Robert Hilburn

2006-present: Corn Flakes with John Lennon; Dylan, Simon, and Newman biographies; KSCN In 2010, Hilburn's memoir, Corn Flakes with John Lennon, was published. It focused on the work and influence of John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Phil Spector, Michael Jackson, U2, Kurt Cobain, and N.W.A. In a review of the book in The Austin Chronicle, Margaret Moser wrote: "It's not just that Hilburn has been there and gotten the tour T-shirt... Hilburn is the real thing writing about the real thing."

In 2013, Hilburn published a biography of Cash titled Johnny Cash: The Life. Michiko Kakutani, the chief book critic of The New York Times, named the biography one of her ten favorite books of the year. Kirkus called it "an instant-classic music biography with something to offer all generations of listeners."

After reading the Cash book, Paul Simon, who previously declined multiple offers to tell his story, sat for more than 100 hours of interviews with Hilburn. Published by Simon & Schuster in 2018, Hilburn's biography, Paul Simon: The Life, was described as "epic" in Rolling Stone. A four-star review in USA Today described the book as "a straight-shooting tour de force", noting Hilburn’s "reportorial skill" and "nuanced attention to the dynamics and the substance of Simon’s artistry."

Hilburn's A Few Words in Defense of Our Country: The Biography of Randy Newman, was published by Hachette in October 2024. Friends since they met at Newman's 1970 debut concert at the Troubadour, Hilburn wrote that Newman would become a "creative master." Despite their relationship, it took Hilburn some time to convince Newman to support the biography. In an interview with The Independent, Hilburn noted that despite Newman's success, he did not like to talk about his songs. Shy and introverted, Newman described songwriting as torture. "He always had to find what was important enough to say; he really wanted to truly explain his country." A Few Words in Defense of Our Country explored Newman's catalog of socially conscious songs that attacked what he saw as shortcomings in the American character, including racism, sexism and greed. An "immersive and satisfying" biography, it "clarifies the intentions underlying Newman's most challenging songs."

Hilburn, who lives in Los Angeles, hosts a weekly Wednesday evening music program, Rock 'n' Roll Times, on 885 The SoCal Sound, a public broadcasting radio station in Southern California.