Music Theme Books

I'm looking for books where music plays an important role for the characters and would love to find some good band stories that will appeal to boys.

I tried The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour. The start of the book was promising and it is set in San Francisco, where I used to live. The characters, a girl band and the male best friend of one bandmember (who importantly has access to a van), have just graduated high school and are heading out on a summer road trip. The plot quickly lost steam and the central characters were mostly annoying. The music snob in me was put off by one of the supporting characters sudden enthusiasm for the band Heart. No accounting for taste, I suppose.

Next, I read (and finished) Rock on: a story of guitars, gigs, girls, and a brother (not necessarily in that order) by Denise Vega. Ori Taylor is a high school sophomore who has newly emerged from his older brother's long shadow and is gaining traction with his band, who are entered into a battle of the bands. The primary relationship in the book is the one between Ori and his older brother Del, who has returned home after one failed semester at college. Del is now bitter and withdrawn, rather than supportive and enthusiastic. It's fairly clear to the reader what is going on, but neither brother seems to be able to sort it out until near the end. The plot was a bit thin, but the book was entertaining, and I did like the characters, who are all about 16-18 years old. It's completely middle-school appropriate even though it features older teens. Band geek boys may enjoy it, but there are plenty of girl characters and the focus on the brothers' relationship and some mild romantic themes will draw in some girls as well.

I have not yet read Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (author of the charming book The Lonely Hearts Club). The description says, "Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts high school in New York City, preparing for the senior recital and feeling the pressure to perform well and take the next step in their careers and their lives--whether they want to or not." It looks somewhat Glee-like with a performing arts setting, but the real drama looks like it may center on the friendships and romantic relationships of the four characters, appealing more to girls than boys.