It's rare to read a music memoir that focuses as much on the failures as it does the successes. Sam Hollander is extremely candid about what it takes to make it in the music business and how much it takes to stay relevant in the industry. Really funny with great advice for any creative person. Just keep going!

21-Hit Wonder is by Sam Hollander, a song writer.  I wasn't sure if I was actually familiar with any of his stuff, but I always find these sorts of stories fun and fascinating.  And any book that essentially kicks off with the author being baby sat by Andy Warhol is for sure going to end up being a roller coaster and that it was.  There were definitely artists and songs throughout that I was familiar with - there's a whole nice chapter with some behind the scenes info about Michael Tolcher and how he had such a marketable story (or three) about his life but he just didn't feel like that's the approach he wanted to take and end up not sticking with his label...  Sam was also involved in writing with Rich Cronin and had to do with the creation of the show that Rich ended up being on to create a Man Band (with Chris from NSYNC and Jeff from 98 degrees as well).  There was a whole chapter on his attempts to write songs for the American Idol winners and even some Lou Pearlman thrown in for good measure - what's not to love?

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

I was a little surprised that the book wasn't just about the songs but I enjoy reading people's thoughts about their life in general so that was fine. It was an interesting look into the music industry, song writing and the behinds the scenes people who make it all happen. It really filled in some blanks for me.

Sam Hollander gives the reader most of what is promised by the title of his work, 21-Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts. He does not go into great details breaking down each hit and how it came together, instead Hollander writes the traditional memoir from youth to the present. Across the journey we see episodes in his life from an early obsession with buying music, seeking a purpose in life, working to be a major label act and finally establishing himself (with his partners) as a producer and song writer.

Hollander is an engaging, very open and honest narrator. He details his thoughts and reactions as they were in the moment, and his reflections on them now that he is older and more experienced. This is especially pertinent when he was still learning how the industry works and bettering his interpersonal skills. He fully admits that his own nature has worked against him many times or when he got caught up in the process trying to maintain hit streaks.

From the title of chapter 1, "Andy Warhol Was My Babysitter," it is clear Hollander is celebrating the life his career choice has provided him, taking time to name the names. He speaks to his many celebrity encounters as well as how small the music world is, and that relationships (making, maintaining, exploiting(?)) has been key to his success. Sometimes the perfect phrase does get stuck in your mind until the write collaborator can release it, other times everyone is wasting their time.

A book of interest to any fans of music who like to know the behind the scenes process.

My family and I love songwriting so I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately it is a memoir and doesn’t include any insight into his songs or process. I’m sure it will be well received by folks who identify with him but I wasn’t really interested in his life story or crazy meetups with people in the industry. I’m the same age as Hollander and love music but that’s where all similarities seem to end. It’s a fun and interesting book. I’m just not the target audience.

Sam Hollander's story comes out on December 6, 2022. BenBella Books provided an early galley for review.

First off, I have to recognize the foreward by Paul Williams, a song writer who I have enjoyed my entire life. Paul has praise for Sam, so that goes a long way with this reader.

Admittedly, Sam's name is not one of those I recognize - which is certainly a failure on my part. Checking my music library, I found I only had four tracks credited to him as a writer/co-writer. However, I immediately got into his story as he is an engaging storyteller. I suspect that means he's also an engaging songwriter. I like that he takes the time to put it all out there, talking about the missteps and mistakes on his road to pursuing his dream of getting into the music industry. He never loses sight of his dream even when the odds seem totally stacked against him achieving it. That makes the success he has earned all the more sweeter.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from BenBella Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Interesting look into the music industry and the processes.

I found this an interesting look at songwriting or the music industry in general. While I'm a huge music fan of all genres, I never really thought about what happens behind the scenes and how many people are actually involved in the process of putting together a song. I also liked that while the author would definitely tell the ups and downs, he didn't sugar coat the bad things even though it had to sting. I know a few times, I was shocked when a song didn't get picked up or whatnot. The only thing I didn't care for were the bonus cuts, they took me right out of the story and I found myself more often than not, skipping them and maybe going back afterwards to see what was written.

I loved at the end it says the author is giving all proceeds to charity. Nice touch.