How Women Made Music

A Revolutionary History from NPR Music

By: National Public Radio Inc, Alison Fensterstock

Narrated by: Alison Fensterstock, Ann Powers, Janina Edwards, Hillary Huber, Maggi-Meg Reed, Chanté McCormick, Inés del Castillo

2025 ASSOCIATION FOR RECORDED SOUND COLLECTIONS AWARDS CERTIFICATE OF MERIT * AUDIOFILE MAGAZINE EARPHONES AWARD

The audiobook edition of How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History brings listeners closer than ever to their creative heroes. Featuring rare interview excerpts with Nina Simone, Sinead O’Connor, Lucinda Williams, Joni Mitchell, Taylor Swift, Solange, and many more.

NPR’s launch of the multi-platform series Turning the Tables in 2017, suddenly pushed more women onto “Best of” lists and into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. With How Women Made Music, acclaimed critic and TtT co-founder Ann Powers and contributor Alison Fensterstock draw from every Turning the Tables season and the full 50-years of NPR archives, to bring a vibrant, entertaining history of women in folk, rock, rap, hip hop, salsa, bubblegum pop, and much more.

The audiobook version features:

• Joan Baez discussing nonviolence as a musical principle in 1971
• Nina Simone, in 2001, reflecting on how she developed the edge in her voice as a tool against racism
• Patti Smith describing art as her “jealous mistress” in 1976
• Taylor Swift, in 2012, talking about early uncertainty in her music career
• Odetta, in 2005, explaining how shifting from classical to folk music allowed her to express her fury over Jim Crow

Destined to become a classic, this audiobook is not only a vital record of history, it will spark creativity, inspiration, and awe in hearing how musical lives are maintained and favorite songs are born.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Missed Opportunity!

While I learned a lot and really enjoyed the content, I think the producers of the audiobook really missed an opportunity by not including music embedded within the essays. I wanted to hear what the writers were talking about in real time with their narrative.

Great Introductory Information

This book is a great read for those just starting to take interest in women musical artists. For those like me who have been life-long music lovers, the information presented on each of the artists covered is very basic and the stories well-known. If you've recently taken interest in legendary women musicians, then this book is for you. If you are well-versed or even acquainted with the women artists discussed in this book, I'd say skip it. You won't be gaining any insight aside from what you already know.

Fascinating and endlessly interesting

I wasn’t sure that this would keep me going on the lengthy drives I sometimes have to make, but I was never bored. Although I knew most of the artists featured, I often found myself revisiting them with a new perspective - and checking out those who were new to me. Would love a follow up that dives into other great voices outside the English speaking world (a handful of Spanish speaking artists were included, but generally ones that have crossed over into North American consciousness). Go on, expand our horizons.

Meh 🫤

Could have been better. Clips of interviews was great but very short and abrupt. I feel like instagram reels would be better at having more interesting stories on these women than this book