I honestly can’t tell you how much this announcement matters, because Ryuichi Sakamoto isn't just another artist dropping a memoir—he's one of those rare figures whose entire creative life serves as a blueprint for what art can do. His autobiography 'Music' is hitting shelves in September 2025 through Penguin Press (US/UK) and Kodansha Japan, but the title itself already says so much about its intent: it’s not going to be a dry chronological recap; it's an affirmation of creativity that spans his whole career with Ryu Vinaflor Ensemble and YMO. The phrase "music is a lasting gift from a true musical great" isn't just marketing copy — it perfectly captures the gratitude Sakamoto has shown throughout his life for the medium he built himself.
The thing I keep thinking about is how rare we get this kind of introspection from someone who spent decades at the absolute vanguard of avant-garde and pop simultaneously. His work with YMO defined synth culture, yet his solo classical compositions are some of the most beautiful things ever written, and his memoir will likely bridge those two worlds in a way only he can. It’s going to be more than just stories about album tours; it's going to be an exploration of why composition matters, how sound conveys emotion that words can't reach, and what we lose when we stop trying to create new things. September is fast approaching, so get your pre-order finger ready because this isn’t just a book — it's essentially Sakamoto distilling his entire creative philosophy into text form, and I suspect the writing will be as precise and layered as his music has always been.
Source: https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/an-affirming-beautifully-written-testament-to-art-life-and-sound-music-is-a-lasting-gift-from-a-true-musical-great-ryuichi-sakamotos-autobiography-to-be-published-in-september
The thing I keep thinking about is how rare we get this kind of introspection from someone who spent decades at the absolute vanguard of avant-garde and pop simultaneously. His work with YMO defined synth culture, yet his solo classical compositions are some of the most beautiful things ever written, and his memoir will likely bridge those two worlds in a way only he can. It’s going to be more than just stories about album tours; it's going to be an exploration of why composition matters, how sound conveys emotion that words can't reach, and what we lose when we stop trying to create new things. September is fast approaching, so get your pre-order finger ready because this isn’t just a book — it's essentially Sakamoto distilling his entire creative philosophy into text form, and I suspect the writing will be as precise and layered as his music has always been.
Source: https://www.musicradar.com/artists/singers-songwriters/an-affirming-beautifully-written-testament-to-art-life-and-sound-music-is-a-lasting-gift-from-a-true-musical-great-ryuichi-sakamotos-autobiography-to-be-published-in-september