Welcome to the homepage of New York Times best-selling author, journalist and editor Annie Zaleski. I’m an award-winning writer with profiles, interviews, and criticism in a variety of publications. Bylines include Rolling Stone, NPR Music, The Guardian, Salon, Time, Billboard, Classic Pop, Record Collector, The A.V. Club, Vulture, The Los Angeles Times, Stereogum, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Las Vegas Weekly.
I’m the author of 2024’s Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs, which appeared on both the USA Today and New York Times best-sellier lists and was named a Best Book of 2024 by Barnes & Noble. I’m also the author of a 33 1/3 book on Duran Duran’s Rio; the illustrated biographies Lady Gaga: Applause, Pink, Raise Your Glass, and Harry Styles: A Sign of the Times; and the music history books This is Christmas, Song by Song and We Found Love. I’ve also contributed essays to multiple books, along with liner notes to the 2016 reissue of R.E.M.’s Out of Time, Game Theory’s 2020 collection Across The Barrier Of Sound: PostScript, and the 2023 deluxe edition of Jason Mraz’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Additionally, I was commissioned by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to write induction essays for Duran Duran, George Michael and Cher.
Interviews, Assignments, Questions?
For speaking engagements, writing or editing commissions, and press inquiries, including book reviews and scheduling interviews, reach out here..