Built in 1931 and originally a clothing store, by the late 1930's the Brill Building at 1619 Broadway NYC had become, through economic imperative, the rented home of many music publishers, churning out numbers for the Big Bands. But it wasn't until the late 1950's that it began its heyday, eventually housing 165 publishers at its zenith in 1962.

Although actually headquartered across the street at 1650 Broadway, probably the most important of these publishers was Aldon Music, founded in 1958 and run by Don Kirschner and Al Nevins. At various times from the late 1950's to mid-1960's Aldon employed some of the finest songwriters in the history of popular music, almost always writing in pairs, and played a significant role in the creation of what came to be known as the Brill Building sound. The eccentric, driven (some would say crazy) pioneer record producer Phil Spector, originator of the 'Wall of Sound' was also a major player in this creative process.

Acting like a vertical - and vertically integrated - Tin Pan Alley , the Brill Building production line churned out high quality teen and 'classic' pop - and, it has to be said, its fair share of drivel - until the mid 1960's, when, prompted by the Vietnam War and social unrest, the market changed in favour of the protest song and the singer-songwriter. Neil Diamond, Laura Nyro and Carole King stand out as Brill Building writers who went on to forge succesful solo careers in this category.

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