Taylor Jenkins Reid has dominated book feeds of all kinds - TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, even Twitter - this past year. I'm not sure if you've heard of a little book called The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but it's impossible to have missed the overwhelming hype that came with it.
For me, though, it just couldn't compare to Daisy Jones and the Six. The world of 70's music completely took over as I consumed the entire thing in a day, and was unable to stop thinking about it for months after. It became my mission to find a book that came anywhere close to the style, the atmosphere and the characterisation that Reid managed to create.
And so after a year of desperately consuming anything that even mentioned a band featuring as protagonist, I present to you this: six of my favourite music-themed reads, all of which were as captivating as Daisy Jones. They're even split into genre, so you can easily find your new favourite book.
Adult Fiction
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
For me, this is simultaneously an embarrassing guilty pleasure and one of my favourite books of all time. If you wondered what was going on across the pond whilst Daisy Jones and The Six dominated America, then this is a must read. Following the novel's eponymous band, whose members alone are enough to invest your time in its near 800 pages, David Mitchell takes us through their short but eventful career as they rise to fame. Real iconic names also make appearances throughout, such as Bowie (and some significantly more…problematic figures), making it an incredibly authentic must-read for anyone with an interest in the decade.
There's also an unexpected sci-fi element, to really keep you on your toes, because obviously it's a David Mitchell novel and it's what he does best. But that rollercoaster of a plotline is for you to explore yourself.
How To Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran
Anyone familiar with feminist writer Caitlin Moran will know that she made her name as a music journalist in the 80s and 90's. This book is a semi-autobiographical bildungsroman from this time, following Johanna Morrigan as she makes the step from Wolverhampton schoolgirl to a music critic. It's driven less by the musical elements and more by coming of age secondhand embarrassment, but it's a fantastic read nevertheless. You're offered the side of the industry that often remains untouched in romanticised exploration, and anybody who enjoyed Daisy's voice will have a deep appreciation for this.
Non Fiction
Perfect Sound Whatever by James Acaster
This one is for music lovers in general - you won't find a general book on music so passionately written as this. Comedian James Acaster suffered a breakdown in 2017 and found solace in devouring all of the music released the year before. Now, he's bestowing the knowledge onto us. Split between his own anecdotes from what he claims to be "the worst year of his life" and an exploration of the albums that helped him the most during this era, you're bound to find your new favourite artists (and have some laughs along the way).
Unknown Pleasures and Substance by Peter Hook
This one is cheating, because it's technically two books, but I firmly believe that you cannot read one without the other. Whilst they're personal memoirs by Peter Hook, bassist of Joy Division and New Order, you really don't need to be a huge fan of either band to be completely consumed by these. Starting in Unknown Pleasures from the formation of 'Warsaw' (Joy Division) and concluding in 2014, these books were strangely the closest I've found to replicating the vibes of Daisy Jones. I cannot say it enough: do not be put off by your lack of interest in either band. Hooky's comedic northern informality and the buckwild stories he tells will have you laughing and crying in the same sitting.
Young Adult
Kill the Boy Band by Goldie Moldavsky
Goldie Moldavsky's wild comedy-thriller, about a group of girls who kidnap a member of their favourite British boy band (no, not One Direction) and hold him hostage in their hotel room, is one of the rare books that I'd describe as under-rated. Based around the fandom culture that came with boy bands in the early 2010s (yes, One Direction), you're introduced to horrible characters you can't help but love and some plot twists that you really can't see coming. It's a quick read, and well worth giving the time to.
For The Record by Charlotte Huang
This was written around 7 years ago now, so there's some elements that are a little bit problematic surrounding attitudes towards women and body image. But if you can overlook this, you're in for quite a treat. Charlotte Huang spent years touring with bands and the novel's Melbourne is a love letter to this experience. There's the similar dynamic of a female singer being thrown into the deep end of a pre-established band and the rocky relationships that follow it, managing to replicate the thrill of the Daisy Jones drama. If nothing else, you'll have a good time delving into this one.
I'm still on the hunt for that perfect, Daisy Jones-esque novel. But until then, I hope these picks fill the void for you in the same ways they did for me.
Caitlin
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