33⅓ Explained

(Thirty-Three and a Third) is a series of books, each about a single music album.[1] The series title refers to the rotation speed of a vinyl LP, RPM.[2]

History

Originally published by Continuum,[3] the series was founded by editor David Barker in 2003.[1] At the time, Continuum published a series of short books on literature called Continuum Contemporaries. One-time series editor Ally-Jane Grossan mentioned that Barker was "an obsessive music fan who thought, 'This is a really cool idea, why don't we apply this to albums'.[3] PopMatters wrote that the range consists of "obscure classics to more usual suspects by the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones".[1]

In 2010, Continuum was bought out by Bloomsbury Publishing, which continues to publish the series.[3] Following a leave, Barker was replaced by Grossan in January 2013.[2] Leah Babb-Rosenfeld has been the editor of the series since 2016.[4]

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 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.[5]

In August 2017, Bloomsbury announced the launch of Global,[6] an extension of the series to popular music from around the world. The first two sub-series launched were Brazil, edited by Jason Stanyek, and Japan, edited by Noriko Manabe.[7] The first book for Brazil was Caetano Veloso's A Foreign Sound by Barbara Browning.[8] The first books for Japan were Supercell ft. Hatsune Miku by Keisuke Yamada and Yoko Kanno's Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack by Rose Bridges.[9]

Published titles

, 184 books have been published in the main series.

