Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection lets pianists and singers explore the architecture of genuinely great pop songs without needing to hunt through dozens of separate purchases or unreliable chord charts. Having 200+ songs in one book means your students can build repertoire quickly, compare how different writers approach melody and harmony, and discover songs that match their voices and interests.

Opening this book is like stepping into a living history of popular song. You'll find yourself moving between stadium anthems and intimate ballads, between groove-based funk and soaring melodic lines. These are songs written to connect with listeners, and they carry that directness and emotional clarity whether you're playing them in a concert hall or a living room.

This book serves pianists and vocalists at intermediate level and beyond who want accessible arrangements of iconic pop and rock repertoire, as well as teachers building student solo and recital programs with music that engages modern audiences. It's equally useful for music theater students learning to play their own audition materials and for adult recreational musicians rediscovering songs from their own listening history.

• Study the chord changes before diving into the full arrangement; understanding the harmonic movement helps you shape phrases naturally rather than playing mechanically through the changes.
• When singing and playing simultaneously, practice hands and voice separately first, then layer them slowly. Many of these songs sit comfortably in multiple keys, so transpose if your range doesn't match the original.
• Pay attention to where the lyrics sit rhythmically against the piano part. Pop songs often play with the beat in ways that classical training might not prepare you for; listen to recordings to internalize the groove.
• Use the chord symbols to explore improvisation and reharmonization once you know the melody. These songs reward creative interpretation.

Use individual songs from this collection as warm-up pieces or encores at student recitals, where contemporary repertoire often resonates with families more than classical standards. For music theater or vocal jazz ensembles, pull arrangements to supplement your season programming and introduce students to the craft of song arrangement. This book also works well as a resource for student recital planning, letting intermediate pianists and singers build personal programs around music they love.

• Chord chart reading and navigation in pop contexts
• Coordinating melody line with chord accompaniment
• Transposition and key negotiation
• Understanding song form and lyrical phrasing in popular music
• Sight-reading across multiple lines of notation and text simultaneously