Apple is currently offering the ability to stream 13 free audiobooks from ‘iconic musicians’ as part of an Apple Music subscription.
The offer is showing up in the Browse tab, and currently appears to be limited to US subscribers …
The musicians are:
- Rakim
- Questlove
- Patti Smith
- Pete Townsend
- Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx & Mick Mars
- Kim Gordon
- Debbie Harry
- Carrie Underwood
- Russ
- Kenny Rogers
- Paul Stanley
- Timbaland & Veronica Chambers
- Bobby Brown & Nick Chiles
It’s a welcome bonus for Apple Music subscribers during the coronavirus lockdown, as the same audiobooks retail in the $15-30 range.
Sadly, it appears that the offer is limited to the US. There is no matching entry in the Browse tab in the UK, and a direct link results in an empty page. It’s possible that the books may be available in other countries, but the UK is typically in the first set of countries outside the US to get access to Apple products and services.
The books vary in nature from autobiographies to Rakim’s guide to writing music.
The musician and hip-hop legend – hailed as “the greatest MC of all time” and compared to Thelonious Monk – reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist.
When he exploded on the music scene, musical genius Rakim was hailed for his brilliant artistic style, adding layers, complexity, depth, musicality, and soul to rap. More than anyone, Rakim has changed the way MCs rhyme. Calm on the mic, his words combine in a frenzy of sound, using complicated patterns based on multisyllabic rhymes and internal rhythms. Rakim can tell a story about a down-on-his-luck man looking for a job and turn it into an epic tale and an unforgettable rhyme. He is not just a great songwriter – he’s a great modern writer.
Part memoir, part writing guide, Sweat the Technique offers insight into how Rakim thinks about words, music, writing, and rhyming as it teaches writers of all levels how to hone their craft. It is also a rare glimpse into Rakim’s private life, full of entertaining personal stories from his youth on Long Island growing up in a home and community filled with musicians to the clubs of New York and the studios of Los Angeles during his rise to the top of popular music. Rakim celebrates the influences that shaped his development, including the jazz music of John Coltrane and the spirituality of the streets, and shares anecdotes spotlighting personalities such as LL Cool J and Dr. Dre, among others.
Filled with valuable lessons for every writer, Sweat the Technique reveals the heart and mind of an artist and his love for great storytelling and, always, the words.
If you’re in the US, you should find the books here; else check the Browse tab.
Otherwise, if you’ve never had an Audible membership or trial, you can at least get one of the books free via a 30-day free trial. Another option for free audiobooks is to borrow them from your local library via the Libby app, which now includes the ability to play them on any Sonos speakers.
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