Main series

Album Artist Year
(album)
Year
(book)
Author of book ISBN #
1 Dusty in Memphis 1969 2003
2 Forever Changes 1967 2003
3 Harvest 1972 2003
4 1968 2003
5 Meat Is Murder 1985 2003
6 1967 2003
7 1992 2004
8 Electric Ladyland 1968 2004
9 Unknown Pleasures 1979 2004
10 Sign o' the Times 1987 2004
11 1967 2004
12 Let It Be 1970 2004
13 Live at the Apollo 1963 2004
14 Aqualung 1971 2004
15 OK Computer 1997 2004
16 Let It Be 1984 2004
17 Led Zeppelin IV 1971 2005
18 Exile on Main St. 1972 2005
19 Pet Sounds 1966 2005
20 Ramones 1976 2005
21 Armed Forces 1979 2005
22 Murmur 1983 2005
23 Grace 1994 2005
24 Endtroducing..... 1996 2005
25 Kick Out the Jams 1969 2005
26 Low 1977 2005
27 Born in the U.S.A. 1984 2005
28 Music from Big Pink 1968 2005
29 In the Aeroplane Over the Sea 1998 2005
30 Paul's Boutique 1989 2006
31 Doolittle 1989 2006
32 There's a Riot Goin' On 1971 2006
33 1989 2006
34 In Utero 1993 2006
35 Highway 61 Revisited 1965 2006
36 Loveless 1991 2006
37 1967 2006
38 Bee Thousand 1994 2006
39 Daydream Nation 1988 2006
40 Court and Spark 1974 2006
41 Use Your Illusion I and II 1991 2006
69 69 Love Songs 1999 2006
42 Songs in the Key of Life 1976 2007
43 1968 2007
44 Trout Mask Replica 1969 2007
45 Double Nickels on the Dime 1984 2007
46 Aja1977 2007
47 People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm 1990 2007
48 Rid of Me 1993 2007
49 Achtung Baby 1991 2007
50 If You're Feeling Sinister 1996 2007
51 Pink Moon 1972 2007
52 Let's Talk About Love 1997 2007
53 Swordfishtrombones 1983 2007
54 20 Jazz Funk Greats 1979 2008
55 Horses 1975 2008
56 Master of Reality 1971 2008
57 Reign in Blood 1986 2008
58 Shoot Out the Lights 1982 2008
59 Gentlemen 1993 2008
60 Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash 1985 2008
61 1969 2008
62 Pink Flag 1977 2009
63 XO 1998 2009
64 Illmatic 1994 2009
65 Radio City 1974 2009
66 One Step Beyond... 1979 2009
67 Another Green World 1975 2009
68 Zaireeka 1997 2009
70 Facing Future 1993 2009
71 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1988 2010
72 Wowee Zowee 1995 2010
73 Highway to Hell 1979 2010
74 Song Cycle 1968 2010
75 Spiderland 1991 2010
76 Kid A 2000 2010
77 Tusk 1979 2011
78 Pretty Hate Machine 1989 2011
79 Chocolate and Cheese Ween1994 2011
80 American Recordings 1994 2011
81 Some Girls 1978 2011
82 You're Living All Over Me 1987 2011
83 Marquee Moon 1977 2011
84 Amazing Grace 1972 2011
85 Dummy 1994 2011
86 Fear of Music 1979 2012
87 Histoire de Melody Nelson 1971 2013
88 Flood 1990 2013
89 I Get Wet 2001 2014
90 Selected Ambient Works Volume II 1994 2014
91 Entertainment! 1979 2014
92 Blank Generation 1977 2014
93 Donuts 2006 2014
94 Smile N/A 2014
95 Definitely Maybe 1994 2014
96 Exile in Guyville 1993 2014
97 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 2010 2014
98 2004 2014
99 2002 2014
100 Dangerous 1991 2014
101 Tago Mago 1971 2014
102 Ode to Billie Joe 1967 2014
103 Live Through This 1994 2014
104 Freedom of Choice 1980 2015
105 Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 1980 2015
106 Koji Kondo's Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack 1985 2015
107 Beat Happening 1985 2015
108 Metallica 1991 2015
109 A Live One 1995 2015
110 Bitches Brew 1970 2015
111 Parallel Lines 1978 2016
112 Workingman's Dead 1970 2016
113 Hangin' Tough 1988 2016
114 1990 2016
115 Dig Me Out 1997 2016
116 Sound of Silver 2007 2016
117 Live 1972 2016
118 Psychocandy 1985 2016
119 1976 2017
120 Soundtrack from Twin Peaks 1990 2017
121 Colossal Youth 1980 2017
122 Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde 1992 2017
123 2010 2017
124 Workbook 1989 2017
125 Uptown Saturday Night 1997 2017
126 1979 2017
127 Homogenic 1997 2017
128 Okie from Muskogee 1969 2018
129 In on the Kill Taker 1993 2018
130 24 Hour Revenge Therapy 1994 2018
131 Transformer 1972 2018
132 Peepshow 1988 2018
133 Southern Rock Opera 2001 2018
134 Jesus Freak 1995 2018
D. Gilson
135 Boys for Pele 1996 2018
136 One Grain of Sand 1963 2019
137 1994 2019
138 Golden Hits of the Shangri-Las 1966 2019
139 Southern Accents 1985 2019
140 Blue Lines 1991 2019
141 Switched-On Bach 1968 2019
142 1976 2019
143 Diamond Dogs 1974 2020
144 Voodoo 2000 2020
145 Judy at Carnegie Hall 1961 2020
146 Blue Moves 1976 2020
147 I'm Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen Various artists 1991 2020
148 1997 2020
149 Suicide 1977 2020
150 From Elvis in Memphis 1969 2020
151 Murder Ballads 1996 2020
152 Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth 1973 2020
153 Tapestry 1971 2021
154 Vs. 1993 2021
155 Avalon 1982 2021
156 Rio 1982 2021
157 Once Upon a Time 1977 2021
158 Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 1985 2021
159 2010 2021
160 John Prine[10] 1971 2021
161 Lyric & Coloratura Arias[11] 1954 2021
162 Boxer[12] 2007 2022
163 Computer World[13] 1981 2022
164 Moon Pix[14] 1998 2022
165 Faith[15] 1987 2022
166 To Pimp a Butterfly [16] 2015 2022
167 Blackout 2007 2022
168 That's the Way of the World 1975 2022
169 Come to My Garden 1970 2022
170 Fontanelle 1992 2022
171 Madvillainy 2004 2023
172 Come Away with ESG 1983 2023
173 BBC Radiophonic Workshop – A Retrospective 2008 2023
174 Time's Up 1990 2023
175 Beauty and the Beat 1981 2023
176 Erotica 1992 2023
177 Body Count 1992 2023
178 Ingénue 1992 2023
179 Here's Little Richard 1957 2023
180 Invasion of Privacy 2018 2024
181 This is Hardcore 1998 2024
182Sandinista! 1980 2024
183101 1989 2024
184 3 + 3 1973 2024

33⅓ Japan

Work Artist Year
(album)
Year
(book)
Author of book ISBN #
1 Supercell 2009 2017
2 Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack 1998 2017
3 Game 2008 2018
4 AKB48 N/A 2019
5 Fantasma 1997 2019
6 Joe Hisaishi's Soundtrack for My Neighbor Totoro 1988 2020
7 Happy Hour 1998 2021
8 Koza Dabasa 1994 2021
9 () 1976 2022

