How the Beatles destroyed rock 'n' roll: an alternative history of American popular music

Amateurs and executants

The ragtime life

Everybody's doin' it

Alexander's got a jazz band now

Cake eaters and hooch drinkers

The king of jazz

The record, the song, and the radio

Sons of Whiteman

Swing that music

Technology and its discontents

Walking floors and jumpin' jive

Selling the American ballad

Rock the joint

Big records for adults

Teen idyll

Twisting girls change the world

Say you want a revolution.

Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1 Amateurs and Executants; 2 The Ragtime Life; 3 Everybody's Doin' It; 4 Alexander's Got a Jazz Band Now; 5 Cake Eaters and Hooch Drinkers; 6 The King of Jazz; 7 The Record, the Song, and the Radio; 8 Sons of Whiteman; 9 Swing That Music; 10 Technology and Its Discontents; 11 Walking Floors and Jumpin' Jive; 12 Selling the American Ballad; 13 Rock the Joint; 14 Big Records for Adults; 15 Teen Idyll; 16 Twisting Girls Change the World; 17 Say You Want a Revolution . . .; EPILOGUE: The Rock Blot and the Disco Diagram; Notes; Bibliography; Index.