1994 | 2021 | Henry Johnson | ISBN 978-1-5013-5124-2 |
9 | The 14th Moon (ja:14番目の月) | Yuming | 1976 | 2022 | Lasse Lehtonen | ISBN 978-1-5013-4571-5 |
10 | Kogun | Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band | 1974 | 2024 | E. Taylor Atkins | ISBN 979-8-7651-0901-4 |
33⅓ Brazil
# | Work | Artist | Year (album) |
Year (book) |
Author of book | ISBN # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A Foreign Sound | Caetano Veloso | 2004 | 2017 | Barbara Browning | ISBN 978-1-5013-1923-5 |
2 | Getz/Gilberto | Stan Getz and João Gilberto | 1964 | 2018 | Bryan Daniel | ISBN 978-1-5013-2395-9 |
3 | Tim Maia Racional Vols. 1 & 2 | Tim Maia | 1974 | 2018 | Allen Thayer | ISBN 978-1-5013-2153-5 |
4 | Sorriso Negro | Dona Ivone Lara | 1981 | 2019 | Mila Burns | ISBN 978-1-5013-2449-9 |
5 | Refazenda | Gilberto Gil | 1975 | 2020 | Marc A. Hertzman | ISBN 978-1-5013-3040-7 |
6 | The Corner Club | Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges | 1972 | 2020 | Jonathon Grasse | ISBN 978-1-5013-4682-8 |
7 | Sobrevivendo no Inferno | Racionais MC's | 1997 | 2021 | Derek Pardue | ISBN 978-1-5013-3887-8 |
8 | Saudades | Naná Vasconcelos | 1979 | 2021 | Daniel B. Sharp | |
9 | Chico Buarque | Chico Buarque | 1978 | 2022 | Charles A. Perrone |
33⅓ Europe
# | Work | Artist | Year (album) |
Year (book) |
Author of book | ISBN # | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A Blaze in the Northern Sky | Darkthrone | 1992 | 2020 | Ross Hagen | ISBN 978-1-5013-4630-9 | |
2 | Balkanology | Ivo Papazov | 1991 | 2021 | Carol Silverman | ISBN 978-1-5013-4630-9 | |
3 | Wolokolamsker Chaussee | Heiner Müller and Heiner Goebbels | 1989 | 2021 | Philip V. Bohlman | ISBN 978-1-5013-4615-6 | |
4 | Don't Break the Oath | Mercyful Fate | 1984 | 2022 | Henrik Marstal | ISBN 978-1-5013-5437-3 | |
5 | Niemen Enigmatic | Czesław Niemen | 1970 | 2022 | Ewa Mazierska; Mariusz Gradowski | ISBN 978-1-5013-7266-7 | |
6 | DJs Do Guetto | Various artists | 2006 | 2022 | Richard Elliott | ISBN 978-1-5013-5785-5 | |
7 | Happy Birthday! | Modeselektor | 2007 | 2022 | Sean Nye | ISBN 978-1-5013-4624-8 | |
8 | I'll Be Your Plaything | Bea Palya | 2010 | 2022 | Anna Szemere; András Rónai | ISBN 978-1-5013-5444-1 | |
9 | Sin Documentos | Los Rodríguez | 1993 | 2022 | Héctor Fouce; Fernán del Val | ISBN 978-1-5013-5788-6 | |
10 | Astaganaga | Massada | 1978 | 2022 | Lutgard Mutsaers | ISBN 978-1-5013-7257-5 | |
11 | Bella Ciao | Il Nuovo Canzoniere Italiano | 1976 | 2023 | Jacopo Tomatis | ||
12 | Récital 1961 | Édith Piaf | 1961 | 2023 | David L. Looseley | ||
13 | Persepolis | Iannis Xenakis | 1971 | 2023 | Aram Yardumian | ||
14 | Tantsi | Vopli Vidopliassova | 1989 | 2023 | Maria Sonevytsky | ||
15 | Amália at the Olympia | Amália Rodrigues | 1957 | 2023 | Lila Ellen Gray | ||
16 | Projekt Jon | Ardit Gjebrea | 1997 | 2024 | Nicholas Tochka | ISBN 978-1-5013-6306-1 | |
17 | Aquarium | Aqua | 1997 | 2024 | C.C. McKee | ISBN 978-1-5013-8418-9 | |
18 | Kollaps | Einstürzende Neubauten | 1981 | 2024 | Melle Jan Kromhout; Jan Nieuwenhuis | ISBN 978-1-5013-8750-0 |
33⅓ Oceania
Anthologies
# | Title | Year | Editor of book | ISBN # |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 1 | 2006 | David Baker | ISBN 978-0-8264-1903-3 |
2 | 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 2 | 2007 | David Baker | ISBN 978-0-8264-2876-9 |
3 | The 33 1/3 B-Sides | 2019 | Will Stockton; D. Gilson | ISBN 978-1-5013-4245-5 |
Genre: A 33⅓ Series
# | Genre | Year | Author of book | ISBN # |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trip hop | 2022 | R.J. Wheaton | ISBN 978-1-5013-7360-2 |
2 | Death metal | 2022 | T Coles | ISBN 978-1-5013-8101-0 |
3 | Dance-punk | 2023 | Larissa Wodtke | ISBN 978-1-5013-8186-7 |
4 | South African Popular Music | 2023 | Lior Phillips | ISBN 978-1-5013-8342-7 |
5 | Krautrock | 2023 | Marshall Gu | ISBN 979-8-7651-0329-6 |
6 | '70s Teen Pop | 2023 | Lucretia Tye Jasmine | ISBN 978-1-5013-8350-2 |
7 | Math Rock | 2024 | Jeff Gomez | ISBN 979-8-7651-0337-1 |
8 | Neue Deutsche Welle | 2024 | Claudia Lonkin | ISBN 979-8-7651-0337-1 |
9 | Soul-folk | 2024 | Ashawnta Jackson | ISBN 979-8-7651-0345-6 |
