Why Sound Matters
Will be published approx. on 27. January 2026
Book
Hardback
128 pages
978-0-300-27224-6 (ISBN)
Description
A poignant consideration of the material aspect of sound and how it fundamentally shapes our experience of the world, both in its presence and absence
From the joyous communal connections fostered through shared auditory experience to the devastating impact of noise pollution in the deep sea, musician and author Damon Krukowski urges readers to reconsider the significance of sound and its role in both our personal and collective well-being. He looks despairingly at how the multipronged efforts of urban dwellers to mitigate city noise have led to increased isolation, loss of community, and a sense of physical detachment from one's surroundings. He considers the consequences of the commodification of sound in the digital era. And he looks at what's at stake in trying to preserve the world's dwindling quiet places.
Interspersed with personal reflections from years of working in the music business, this book investigates sound's role in the environment, its value as a material, its relationship to labor, and how it affects our interactions with one another. Krukowski invites you to hear the world anew and renew your relationship with one of our most precious natural resources. So listen up!
From the joyous communal connections fostered through shared auditory experience to the devastating impact of noise pollution in the deep sea, musician and author Damon Krukowski urges readers to reconsider the significance of sound and its role in both our personal and collective well-being. He looks despairingly at how the multipronged efforts of urban dwellers to mitigate city noise have led to increased isolation, loss of community, and a sense of physical detachment from one's surroundings. He considers the consequences of the commodification of sound in the digital era. And he looks at what's at stake in trying to preserve the world's dwindling quiet places.
Interspersed with personal reflections from years of working in the music business, this book investigates sound's role in the environment, its value as a material, its relationship to labor, and how it affects our interactions with one another. Krukowski invites you to hear the world anew and renew your relationship with one of our most precious natural resources. So listen up!
Reviews / Votes
"Why does sound matter? This book will tell you. There's always more to life than meets the eye-and there's certainly more to life than meets the ear. Read this book to find out exactly how much more. It's a modern masterpiece."-Jarvis Cocker, Pulp"Why Sound Matters is an inspiring guide for how to envision change in a world of noise pollution and music devalued by the corporate algorithm. This is a crucial read for every musician today and for anyone who cares about music."-Julia Holter, singer-songwriter
"An urgent dive into the tangibility of sound and community. Damon Krukowski explains why something you can't physically touch or see offers so much immeasurable wealth to our lives, and connects the dots between sound, the natural world and the systems that exploit both."-Heba Kadry, mastering engineer
"In his work as a musician, activist, publisher, and writer, Damon Krukowski has always been an inspiration. This book is no exception."-Jeff Mangum, Neutral Milk Hotel
"Music is the original gig economy, in many ways forecasting the future of the wider world. So what is to be done? Well, organization and solidarity, as Krukowski proposes in this hopeful book."-Stephin Merritt, The Magnetic Fields
"Why Sound Matters convincingly argues that issues of music and creative labor today are rooted in a general misunderstanding of the value of sound-a vital contribution to the conversation on where music and audio culture goes from here."-Liz Pelly, author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist
"At a time when music teeters somewhere between a gift beyond price and literally worthless, Damon Krukowski insists on sound as a material force in the world-something that can harm and heal, a resource that's exploited but that could be liberated. The questions raised and answers offered will reverberate through your mind long after you close the book."-Simon Reynolds, author of Futuromania: Electronic Dreams, Desiring Machines and Tomorrow's Music Today
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
242 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-27224-6 (9780300272246)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Damon Krukowski is an indie rock musician (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi) and writes the newsletter Dada Drummer Almanach. He is author of The New Analog: Listening and Reconnecting in a Digital World and Ways of Hearing, which was adapted from a Radiotopia podcast series of the same name. He has written about sound and music for many publications, including Artforum, Art in America, The Guardian, The New Yorker, Pitchfork, and The Wire. He lives in Cambridge, MA.