Anthems We Love

29 Iconic Artists on the Hit Songs That Shaped Our Lives

By: Steve Baltin, Cameron Crowe - foreword

Narrated by: Steve Baltin, Cameron Crowe

Read by the author.

"Anthems We Love is not just a tale of artistic adventure, it's also a manual for artists and fans alike. There is no formula. Just these inspiring stories of the heart . . . "—Cameron Crowe, Academy Award-nominated director, producer, and screenwriter (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Say Anything, and Pearl Jam Twenty)

From U2 to Carly Simon, the Temptations to TLC, artists describe in their own words how their songs became the soundtrack of your life in this celebration of music featuring original interviews by acclaimed music journalist Steve Baltin.

Which Beach Boys’ song brings Paul McCartney to tears? What makes “Light My Fire” a rite-of-passage song for teens in every generation, according to Doors guitarist Robby Krieger? What is it about music that brings back so vividly the passion of our early loves, our deepest losses, our richest memories?

Acclaimed music journalist Steve Baltin examines twenty-nine iconic songs of modern music to ultimately answer: what transforms a song into an anthem? How did these songs become such a part of our culture? Featuring original interviews with superstar musicians like the Beach Boys, Shania Twain, and Earth Wind and Fire, this book offers a detailed celebration of songwriting, fan connections, memorable live performances, and more.

A must-have anthology for music fans, Anthems We Love showcases the most beloved and popular songs of all time, including Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” and TOTO’s “Africa.” More so, it centers the artists behind these songs—and the songs that formed the soundtracks of their lives—as they share stories, for the first time, about how writing an anthem has changed their lives, those of their fans, and our world.

Photos are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Steve Baltin (P)2022 Harper Horizon

Critic reviews

"As a music lover, this book is a must have for me! Steve is such a great writer/interviewer, so to get this kind of personal insight from this range of incredible artists is iconic."—Victoria Justice, award-winning actress and recording artist (Zoey 101, Victorious, Outcasts, and Trust)

"Steve Baltin has a way of getting INSIDE a song, inside a perspective of an artist. He has the care and ability to hold the complexities in what he hears, and how he is impacted by music. And the ability to articulate how that personal, microcosmic effect translates to the world and pop culture at large. Steve has the big view and is equally adept at zooming in on, and honoring the subtleties. To be beheld by Steve's view is a true gift to all artists."—Alanis Morissette, multi-platinum, bestselling, and GRAMMY Award winning recording artist

"Being included among artists and songs that have inspired me so deeply like 'At Seventeen', 'God Only Knows' and one of my teenage anthems, 'Africa', is a perfect example of the honors 'You're Still The One' has given me. This song has been a real gift."—Shaina Twain, multi-platinum and bestselling recording artist, and Academy of Country Music award-winner

Every Chapter was Great

What I really liked about Steve’s take on these particular artist and their anthems, was that he made every single one stand out in a unique way, and really told the story that I personally had never heard before. What really surprised me, was that I listened to every chapter regardless of the artist, under the assumption that I may skip the ones I didn’t have as much of an interest in. I feel like that was the case because Steve brought a really nuanced and genuinely interesting story behind each artist, and how they approached their craft. I’ve already recommended this book to multiple music fans in my circle and will continue to do so.