10 | Shoegaze | 2024 | Ryan Pinkard | ISBN 979-8-7651-0341-8 |
Forthcoming titles
Main series
With release date
- Paris 1919 (February 6, 2025) by Mark Doyle, on the album by John Cale (1973)
- Universal Mother (February 6, 2025) by Adele Bertei, on the album by Sinead O’Connor (1994)
- And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (February 6, 2025) by Elliott Simpson, on the album by Yo La Tengo (2000)
- Tragic Kingdom (May 1, 2025) by Rhae Lynn Barnes, on the album by No Doubt (1995)
- The Land of Rape and Honey (May 1, 2025) by Jason Pettigrew, on the album by Ministry (1988)
- Blue Bell Knoll (May 1, 2025) by Chris Tapley, on the album by Cocteau Twins (1984)
- Cosmic Thing (July 24, 2025) by Pete Crighton, on the album by The B-52s (1989)
Without release date
- New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) by Kameryn Alexa Carter, on the album by Erykah Badu (2010)
- I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning by Holden Seidlitz, on the album by Bright Eyes (2005)
- Re by Carmelo Esterrich, on the album by Café Tacvba (1994)
- Believe by Lior Phillips, on the album by Cher (1998)
- Disintegration by Andi Harriman, on the album by The Cure (1989)
- Blonde by Yousef Srour, on the album by Frank Ocean (2016)
- Plastic Beach by Ihor Junyk, on the album by Gorillaz (2010)
- Antics by Gabriel T. Saxon-Ruiz, on the album by Interpol (2004)
- What's the 411? by Ricky Tucker, on the album by Mary J. Blige (1992)
- So Tonight That I Might See by Anthony Gomez III, on the album by Mazzy Star (1993)
- Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly by Zak Fusciello, on the album by Moss Icon (1994)
- Inflammable Material by Kevin C. Dunn, on the album by Stiff Little Fingers (1979)
- Carrie & Lowell by Joel Mayward, on the album by Sufjan Stevens (2015)
- Violent Femmes by Nic Brown, on the album by Violent Femmes (1983)
- "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D by Justin Remer, on the album by "Weird Al" Yankovic (1984)
- I'm Your Baby Tonight by Brandon Tensley, on the album by Whitney Houston (1990)
- Dust Bowl Ballads by Allison C. Meier, on the album by Woody Guthrie (1940)
- I Want You by Derrais Carter, on the album by Marvin Gaye (1976)
- Timeless by Martyn Deykers, on the album by Goldie (1995)
- Tin Drum by Agata Pyzik, on the album by Japan (1981)
- Nightbirds by Craig Seymour, on the album by Labelle (1974)
- Shout at the Devil by Micco Caporale, on the album by Mötley Crüe (1983)
- Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version by Jarett Kobek, on the album by Ol' Dirty Bastard (1995)
33⅓ Japan
- Kōhaku utagassen: The Red and White Song Contest by Shelley Brunt
- Don't Be Swindle (February 6, 2025) by Mahon Murphy and Ran Zwigenberg, on the album by S.O.B. (1987)
- Yellow Magic Orchestra (April 3, 2025) by Toshiyuki Ohwada, on the album by Yellow Magic Orchestra (1978)
33⅓ Europe
- To the Cold Land (January 9, 2025) by Brigitta Davidjants, on the album by J.M.K.E. (1989)
- Jarmark (February 6, 2025) by Kamila Raymajdo, on the album by Taco Hemingway (2020)
- Phaedra (delayed) by Dan Bynre-Smith, on the album by Tangerine Dream (1974)
33⅓ Oceania
- The Lord of the Rings, Vols. 1-3 (January 9, 2025) by Bruce Johnson, on the albums by John Sangster (1975-77)
- Since I Left You (January 9, 2025) by Charles Fairchild, on the album by The Avalanches (2000)
- Boodle Boodle Boodle (January 9, 2025) by Geoff Stahl, on the EP by The Clean (1981)
- Machiavelli and the Four Seasons (March 6, 2025) by Tyler Jenke, on the album by TISM (1995)
- Together Alone (April 3, 2025) by Barnaby Smith, on the album by Crowded House (1993)
- Frogstomp (April 3, 2025) by Jay Daniel Thompson, on the album by Silverchair (1995)
- Buy Now (April 3, 2025) by Michael Brown, on the album by Eyeliner (2015)
33⅓ South Asia
- Dil Chahta Hai Soundtrack (December 12, 2024) by Jayson Beaster-Jones, on the album by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy (2001)
- Lata Mangeshkar: My Favourites, Vol. 2 (January 9, 2025) by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Chandrashekhar Rao, on the album by Lata Mangeshkar (1988)
