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Jean-Michel Jarre to Release a Book About the History of Electronic Music: Here’s When It Arrives
Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre is to publish his debut book, Machines: A History of Electronic Music, on 24 November, tracing a century of sonic experimentation through his personal collection of electronic and electro-acoustic instruments. The release marks a notable step for the French musician, who has spent decades shaping and popularising synthesiser-based music, as he turns to print to document the technology and culture behind the genre.
The book charts developments from Surrealism and the Bauhaus through avant-garde radio laboratories and studios including Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Radio France and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, covering innovations from tape manipulation and analogue synthesis to digital recording and AI-assisted performance. It will feature 130 specially photographed images of synthesisers and rare prototypes, alongside contributions from artists such as Armin van Buuren, Richie Hawtin, Vince Clarke, Gillian Gilbert, Nicolas Godin, Johnny Marr and Nick Rhodes. The book is available for pre-order now.
In short
- Jarre's debut book, Machines, arrives 24 November.
- It traces a century of electronic music history via instruments.
- Features 130 images and contributions from fellow musicians.
Explained simply
Jean-Michel Jarre is a pioneering French composer who made electronic music mainstream from the 1970s onwards through synthesiser-based compositions and large-scale concert performances. His work transformed how people perceived electronic instruments, establishing them as serious tools for artistic expression rather than mere novelties.
Electronic music has evolved over a century through experimentation with new technologies and recording techniques, often developing in academic institutions, broadcasting organisations and specialist studios. Understanding this history requires familiarity with the various movements, institutions and inventors who shaped how music could be created and performed using electronic means.
By documenting electronic music's development through his own collection of instruments and perspective, Jarre is preserving an important but often overlooked chapter of cultural history. Electronic music has profoundly influenced modern popular culture, yet it frequently receives less scholarly attention than other musical genres, making a comprehensive historical account particularly valuable.