Over their 30-year career as one of the most influential and successful bands in the world, the Grateful Dead released just a handful of studio albums and a small number of live albums. With a reputation built on their stellar live performances, it was only in their later years and after the death of their iconic frontman Jerry Garcia, that they began the release of over 100 recordings from their vaults that documented the magic they produced on stage.

This book charts the history of the band through these hundreds of releases, as well as their studio recordings and their key solo albums, that show what made this pioneering band unique. From the heady days of the San Francisco underground in the 60s to the stadiums of the 90s, via Woodstock, Altamont, Europe and Egypt, the recorded history of the Grateful Dead covers their constantly evolving music as they changed the way that music was played, recorded and experienced.

With former members of the band continuing to attract new audiences both live and online, the magic created by the Grateful Dead remains a vital ingredient in contemporary rock, and this book uncovers and celebrates the recordings that capture the band at their best.