7 Fascinating Reads All True Music Lovers Need to Dig into ...

Women are still under-represented in music, so it's good to hear a female voice (so to speak). Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is one of the most respected and well-regarded female musicians, and has inspired many women to start their own bands. If you're a fan of Sonic Youth, you'll enjoy Kim's stories of her life and career, and if you're not, it'll still be of interest for the insight into the American music scene.

Patti Smith has been a huge influence in the rock scene, on both male and female musicians. It's perhaps not that surprising that she also writes poetry, given that song lyrics are basically poems. So if you like modern poetry and want to see another side to this esteemed singer, grab this book.

If you enjoyed the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line, then you should read the words of the Man in Black himself. Cash wasn't one to live life by half, and packed enough into his life for several lifetimes. He was also one of the best musicians of all time, so learn more about his life and career.

Of course, there are many fictional works about music and musicians. Anyone under 30 may have missed the movie Amadeus, based on the play by Peter Scaffer about the rivalry between Mozart and his fellow composer Salieri. If you think that classical music is dull, check out the movie - and if you love the movie, you should read the play it's based on.

Any list of books on music has to include something on Bowie. If you're a fan of Bowie's music, you may have been able to catch the touring exhibition by London's Victoria & Albert Museum, But if distance was a problem, console yourself with the accompanying book, with plenty of photos of exhibition material taken from Bowie's own archives.

If you've long been fascinated by the world evoked in the movie Cabaret, here's a book that will tell you more about that world and the songs created in it. Cabaret music was often satirical and provocative, so this book will appeal to those who like their music to be rather more thought-provoking and intelligent than many of today's successes.

Does music make you think? If you ever ponder why we like the music we do, and why it developed the way it has, you'll enjoy this book by ex-Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. He puts forward lots of theories about the creation of music and why people create it. One for those interested in the history of music and the reasons behind it.

What are your favorite genres of music and why do you love them?