New York, NY (October 6, 2026)—It’s safe to say there’s no pro audio business without microphones, and now their sprawling history has been captured in The Great Book of Vintage Microphones by Grammy Award-winning producer Syliva Massy and Chris Johnson.
Due out November 12, the 248-page hardcover/eBook ($49.50; Bloomsbury) traces the evolution of the most common—and crucial—audio tool with nearly 600 color photos and endless insights.
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Throughout the book, hundreds of rare, eccentric, and groundbreaking microphones are featured—everything from the microphone used by every U.S. president since Lyndon B. Johnson, to a monumental mic built for King George V, and a handy one that Bruce Swedien used to record Michael Jackson’s hits.
The book traces microphones through a history that includes the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the Cold War era to tell a larger story about how the technology of sound transformed music, broadcasting, politics, and popular culture. Along the way, readers will see their longtime favorites and discover surprising outliers and well, learning more about mics’ use, history, manufacture, design, and more.
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Massy is well-known for her work with the likes with Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sevendust, and Tom Petty, among many others. Co-writer Chris Johnson is a prize-winning writer, recording studio owner, minister, artist and avid microphone collector. The two previously collaborated on their book, Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Recording Techniques.
