Silent Films/Loud Music discusses contemporary scores for silent film as a rich vehicle for experimentation in the relationship between music, image, and narrative. Johnston offers an overview of the early history of music for silent film paired with his own first-hand view of the craft of creating new original scores for historical silent films: a unique form crossing musical boundaries of classical, jazz, rock, electronic, and folk. As the first book completely devoted to the study of contemporary scores for silent film, it tells the story of the historical and creative evolution of this art form and features an extended discussion and analysis of some of the most creative works of contemporary silent film scoring.

The seemingly effortless integration of sound, movement, and editing in films of the late 1930s stands in vivid contrast to the awkwardness of the first talkies. Film Rhythm after Sound analyzes this evolution via close examination of important prototypes of early sound filmmaking, as well as contemporary discussions of rhythm, tempo, and pacing.

Rock Music Styles: A History, takes students on a musical journey through the development of rock music from its origins to its most contemporary styles. Charlton uses in-depth summaries and descriptions paired with a historical background to help immerse students in different musical genres. Learning from featured performers throughout the text and exploring important songs in new and revised Listening guides, students will be able to draw connections between musical developments throughout the decades. The eighth edition of Rock Music Styles: A History provides students a deeper understanding and appreciation of rock music styles in the 20th century and beyond.