Reach for the Stars: 1996–2006: Fame, Fallout and Pop’s Final Party: Winner of the 2024 Penderyn Music Book Prize

From first reading about this book I was excited and it did not disappoint. Cragg is clearly a fan of this pop decade, which shines through. He balances explaining the innovation, changes and excitement of what was happening in pop music at this time but doesn't shy away from some of pop's less savoury elements. Reading about celebrities behind forced to come out, hide their sexuality and pop stars struggling with their mental health had a significant impact for those effected and wasn't spoken about at that time. It's good Cragg has included these voices in his book.The book covers 1996 to 2006 to varying levels of detail. There's a short chapter on being hungover on morning television. I'm not sure there was much else to say on the subject.Overall, a great read that gives the people involved at the time I chance to put across their versions of events and celebrates pop music from the time in all its glory.

I pre-ordered the book for me and my bestie as we were and are still massive 90's popfans. At first I was a bit disappointed for the lack of pictures (I sort of thought I could walk through memory lane with never-seen-before pics), but after the first chapter, I was just hooked. Of course, I knew most of the stories, the ups and downs but what was poignant was how tough the industry and media were (and still are to some extent) on how a popstar looked and how little attention was paid to one's physical and mental well-being. I was just shocked because all these people just brought lively, cheerful and good music into my life. Without getting into too much details, this is a must-read for 90's popfans. I devoured the book in two weeks (had to go to work in between readings). The book is packed full of quotes, fun facts, sad anecdotes and reveals how tough the pop music industry can be.

I must admit, and this is my fault entirely, when I preordered the book I presumed it was going to be an author revisiting and critically evaluating a period and a sound that I love. I hadn’t spotted that it would take the form of an oral history. So, at first, I was a bit disappointed when I realised this format was going to be the format of the entire book. And indeed opening with the Spice Girls story - one we’re all pretty familiar with by this point - didn’t really provide much new insight.But then, once I got used to the format, and the chopping and changing of voices (the who’s who section at the start is essential) and anecdotes, it built into a definitive text on this wonderful era and many - but not all - of the acts who soundtracked it. I read it pretty quickly, and I gleefully devoured the anecdotes detailing how savagely Jenny replaced Kerry in Atomic Kitten.I’d thoroughly recommend this as a - to date - definitive text of pop music in this era. It wasn’t what I expected, but it’s intelligently edited by the author, who has pieced together a compelling narrative from evidently lots of hard work, research and interviews. The respect - for source music that doesn’t often get respect - shines through.However, I really loved the sections that were voiced by the author - personal reflections about the era, and witty scene-setting and chapter introductions. It got me thinking that, were the author to one day consider writing that book I was originally expecting, I might enjoy that even more.

Loved reading this well written, interesting and fun book- great music history included

Reading this book makes you feel as though you were right in the room(s) during one of the biggest periods of UK pop. The oral history format allows the 'who's who' of 90s and 00s pop acts, producers, journalists and taste-makers to recount all the highs, lows and utterly bizarre events that marked the decade-long party kicked off by the phenomenal success of the spice girls. If you ever wanted to know what it must have been like to live with scary spice, who hated whom in pop, who threw up at CD:UK and what happened in the wild west days of reality TV shows, this is the book for you.

I can't explain how much I bloody loved this book. I grew up listening to these bands, and I always read Smash Hits, TOTP, Big!, Mizz, and then moved into the likes of Heat magazine, while being an avid watcher of SMTV/CD-UK so this is exactly taking me back to a more innocent time.The book is an utter triumph. There's so much that I didn't know about these bands. Being able to delve into the record label perspectives, the magazine/journalist perspectives, the TV perspectives etc was awesome, let alone discovering exactly how the songwriters came up with the music.The way that the book is written is so sharp and insightful, it was such an easy read that I literally couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing in three days.Literally the only thing that could have made the book better was if the publishing company or author had created a dedicated playlist to go alongside it.

An ABSOLUTE joy to read. Michael's writing is fantastic, and the tone and breadth of the content is just a delight.