33⅓ Brazil

Work Artist Year
(album)
Year
(book)
Author of book ISBN #
1 A Foreign Sound 2004 2017
2 Getz/Gilberto 1964 2018
3 Tim Maia Racional Vols. 1 & 2 1974 2018
4 Sorriso Negro 1981 2019
5 Refazenda 1975 2020
6 1972 2020
7 Sobrevivendo no Inferno 1997 2021
8 Saudades 1979 2021
9 Chico Buarque 1978 2022

33⅓ Europe

Work Artist Year
(album)
Year
(book)
Author of book ISBN #
1 A Blaze in the Northern Sky 1992 2020
2 Balkanology 1991 2021
3 Wolokolamsker Chaussee 1989 2021
4 Don't Break the Oath 1984 2022
5 Niemen Enigmatic 1970 2022
6 DJs Do Guetto Various artists 2006 2022
7 Happy Birthday! 2007 2022
8 I'll Be Your Plaything 2010 2022
András Rónai
9 Sin Documentos 1993 2022
Fernán del Val
10 Astaganaga 1978 2022
11 Bella Ciao Il Nuovo Canzoniere Italiano 1976 2023
12 Récital 1961 1961 2023
13 Persepolis 1971 2023
14 Tantsi 1989 2023
15 Amália at the Olympia 1957 2023
16 Projekt Jon 1997 2024
17 Aquarium 1997 2024

33⅓ Oceania

Album Artist Year
(album)
Year
(book)
Author of book ISBN #
1 Whispering Jack 1986 2022
2 Starfish 1988 2022
3 Unit 1997 2022
Lauren Istvandity
4 Kylie 1988 2023
Liz Giuffre
5 Space Waltz 1975 2023
6 Human Frailty 1986 2023
7 Drive 1997 2023
8 Songs from the Front Lawn 1989 2023
9 Clyma est mort 1992 2023
10 The Calling 2003 2023
11 Honey Steel's Gold 1991 2023
12 Toward the Blues 1971 2023
13 Kitten Licks 1996 2024
Ian Rogers

Anthologies

Title Year Editor of book ISBN #
1 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 1[17] 2006
2 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 2[18] 2007
3 The 33 1/3 B-Sides[19] 2019
D. Gilson

Genre: A 33⅓ Series

Genre Year Author of book ISBN #
1 2022
2 2022
3 2023
4 2023
5 2023
6 2023
7 2024
8 2024

Forthcoming titles

Main series

With release date[20]

Without release date

33⅓ Japan

The Red and White Song Contest by Shelley Brunt[28]

