This Must Be the Place - by Shain Shapiro (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This Must Be the Place explores how music can make cities better.

This Must Be the Place introduces and examines music's relationship to cities. Not the influence cities have on music, but the powerful impact music can have on how cities are developed, built, managed and governed.

Told in an accessible way through personal stories from cities around the world -- including London, Melbourne, Nashville, Austin and Zurich -- This Must Be the Place takes a truly global perspective on the ways music is integral to everyday life but neglected in public policy.

Arguing for the transformative role of artists and musicians in a post-pandemic world, This Must Be The Place not only examines the powerful impact music can have on our cities, but also serves as a how-to guide and toolkit for music-lovers, artists and activists everywhere to begin the process of reinventing the communities they live in.

Review Quotes

"Dr. Shain Shapiro has synthesized what I have known all my working life. The more you care for music, the more music cares for you. In fact, you will mess around and fall in love. This is a seminal book by a seminal thinker and one I encourage all interested in music, cities and making our world better to read" - Al Bell, Original Owner, Chairman, Stax Records and Former President, Motown Records Group, songwriter and producer of "I'll Take You There" (performed by The Staples Singers).

"Shain Shapiro is a long term and astute observer of the way music scenes interact with and bolster the cities they are in and he knows what makes for healthy ecosystems that serve the performers, venues, and public and This Must Be The Place is an engaging and inspiring read for people who believe that music changes lives and places." - Brian Richie, bassist of the Violent Femmes & Director of Mona Foma Festival

"Shain continues to be the most informed and capable voice on the subject of how music and culture is a critical and powerful component of any thriving community. I turn to him time and time again for insight and guidance, and I find his balance of research and applied learning really is remarkable." - Ben Lovett, CEO, tvg hospitality & musician, Mumford & Sons

"This book is a go to resource for anyone who wants to understand the positive impact that music has on our society, how we are underutilising it, and how we can more effectively integrate it into all areas of our community life. It breathes a passion for music as a force for positivity which everyone can, and should, embrace." - Mark Davyd, CEO, Music Venue Trust

"Engaging, insightful, and full of practical examples and advice, This Must Be the Place is an essential read for anyone interested in the power of music to shape our cities and our lives." Harvey Mason jr, CEO of the Recording Academy

"Shapiro's book is one we have been waiting for. He shows how music and music scenes give life to our communities and provides a playbook for city leaders, musicians, artists, activists, and citizens to use music to make their neighborhoods stronger, more vibrant and inclusive." - Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"Whether you are a professional musician or simply a passionate listener, this must-read book will deepen your appreciation for the profound impact of music on our daily lives and its ability to shape where we live". - Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chairman, APCO Worldwide

"In a masterful take on the complex relationship between the music we love and the cities we live in, Shapiro shows us that music can be a powerful urban planning tool for the places we call home." - Panos A. Panay, President of the Recording Academy, and author of Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation

"With successful case studies and a focus on systems and policy, Shain Shapiro's book brings the power of music and community back to the place it matters: your city." -- Roy Christopher, author of Dead Precedents: How Hip-Hop Defines the Future

"A lovely, thought-provoking book, full of practical ideas and examples for those who share the goal of encouraging music to flourish in their city." - Matt Brennan, Convenor of MSc Music Industries, University of Glasgow

"Shain's book exposes the contradictions and prejudices that music must navigate, and argues convincingly that our leaders have a responsibility (and an opportunity) to understand and engineer the material conditions to safeguard its future - and, by extension, all our futures." - Ramzy Alkaweel, author of How We Used Saint Etienne To Live

"Shain Shapiro convinces us that music is a foundational part of the ideal city and an indispensable civic right - and shows us, step by step, how we can claim it." - Lesley Chow, author of You're History: The 12 Strangest Women in Music

"Shapiro has brilliantly merged analogue concepts about musicians and venues with our overarching contemporary need to chart new pathways for uniting artists and audiences together in community... In Shapiro's brave new world, it's the music that ineluctably matters." - Kenneth Womack, Professor of English and Popular Music, Monmouth University & author of Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles and John Lennon, 1980: The Last Days in the Life.

"This Must Be The Place is an incredibly important book that will empower people with the tools to impact their communities in ways that go far beyond music." - Aaron Bethune, author of Musicprenuer: The Creative Approach to Making Money in Music and Reality and The Positive Power of Perspective, CEO of We Write Stories, and Founder of Play it Loud Music.

About the Author

Shain Shapiro is the global leader in understanding how music and cities intersect. He founded Sound Diplomacy, the global leading economic consultancy working with cities on music, cultural and entertainment policy. He also leads the nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, which commissions research to help solve local, national and international challenges using music as a tool. This is his first book.