Machines: A History of Electronic Music is a forthcoming book by Jean-Michel Jarre that surveys developments in electronic and electro-acoustic instruments. The book is scheduled for release on 24 November 2026 and is listed for preorder at $65 through Thames & Hudson’s US page. It contains images of more than 130 electronic and electro-acoustic instruments and covers historical material including Luigi Russolo’s 1913 manifesto The Art of Noises and the work of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Contributions and perspectives from contemporary artists appear alongside historical material, and the book closes by addressing recent developments such as the use of artificial intelligence in music. Jarre, who studied under Pierre Schaeffer at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales and whose career spans more than 50 years, is also noted for roles including UNESCO Ambassador for Education, Science, and Culture.

Machines: A History of Electronic Music contains images of over 130 electronic and electro-acoustic instruments. The book covers Luigi Russolo’s 1913 manifesto The Art of Noises and includes material on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as described in the available information. It also addresses recent developments such as the use of artificial intelligence in music. The text includes historical documentation alongside contributions from contemporary musicians and artists.

Contributors to the book include Armin van Buuren, Vince Clarke, Gillian Gilbert, Nicolas Godin, Richie Hawtin, Johnny Marr and Nick Rhodes. Thames & Hudson is the publisher and the book is listed for preorder through Thames & Hudson USA at a price of $65. Jean-Michel Jarre is the author of Machines: A History of Electronic Music. The available information lists contributors, publisher and pricing alongside the book’s content details on the publisher’s preorder page.

Jean-Michel Jarre’s career spans more than 50 years and includes early training in electroacoustic music, with the available information stating that he studied under Pierre Schaeffer at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in Paris, a detail recorded among the biographical points provided.

He is listed as a UNESCO Ambassador for Education, Science, and Culture, a public role that appears in the available material documenting Jarre’s professional and cultural engagements.

The available details also record that Jarre performed live stream events during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating engagement with digital presentation formats as part of his recent activity.

A noted event in his performance history provided in the material is a Moscow concert in 1997 that was estimated to have attracted 3.5 million people.

The available material also notes that Jarre is the author of Machines: A History of Electronic Music, and the listed career points are presented among biographical highlights and public engagements in the provided information.

• Armin van Buuren
• Vince Clarke
• Gillian Gilbert
• Nicolas Godin
• Richie Hawtin
• Johnny Marr
• Nick Rhodes

Thames & Hudson is identified as the publisher of Machines: A History of Electronic Music, appearing as the named publishing house in the book’s listed publication information. The listed price for the volume is $65, a figure presented on the publisher’s United States preorder listing for the title.

The book is available for preorder on the Thames & Hudson USA website, where the US preorder page displays ordering details and the listed price for the title. The book’s scheduled release date is 24 November 2026, shown alongside the publisher and pricing information in the available publication details for the title.

Conclusion

Machines: A History of Electronic Music is a book by Jean-Michel Jarre that documents developments in electronic and electro-acoustic instruments. The book contains images of over 130 electronic and electro-acoustic instruments and covers Luigi Russolo’s 1913 manifesto The Art of Noises as well as material on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The available information records that the book includes contributions from contemporary musicians and artists and that it addresses recent developments including the use of artificial intelligence in music. The title is presented among historical documentation and contemporary commentary in the provided material.

Thames & Hudson is named as the publisher, and the book is listed for preorder on the Thames & Hudson USA website at a price of $65. The scheduled release date is 24 November 2026. Jean-Michel Jarre is listed as the author in the available material. The provided material also records biographical and career highlights associated with Jarre alongside the book’s publication details.