The author is grateful for the help and support of the people who made this book possible.
At the New Yorker, where portions of the The Song Machine first appeared in a different form—Stargate/Ester Dean, K-Pop, Dr. Luke, and Spotify—thanks to Cressida Leyshon (possibly the world’s best editor), David Remnick, Daniel Zalewski, Henry Finder, Dorothy Wickenden, Susan Morrison, Nicholas Thompson, Lizzie Widdecombe, Roger Angell, Virginia Cannon (who suggested the title), Jiayang Fan, Andrew Boynton, Neima Jahromi, Lev Mendes, Carolyn Kormann, Rhonda Sherman, Pam McCarthy, Bruce Diones, Peter Canby, and the magazine’s copy- and style editors and query proofreaders who(m?) I am privileged to work with—Ann Goldstein, Elizabeth Pearson-Griffiths, Mary Norris, Carol Anderson, and Mary Hawthorne, among others. And as always, C. S. Ledbetter III. Yo, the New Yorker.
At Norton: Tom Mayer—it’s all you, baby. Plus thanks to Ryan Harrington, Laura Goldin (P ’81), Steve Colca, Meredith McGinnis, Alice Rha, and Rachel Salzman, and Rachelle Mandik, for great copyediting. Also, thanks to Leah Clark for her work on johnseabrook.com.
For interviews, insight, and support in Sweden: tack to Douglas Carr, StoneBridge, Anders “Snake” Hannegård, Jeanette von der Burg, Kristian Lundin, Andreas Carlsson, Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk, Ulf Ekberg, Dr. Alban, Karin Jihde, Diana Esposito, STV, Swedish Radio, Klas Ahlund, Per Magnusson, Herbie Crichlow, Jacob Schulze, Jörgen Elofsson, Jens von Reis, Annabelle Jönsson, Marie Ledin, Daniel Ek, Graham James, Louise Shwebel, Jan Gradvall, and Martin Dodd. Fredrik Eliasson’s 2008 Swedish Radio documentary, The Cheiron Saga, was a priceless resource.
In Korea: gomawo to Jessica, Tiffany, Max Hole, Neil Jacobson, Melody Kim, John Kim, Jon Toth, Alex Wright, Dominic Rodriguez, Jinsop Lee, Grace Lee, Mark Russell, and Ted Chung.
In New York, L.A., London, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, and Vermont: ta very much to Tor Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen, Tim Blacksmith, Danny D, Ester Dean, Aubry Delaine, Tricky Stewart, Mark Stewart, Kuk Harrell, Teddy Riley, Lukasz Gottwald, Laura Gottwald, Kool Kojak, Cirkut, Bonnie McKee, Ammo, Becky G, Mark Beaven, Steve Lunt, Dave McPherson, Clive Davis, Sean Cassidy, Barry Weiss, Jason Flom, Jay Brown, Katy Perry, Lou Pearlman, Tom Poleman, Steve Blatter, Andy Schoun, Judy McGrath, Guy Zapoleon, Savan Kotecha, Tom Corson, Peter Edge, Mika El-Baz, Benny Blanco, Evan Bogart, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Gabriel Rossman, Drake, Ne-Yo, Miley Cyrus, Paul Williams, Lauren Lossa, Bobbi Marcus, ASCAP, Doug Morris, Jarret Myer, Brian Brater, Lenny Pickett, David Beal, David Baron, Brian Whitman, Sean Parker, Ken Parks, Will Page, Thomas Hesse, Liz Penta, Willard Ahdritz, Daniel Glass, Richard Jones, Marc Ribot, Rosanne Cash, James McQuivey, Elizabeth Margulis, Rebecca Chace, Lisa Spiegel, Norman Janis, Hychem Benali, Horst Dresler and Alex Kim at Anything Printed in Taftsville, Vermont, and the Sequoias—rock on.
And the amazing Billy Mann, musical genius and Philly bro.
For kindly reading early versions of The Song Machine and helping me correct and improve the manuscript: shout-outs to Roy Horan, Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman, Jon Regen, Kool Kojak, Peter Grigg, Rob Buchanan, Eric Beall, Justine Neubarth, Eric Schlosser, Ken Auletta, Walter Isaacson, Bob Spitz, Terry Reed, and Harry Seabrook.
Toe-Dah to Ruth Margalit, for fact-checking.
Thanks to my wonderful and patient agent, Joy Harris, and to Adam Reed.
And most of all Lisa Claire Reed. I still want to hold your hand.