Jean-Michel Jarre releases first book on electronic‑music history

French composer and pioneering electronic musician Jean‑Michel Jarre is publishing his first book, Machines: A History of Electronic Music. The 368‑page hardcover, illustrated with about 400 images of 130 rare synths and electro‑acoustic instruments, will be released on 24 November 2026 by Thames & Hudson. Priced at US$65, the volume traces a century of sonic experimentation, from Luigi Russolo’s 1913 Futurist manifesto and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to modern AI‑assisted performance.

The book draws on Jarre’s personal archive – one of the world’s largest collections of electronic instruments – and includes commentary from notable artists such as Armin van Buuren, Vince Clarke, Gillian Gilbert, Nicolas Godin, Richie Hawtin, Johnny Marr and Nick Rhodes. It also recounts Jarre’s early studies under Pierre Schaeffer at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in Paris and his five‑decade career that made him a UNESCO Ambassador for Education, Science and Culture.