Dolly Parton and Billie Eilish are teaming up for a new book that celebrates albums nobody talks about. The project is called On the Records, and it comes out Nov. 17. The book collects essays and conversations from 80 artists, each picking an album that shaped them but didn’t win the spotlight.
Parton’s contribution focuses on Mama Sings, a posthumous collection of traditional songs recorded by her mother, Avie Lee Parton, in the Seventies. The album was released in 2024, decades after Avie Lee made the recordings. Eilish, meanwhile, wrote about Shake Shook Shaken, the 2014 album by the French-Finnish duo The Dø.
Eilish’s Earlier Tribute
Eilish previously mentioned The Dø in a 2021 installment of her running Vanity Fair interview series. She called the duo’s album “her main source of inspiration during the making of Happier Than Ever.” That earlier statement explains why she chose this particular record for the book.
“The Dø changed my life and perspective on music.”
Artists are asked to name albums that changed them personally, not necessarily ones that sold millions or dominated charts. The book wants to shine light on influences that get overlooked.
A Wide Range of Voices
The table of contents reads like a survey of underground and cult music. It includes:
- Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs on ESG’s A South Bronx Story
- Earl Sweatshirt on M.O.P.’s First Family 4 Life
- Justin Vernon of Bon Iver on Paul Pena’s New Train (featuring Jerry Garcia on pedal steel)
- Black Thought of The Roots on Amnesty’s Free Your Mind (The 700 West Sessions)
- Chris Stapleton on Darrell Scott and Tim O’Brien’s Real Time
- Willie Colón on Stanley Turrentine’s 1974 LP, Pieces of Dreams
Those are just a handful of the entries. Other contributors include Brian Eno, Margo Price, Erykah Badu, Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Laufey, Jessie Reyez, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Gillian Welch, Finneas, Dev Hynes, Carl Craig, Bettye Lavette, Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief, Jamie xx, Kelela, Meshell Ndegeocello, Terrace Martin, and Yaeji.
Beck and Orlov Behind the Project
The book was compiled by Brian Beck, a longtime music industry veteran. Piotr Orlov, an author and editor, also worked on the project.
The range of contributors is striking. You have Parton and Eilish at the top of pop culture, then you have people like Bettye Lavette and Philip Glass, who rarely appear together in the same cultural conversation.
What This Says About Taste
The book is a snapshot of what today’s artists actually listen to. Parton’s choice of her mother’s folk recordings shows a reverence for family history. Eilish’s choice of The Dø shows a fascination with international indie rock. Both are valid, and both are personal.
The book also highlights the longevity of certain influences. Paul Pena’s New Train, recorded years ago, still matters to Justin Vernon. Amnesty’s Free Your Mind still matters to Black Thought. Those connections are the kind of musical history that usually gets buried.
The Bottom Line
On the Records is a book about why we listen to what we listen to. It is not about fame. It is about influence, and it is a good one.
The pairing of Parton and Eilish is a strong start. One represents the country past, the other the pop present. Together, they anchor a book that covers a wide range of artists.
The book is due Nov. 17. It is worth watching for the individual essays as much as the overall list. Each artist gets a chance to explain why a particular album mattered to them, and that honesty is rare in the music business.
This is a book about why we listen to what we listen to. It is not about fame. It is about influence, and it is a good one.
Source material: “Dolly Parton and Billie Eilish Discuss Their Favorite Overlooked Albums in New Book,” Rolling Stone.
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