Outside the Jukebox cover art

Outside the Jukebox

How I Turned My Vintage Music Obsession into My Dream Gig

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Outside the Jukebox

By: Scott Bradlee
Narrated by: Scott Bradlee
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About this listen

 From the creator of the sensation Postmodern Jukebox -- with millions of fans globally -- comes an inspirational memoir about discovering what you love and turning it into a creative movement.

With student loan debt piling up and no lucrative gigs around the corner, Scott Bradlee found himself in a situation all too familiar to struggling musicians and creative professionals, unsure whether he should use the little income he had to pay his rent or to avoid defaulting on his loans. It was under these desperate circumstances that Bradlee began experimenting, applying his passion for jazz, ragtime, and doo wop styles to contemporary hits by singers like Macklemore and Miley Cyrus--and suddenly an idea was born.

Today, Postmodern Jukebox -- the rotating supergroup devoted to period covers of pop songs, which Bradlee created in a basement apartment in Queens, New York--is a bona fide global sensation, having collected more than three million subscribers on YouTube while selling out major venues around the world and developing previously unknown talent into superstar singers. From its Etta James-inspired rendition of Radiohead's "Creep" to its New Orleans jazz interpretation of Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," the group has established a sound like no other, crafting hits as exquisitely sublime as they are humorously absurd.

But it wasn't always as easy as the YouTube videos make it look. As he worked to establish Postmodern Jukebox, Bradlee struggled through the obstacles that every self-employed artist or entrepreneur with a vision faces: how to collaborate successfully on teams with divergent visions, how to outrun the naysayers, how to chase the next innovation when your reputation makes others start to pigeonhole you, and so many of the other challenges lining the path to success.

Taking readers through the false starts, hilarious backstage antics, and unexpected breakthroughs of Bradlee's journey from a lost musician to a musical kingmaker -- and presenting all the entrepreneurial insights he learned along the way -- Outside the Jukebox is an inspiring memoir about how one musician found his rhythm and launched a movement that would forever change our relationships to our favorite songs. Business Development & Entrepreneurship Entertainment & Celebrities Entrepreneurship Celebrity Musician Business

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Critic reviews

"Candid, hilarious, and wildly fun, Outside the Jukebox is the book I wish I'd had when I was getting my start in theatre."
—Kristin Chenoweth, Broadway and television star
"Bradlee found tremendous success by going his own way, and he turned his passion into a creative movement....I am learning from this read!"
—Mick Fleetwood, cofounder of Fleetwood Mac
"Bradlee's story is a crash course on how to launch a monster career in entertainment."
—Chris Silbermann, managing director, ICM Partners
"Scott Bradlee may just be the most creative musician turned entrepreneur I've had the honor to work with. Read this book and you will be inspired to chase your dreams the way he has."
—John Burk, president, Concord Records
"Outside the Jukebox will be of interest to up-and-coming musicians and Internet performers, not least because of his description of the traits and habits that helped Bradlee flourish....Here's hoping that Bradlee's hunger for success and his love of music keep him producing joyous, winning work for many years to come."—The Weekly Standard
"With an uncanny ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist time and again, Scott Bradlee has given rise to a whole new crop of mega-talented singers and musicians, blending pop and jazz in a completely novel way....Outside the Jukebox takes us inside his unique method."
—Dave Koz, jazz saxophonist and host of Sirius-XM's The Dave Koz Lounge
"Fans of Postmodern Jukebox will certainly enjoy this, but anyone who is ready, as Bradlee says, to 'go out and make art' will appreciate his optimistic tone as well...Outside the Jukebox is a feel-good memoir with an inside look at Postmodern Jukebox founder Scott Bradlee's unconventional approach to a career."—Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"[An] entertaining memoir...Anyone eager to know more about the man behind the music will want to pick this up."—Publishers Weekly
All stars
Most relevant
Loved the 'book' and insight into how it all began. must read for PMJ fans

Loved it

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It was fascinating to hear about the rise of PMJ. I was lucky enough to be at one of their first UK gigs years ago and to watch them return year after year bigger and better, but knew very little about the story behind the eclectic mix of ever evolving singers, musicians and dancers that make up PMJ. Scott's is a fascinating story of someone that didn't quite fit in. Of how having passion, talent, luck and perseverance, and refusing to do things by the book, can pay off. Can't wait for part 2!!

Love love love this book about the rise of PMJ

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First of all, one big applause to Audible that gave me the opportunity to get in touch with a book that I exactly wanted for just one pound, and biggest applause for the autor that I didnt know what to expect, 'couse he literally blown me away.

English is not my native language, Serbian is, and it was much easier for me to just listen and imagine every situation, becouse reading a book would took me much more time to just found forein words to me, and get back to them lost in thread of the story. This way I could easy guess what it means in the sentence and for the first time it was wonderful expirience, and I will definetlly keep on listening the books over your chanel shurelly.

The story about Jukebox was great. The concept was toughtful, and in the end, I end up with a expirience more just watching from "my chair". As a young artist and producer, I already had my favorite chapters, at first reading, due that I recognized myself in them, and this will vey much likelly influence on my carier.

I would recomend this book to the leaders, visionars, future "right hands" of big artists who knows the music busines, and whants to get more to the music industry.

This is a lifetime story I wouldnt get from anyone.

Respect to Your wisdom, guts and commitment. Spread your arragements, to stop globalisation overproduced and overedited music and show the world the roots of pure entertaintment with just your love for the music that you carry within.

Message for the author:

Hope you'll now have more time to dig your own music and wake up the composer in yourself. THATS WHERE THE REAL MAGIC IS.

Davor Jovanović

Beyond any expectations.

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