What's not to love about the Grammy's? Barely there dresses! Gigantic egos! Lip-synching! Lotsa hype over nothing! An endless stream of awards that nobody really cares about! Bizarro hairstyles (does anyone else think Ms. Aguilera's hair is strikingly similar to that freaky woman's from Temptation Island?)! It's an award-show-junkie's dream.

More than anything, the Grammy's are a great reminder of just how important music is, was, and always will be to contemporary youth culture. So, in recognition of the power of music (that's a really lame expression, "the power of music" --- like the title of a Celine Dion song or something...though it does capture my sentiments quite nicely) the Teenreads.com staff has compiled a list of some really cool --- and some just really silly --- music-inspired books. Rock on, Teenreads!! (That was pretty lame too, huh.)

INDEPENDENT WOMEN...

SHOUT, SISTER, SHOUT!: A Century of American Popular Girl Singers
by Roxane Orgill
Margaret McElderry
ISBN: 0689819919

This book truly rocks! Music critic Roxane Orgill tells the fascinating stories of ten "girl singers," ranging from Sophie Tucker in the early 1900s to the ever changing and ever current Madonna. Readers learn about the loves and lives of these fabulous, strong sisters as well as about their music making processes. In every chapter Roxane includes fun fact boxes like "What's New" (highlighting the inventions of each decade) and "What She Wore." Roxane also spares no details explaining what was going on in the country and how that affected these brilliant women and their music. A must read for all wannabe divas.

SO, YOU WANNA BE A ROCK STAR?: How to Create Music, Get Gigs, and Maybe Even Make It Big!
by Stephen Anderson
Beyond Words Publishing Co.
ISBN: 1885223994

So you think you sound like Mariah when you are warbling away in the shower? Let the world know it! Written by a musician who began performing in the seventh grade, this book shows you how to turn a couple friends, a set of drums, and inspiration into a band. Also, 20 young musicians and bands are profiled, including the singer who, desperate to make it on his own, went for years not telling anyone -- not even his band, the Wallflowers -- that his father is Bob Dylan.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA
by Anna Louise Golden
SMP Paperbacks
ISBN: 0312975341

BRITNEY SPEARS' HEART TO HEART
by Britney Spears and Lynne Spears
Three Rivers Press
ISBN: 0609807013

Although I think we've seen way way too much from Ms. Aguilera (I mean, did you see what she wore on the Grammy's?!), I must say I have a soft spot in my heart for good ol' Brittster. The first book is unauthorized and a little cheesy; the second was written by the mother-daughter dynamic duo and is still a little cheesy. But if you need to know every last thing about your favorite baby divas, these are the books for you.

WESTLIFE: Backstage Pass
by ael-Ann Johns and Christopher Patrick
Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN: 0439251893

They're cute. They're new and hip. They speak with adorable Irish accents. And one of them is a Libra! Need I say more?

AARON CARTER: The Little Prince of Pop: The Real Inside Scoop from His Mom
by Jane Carter
Onyx Books
ISBN: 0451409205

THE HEART AND SOUL OF NICK CARTER: Secrets Only a Mother Knows
by Jane Carter
Penguin USA
ISBN: 0451408950

Those Carter boys: talented little bundles of blond hair and dimples! And who better to spill the dirt on their habits, loves, and triumphs then their manager-mother.

BACKSTREET BOYS: The Official Book
by Andre Csillag
Bantam Doubleday Dell
ISBN: 0385328001

'N SYNC
by Chris Kelman
Andrews McMeel Publishing
ISBN: 0836216482

I don't want to start a war here, but I have to go with the BSB book as the better one by far. I love the yearbook layout and the fun snaps of the guys with different celebs. But both books are useful and full of drool worthy pix.

SWINGERS AND CROONERS: The Art of Jazz Singing
by Leslie Gourse
Franklin Watts, Incorporated
ISBN: 0531113213

So the swing craze is over; the music is still pumping and fun. And dressing up in swing dresses will always be a classy flirty way to go, in my opinion. This book is full of interesting facts about the musicians behind the songs and a great first reference for anyone who wants to know more about the artists that influenced the singing styles of Macy Grey and Erykah Badu and many others.

DOGBREATH VICTORIOUS
by Chad Henry
Holiday House
ISBN: 0823414582

This is a fun piece of fiction, although the character sometimes comes off as a little too cool. But hey, we all know rock geek boys who can sometimes be that way. The premise is a pretty new one: a boy and his alterna-band enter a band contest only to be humiliatingly defeated by a band made up of their moms!

POP PARTY: Pop Quizzes, Party Ideas, and More! (Celebrity Quiz-O-Rama #1)
by Jo Hurley
Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN: 0439244080

MUSIC MANIA: Word Seeks, Brain Teasers, and Other Puzzlers! (Celebrity Quiz-O-Rama #2)
by Jo Hurley
Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN: 0439244099

Okay, you're bored in study hall. Pull out these books and challenge your friends to see who really knows Howie's favorite color.