33⅓ Europe

33⅓ Oceania

33⅓ South Asia

Genre: A 33⅓ Series

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Introduction and Interview with Series Editor David Barker . PopMatters . Yoder . Anne K. . April 2, 2006 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522045143/https://www.popmatters.com/yoder-060403-2496049204.html . May 22, 2018.
  2. Web site: 33⅓ book series celebrates records – and its 10th anniversary . Los Angeles Times . Benfer . Amy . August 28, 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180406131230/http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-thirty-three-books-20140831-story.html . April 6, 2018.
  3. How the 33 1/3 Series, In Spite of Two Shrinking Industries, Continues to Thrive . Billboard . Brown . Harley . February 25, 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170726161236/http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6480462/33-1-3-series-survival-harry-potter . July 26, 2017 . May 5, 2016 .
  4. Web site: Contact Us. 2022-01-05. 333SOUND. en-US.
  5. Annie . Zaleski . The lost pop genius of Scott Miller . January 1, 2016 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106203544/http://www.salon.com/2016/01/02/the_lost_pop_genius_of_scott_miller_whatever_makes_you_fall_in_love_with_a_pop_song_he_did_that/#comments . January 6, 2016.
  6. Web site: New series announcement: 33 1/3 Global . 333Sound . August 9, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180320215054/http://333sound.com/new-series-announcement-33-13-global/ . March 20, 2018.
  7. Web site: 33 1/3 Global editor highlight: Noriko Manabe . 333Sound . August 31, 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522044201/https://333sound.com/33-13-global-editor-highlight-noriko-manabe/ . May 22, 2018 . November 20, 2017 .
  8. Web site: 33 1/3 Brazil . Bloomsbury Publishing . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522044307/https://bloomsbury.com/us/series/33-13-brazil/ . May 22, 2018.
  9. Web site: 33 1/3 Japan . Bloomsbury Publishing . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522044309/https://bloomsbury.com/us/series/33-13-japan/ . May 22, 2018.
  10. Web site: John Prine's John Prine (33 1/3) Erin Osmon: Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  11. Web site: Maria Callas's Lyric and Coloratura Arias (33 1/3) Ginger Dellenbaugh: Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  12. Web site: The National's Boxer: : 33 1/3 Ryan Pinkard Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  13. Web site: Kraftwerk's Computer World: : 33 1/3 Steve Tupai Francis Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  14. Web site: Cat Power's Moon Pix: : 33 1/3 Donna Kozloskie Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  15. Web site: George Michael's Faith: : 33 1/3 Matthew Horton Bloomsbury Academic . Bloomsbury Publishing.
  16. Web site: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly: : 33 1/3 Sequoia L. Maner Bloomsbury Academic.
  17. Web site: 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 1 .
  18. Web site: 33 1/3 Greatest Hits, Volume 2 .
  19. Web site: The 33 1/3 B-sides .
  20. Web site: 33 1/3: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) .
  21. Web site: Announcing the newest 33 1/3s . January 27, 2023 .
  22. Web site: Announcing the newest 33 1/3s . July 19, 2024 .
  23. Web site: Announcing the newest 33 1/3s . November 30, 2020 .
  24. Web site: Upcoming Releases . October 4, 2023 .
  25. Web site: Open Call 2015 Results: The 16 New Books in the 33 1/3 Series | 333sound . https://web.archive.org/web/20151106232635/https://333sound.com/2015/11/04/open-call-2015-results-the-16-new-books-in-the-33-13-series/ . November 6, 2015 .
  26. Web site: New 33 1/3 Title Coming Spring 2018: Tin Drum . November 23, 2015 .
  27. Web site: Announcing the Newest 33 1/3S . August 31, 2021 .
  28. Web site: Noriko Manabe, Ph.D. - 33-1/3 Japan .
  29. Web site: S.O.B.'s Don't Be Swindle . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131180637/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/sobs-dont-be-swindle-9798765108963/ . 2024-01-31 . Bloomsbury.
  30. Web site: Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yellow Magic Orchestra . https://web.archive.org/web/20220505113404/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/yellow-magic-orchestras-yellow-magic-orchestra-9781501381829/ . 2022-05-05 . Bloomsbury.
  31. Web site: Einstürzende Neubauten's Kollaps. Bloomsbury. February 11, 2024.
  32. https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/jmkes-to-the-cold-land-9798765103111/
  33. Web site: Taco Hemingway's Jarmark . Bloomsbury.
  34. Web site: Tangerine Dream's Phaedra . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131185315/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/tangerine-dreams-phaedra-9781501384127/ . 2024-01-31 . Bloomsbury.
  35. Web site: Soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever .
  36. Web site: John Sangster's The Lord of the Rings, Vols. 1-3 . Bloomsbury.
  37. Web site: The Avalanches' Since I Left You . Bloomsbury.
  38. Web site: The Clean's Boodle Boodle Boodle . Bloomsbury.
  39. Web site: TISM'S Machiavelli and the Four Seasons . Bloomsbury.
  40. Web site: Crowded House's Together Alone . Bloomsbury.
  41. Web site: silverchair's Frogstomp . Bloomsbury.
  42. Web site: Eyeliner's Buy Now . Bloomsbury.
  43. Web site: Dil Chahta Hai Soundtrack . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131185555/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dil-chahta-hai-soundtrack-9781501388668/ . 2024-01-31 . Bloomsbury.
  44. Web site: Lata Mangeshkar: My Favourites, Vol. 2 . Bloomsbury.
  45. Web site: Coke Studio (Season 14) . Bloomsbury.
  46. Web site: Soul-Folk . Bloomsbury.
  47. Web site: Shoegaze . Bloomsbury.
  48. Web site: 1970s Jazz Fusion . Bloomsbury.
  49. Web site: Tropicália . Bloomsbury.
  50. Web site: Vaporwave . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131185738/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/vaporwave-9781501365751/ . 2024-01-31 . Bloomsbury.