Audible today announced its next slate of renowned artists to create and perform ‘Words + Music’ originals, including Alice Cooper, Elvis Costello, Laura Jane Grace, Dave Matthews, Sharon Van Etten, and Eddie Vedder. The ‘Words + Music’ Audible initiative marries music and storytelling in one-of-a-kind audio experiences, designed exclusively to be heard. These groundbreaking artists join other legends in the Audible ‘Words + Music’ vault, including, Patti Smith, Smokey Robinson, Yo-Yo Ma, Billie Joe Armstrong, James Taylor, Alanis Morissette, Tom Morello, Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, Common, Sting, Rufus Wainwright, Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, Rhiannon Giddens, Tariq Trotter, Steve Earle, Jonathan Biss, and T Bone Burnett.
Zola Mashariki, Head of Audible Studios, commented: “The prolific artists joining our ‘Words and Music’ slate have created some of the most groundbreaking music of our time, inspiring millions of people across the globe. We are thrilled to give our audience a front row seat to the stories and experiences behind the music we all know and love. These projects will provide an intimate glimpse, revealing how beloved music was made and how these artists continue to create, inspire and entertain fans.”
Upcoming ‘Words + Music’ releases include:
Laura Jane Grace – Black Me Out: Premiere Date: September 2, 2021 In an inspiring examination of identity and creativity, the founder and frontwoman of notorious punk band Against Me! will recount the story of her life, her rise to fame, and the painful but powerful moments that have led her to where she is now. Accompanied by new interpretations of her most personal and political songs, Laura traces her intersecting narratives as a punk rock anarchist navigating the mainstream music industry, and trans woman struggling to live as her true self.
Elvis Costello – How to Play the Guitar and Y: Premiere Date: September 16, 2021 Costello’s literary and musical brilliance are on full display in this utterly immersive, unrelentingly playful audio-work of comedic philosophy. Part masterclass, part madcap guitar-manual – in this show, the ‘little hands of concrete’ himself delivers a love letter to the guitar, to music, and to the restorative power of “play.” Listen, and you may just find success, like summer, is just a swallow away.
Alice Cooper – Who I Really Am: The Diary of a Hollywood Vampire: Premiere Date: October 7, 2021 An artist and persona without parallel, Alice Cooper’s over-the-top theatricality and music inspired every known flavor of Rock that would follow. It was an image so shocking for its time, the only thing it couldn’t draw focus from was the extraordinary songwriting. But who’s the man behind the madness? In this Audible Original, Cooper introduces listeners for the first time to the person that built the persona and why, as Alice Cooper trips through a life of the unsavory haunts of a legendarily shambolic good times on a Sunset Strip where only Vampires are found lurking.
Eddie Vedder – I Am Mine: Premiere Date: October 21, 2021 The singular, iconoclastic icon of the Seattle underground, who led a takeover of 90s global culture, dives deep in reflecting on a life at the intersection of art, sensitivity, masculinity, and ascendant pop/rock-super stardom that defined an age. This generational talent delivers a raw, emotional story on the perils and joys of fame, friendship, and a life in art. I Am Mine was produced in collaboration with Gunpowder & Sky, as part of their deal with Audible announced last year.
Sharon Van Etten – All I Can: Premiere Date: November 4, 2021 Sharon Van Etten will tell the yet untold personal stories behind her heart-wrenching and beloved catalogue. Through raw divulgences from her past, and new recordings from each of her pristine and emotionally haunting albums, Sharon builds her own narrative as a survivor who has found strength in her own vulnerability and creativity.
Dave Matthews – untitled
Premiere Date: To Be Announced Through story and song, Dave Matthews leads listeners on an aural journey into our shared humanity. An expedition filled with moments of personal insight, and global impact, scored by new renditions of the music that made him a defining voice in global, popular music. His is a story of hope and advocacy; a reflection on the bittersweetness and urgency of living.
