Jean-Michel Jarre to Release Book on Electronic Music History: Release Date Announced

Renowned electronic music visionary Jean-Michel Jarre is expanding his legendary creative repertoire to include published author, as the French maestro prepares to launch his debut book this coming autumn.

Scheduled for release on November 24, Machines: A History of Electronic Music serves as a comprehensive chronicle of Jarre’s extraordinary private collection of pioneering electronic and electro-acoustic hardware. According to official publication notes, “Through these iconic devices, Jarre maps out a century’s worth of sonic exploration, highlighting the foundational concepts, engineering milestones, and cultural revolutions that forged contemporary electronic music as we recognize it today.”

The literary voyage guides readers through the realms of Surrealism and the Bauhaus movement, deep into avant-garde broadcast laboratories and legendary studios such as Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Radio France, and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Along this immersive timeline, Jarre details the artistic and technical breakthroughs that completely revolutionized modern composition—ranging from early magnetic tape manipulation and analog synthesis to the digital age, three-dimensional spatial recording, multimedia integration, and artificial intelligence-driven performance.

Machines: A History of Electronic Music will showcase 130 striking photographs captured exclusively for the publication, spotlighting everything from legendary modular synthesizer systems to ultra-rare prototypes and custom one-of-a-kind instruments. Furthermore, the volume features valuable insights and contributions from esteemed musical peers, including Armin van Buuren, Richie Hawtin, Vince Clarke (Erasure, Yazoo, Depeche Mode), Gillian Gilbert (New Order), Nicolas Godin (Air), Johnny Marr (The Smiths, The The, Electronic), and Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), among others.

Sharing the exciting news across his digital platforms, Jarre shared on Instagram: “This book represents an expedition through these remarkable machines: the ones I acquired, the ones I mastered, the ones I envisioned, and those that ultimately defined my musical lexicon—collectively telling a definitive story of modern sound. Whenever I enter the studio, they remain present, lingering quietly in the shadows with softly blinking lights. They hold every possible acoustic frequency in existence. Much like a dedicated gold prospector, my lifelong obsession is unearthing a few precious nuggets from within them. They are my ultimate El Dorado.”

Machines: A History of Electronic Music is officially available for pre-order right now.

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