Book excerpt: The Grove Music Guide to American Film Music documents the lives and works of many of the individuals responsible for writing music for some of the most popular and well-known films, television shows, video games, and music videos ever created. Its 150 articles and 30 images, updated and expanded from The Grove Dictionary of American Music by film scholar Daniel Goldmark, cover key composers, sound engineers, and other figures in American film music history, and include in-depth articles on film music, musical film, production music, video game music, television music, television musicals, and music videos. This book is intended first and foremost as a musical primer for the student of American film, television, and video, whether you're a casual fan, a longtime listener, or someone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of those who have shaped the modern media soundtrack. Bibliographies are curated, not comprehensive, and are most detailed for the subject areas and composers who have been especially popular with historians.