- Coke Studio Season 14 by Rakae Rehman Jamil and Khadija Muzaffar, on the television programme Coke Studio Pakistan
Genre: A 33⅓ Series
- 1970s Jazz Fusion (April 3, 2025) by Matthew Reed Baker
- Tropicália (April 3, 2025) by Ana Leorne
- Vaporwave (delayed) by Kirk Walker Graves
See also
- Boss Fight Books – a publisher that releases an eponymous series about notable video games
References
- ^ Yoder, Anne K. (April 2, 2006). "Introduction and Interview with Series Editor David Barker". PopMatters. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018.
- ^ Benfer, Amy (August 28, 2014). "33⅓ book series celebrates records – and its 10th anniversary". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018.
- ^ Brown, Harley (February 25, 2015). "How the 33 1/3 Series, In Spite of Two Shrinking Industries, Continues to Thrive". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- "Contact Us". 333SOUND. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- Zaleski, Annie (January 1, 2016). "The lost pop genius of Scott Miller". Salon. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016.
- "New series announcement: 33 1/3 Global". 333Sound. August 9, 2017. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018.
- "33 1/3 Global editor highlight: Noriko Manabe". 333Sound. August 31, 2017. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
- "33 1/3 Brazil". Bloomsbury Publishing. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018.
- "33 1/3 Japan". Bloomsbury Publishing. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018.
- "John Prine's John Prine (33 1/3) Erin Osmon: Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "Maria Callas's Lyric and Coloratura Arias (33 1/3) Ginger Dellenbaugh: Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "The National's Boxer: : 33 1/3 Ryan Pinkard Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "Kraftwerk's Computer World: : 33 1/3 Steve Tupai Francis Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "Cat Power's Moon Pix: : 33 1/3 Donna Kozloskie Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "George Michael's Faith: : 33 1/3 Matthew Horton Bloomsbury Academic". Bloomsbury Publishing.
- "Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly: : 33 1/3 Sequoia L. Maner Bloomsbury Academic".
- "33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 1".
- "33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 2".
- "The 33 1/3 B-sides".
- "33 1/3: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)".
- ^ "Announcing the newest 33 1/3s". January 27, 2023.
- ^ "Announcing the newest 33 1/3s". July 19, 2024.
- ^ "Announcing the newest 33 1/3s". November 30, 2020.
- "Upcoming Releases". October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Open Call 2015 Results: The 16 New Books in the 33 1/3 Series | 333sound". Archived from the original on November 6, 2015.
- "New 33 1/3 Title Coming Spring 2018: Tin Drum". November 23, 2015.
- "Announcing the Newest 33 1/3S". August 31, 2021.
- "Noriko Manabe, Ph.D. - 33-1/3 Japan".
- "S.O.B.'s Don't Be Swindle". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024.
- "Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yellow Magic Orchestra". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022.
- bloomsbury.com
- "Taco Hemingway's Jarmark". Bloomsbury.
- "Tangerine Dream's Phaedra". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024.
- "John Sangster's The Lord of the Rings, Vols. 1-3". Bloomsbury.
- "The Avalanches' Since I Left You". Bloomsbury.
- "The Clean's Boodle Boodle Boodle". Bloomsbury.
- "TISM'S Machiavelli and the Four Seasons". Bloomsbury.
- "Crowded House's Together Alone". Bloomsbury.
- "silverchair's Frogstomp". Bloomsbury.
- "Eyeliner's Buy Now". Bloomsbury.
- "Dil Chahta Hai Soundtrack". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024.
- "Lata Mangeshkar: My Favourites, Vol. 2". Bloomsbury.
- "Coke Studio (Season 14)". Bloomsbury.
- "1970s Jazz Fusion". Bloomsbury.
- "Tropicália". Bloomsbury.
- "Vaporwave". Bloomsbury. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024.
External links
- Official blog for the series
- TimesOnline on the book series.