Music reference online

Access a wide variety of music references in a library or at home

You will need your library membership number to access these resources from home. If you are not already a member you can apply to join the library.

Rock's Backpages

The ultimate archive of music journalism - more than 20,000 classic articles on artists from Aaliyah to ZZ Top, on all genres from rockabilly to hip hop, by the finest music writers of the last 50 years.

How to view this resource at home or in a library

  • Visit Rock's Backpages.
  • Click 'Sign in' at the top-right of the page (opens a pop-up sign in a window).
  • Enter your library membership number under 'Sign in - Library card'.

OverDrive magazines

OverDrive gives you free access to the latest music magazines, including Billboard, Beat, Uncut, and JazzTimes. Every title is provided in a high-res format identical to those in the newsagents, available on your PC or through the Libby App. Select “Movies, TV & Music” in the subject list to see all music publications on offer.

Access at home or in libraries

Oxford Music Online

The gateway to Grove Music Online, with access to search The Oxford Dictionary of Music and The Oxford Companion to Music. Oxford Music Online is the authoritative resource for music research with over 52,000 articles written by nearly 9,000 scholars charting the diverse history and cultures of music around the globe.

Access at home or in libraries.

PressReader

PressReader gives you access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines. Explore music titles such as Rolling Stone, BBC Music, Total Guitar, Mojo, and Guitarist. Select “Music” in the category list to see all music publications on offer.

Access at home or in libraries.