Publisher Thames & Hudson have announced a new book, authored by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, Machines: A History of Electronic Music, that looks like it may be a ‘must have’ for electronic music studio libraries.

The publishes says that the book offers a definitive illustrated history of electronic sound, from “the godfather of the genre”.

The book will also feature an array of special contributors, including Pete Townshend, Armin van Buuren, Gary Numan and Gillian Gilbert.

Machines begins in 1913 charting a path that begins with The Art of Noises; the renowned Futurist manifesto, then chronicles the genre as it is shaped by Surrealism and the Bauhaus, and, later, by radio pioneers.

Detailed descriptions of more than eighty instruments – from the iconic ARP 2500 to bespoke, one-off creations – illustrate shifts in electronic sound.

“This book is a journey through these machines: those I acquired, those I tamed, those I imagined, and those that shaped my musical language – and which together tell one possible story of today’s music,” explains Jarre. “When I step into the studio, they are there, lurking in the shadows, blinking silently. They contain every sound in the world. And, like a gold prospector, my obsession is to extract a few nuggets from them. My personal El Dorado.”

Pricing and Availability:

Machines: A History of Electronic Music is available now to pre-order, and is expected to ship in the US on Nov 17th, 2026.