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  • Songs That Shook the Planet

  • Words + Music | Vol. 26
  • Written by: Chuck D
  • Narrated by: Chuck D
  • Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (135 ratings)

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Songs That Shook the Planet

Written by: Chuck D
Narrated by: Chuck D
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Publisher's Summary

Hip-hop pioneer Chuck D, the legendary lyricist and cofounder of Public Enemy, takes listeners on an extraordinary journey through politically and socially conscious music. Part history lesson and part memoir, Songs That Shook the Planet spans genres and decades to call out the brave artists who continue to inspire necessary change in the world. 

You’ll hear the stories behind legendary tracks as well as the songs themselves, performed by Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Too Short, and more. Listening is both empowering and haunting; too often the artists paid a shocking price for their ability to articulate injustice so forcefully. Chuck D makes the experience even more revelatory by adding his own reminiscences about how the songs - many heard on the record player at home that his mother kept spinning with a stunning range of music - influenced his early life and his own career as an agent of change. 

Songs That Shook the Planet reintroduces listeners to indelible songs from artists who literally put their lives on the line to speak truth to power and provides a soundtrack of civil uprising that is perhaps even more powerful and relevant today. 

Songs That Shook the Planet was conceived, written, and produced, by Chuck D & Lorrie Boula as the latest installment of Audible’s Words + Music franchise, with additional writing by Arthur Turnbull and Gia'na M.Garel.

©2021 Audible Originals LLC (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC.

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What listeners say about Songs That Shook the Planet

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  • Rob
  • 2023-06-06

Enjoyed this listening

Really enjoyed to learn about the history behind the music of great music anthems and Chuck D does an amazing job as a narrator.

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Chuck the Teacher Sorry KRS

The story behind the music not only aids the context of its creation but in the enjoyment in its listening.
Great variety representing many of my box collections.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • JRo
  • 2023-04-19

bad record quality

this is very subjective, Some choices dont belong in my opinion. May have been copyright issues using record quality?

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Great voice, clear, expressive, and loved the history being shared

Chuck D’s voice is wonderful to listen.
But the best part was the history being shared about each artist and the songs. Many things I had no idea about, which added to the richness and enjoyment of each song. I will be sharing this with my eldest daughter, as the other two kiddos are not old enough to truly understand.

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Chucky D’s voice makes anything he says fact.

I grew up listening to PE and learned so much from Chuck as well as Chris.
He is the authority of whatever he speaks on.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Jamaica included

I appreciate the mansion of Jamaican music and musicians influence on Black music in the United States and England

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a great listen

This was really enjoyable.
I really liked Chuck D's inclusion of his life and times with the story of these songs and their importance. It gave more meaning and a personal context to these important songs that we've probably all heard but may not be really listening to with attention anymore.
Chuck D's narration was solid. His passion for this project is clear, as is his bone-deep knowing the importance of music.
Thank you.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Annjoyable walk through music history

This is a compact and heartfelt music history recording from Chuck D. Worthy of a listen. He adds a perspective that I had not experienced before this.

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Thank you to the legendary Chuck D!

Very enjoyable and informative. I learned much about this beautiful music. Power to the people.

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Amazing!!!

I have been a fan of Chuck D's since Public Enemy's I Takes A Nation... album dropped. Not only is he a phenomenal musician and lyricist he drops incredible knowledge. This book is just that. This book introduced me to some great histories of music and musicians I thought I knew about. I highly recommend this work to everyone as you will not only get to hear some amazing music you will gain essential knowledge.

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