iPods Give War a Soundtrack

Thanks to iPods, the Iraq war has a soundtrack—and it’s different for each soldier, writes Jonathan Pieslak in his new book, Sound Targets. “People can put nanos in their flak jackets and they are ready to go,” Pieslak tells the New York Post, and CDs are popular in care packages or on the black market. And though soldiers might look uniform, their taste in music is anything but.

Soldiers listen to anything from Eminem to Slayer to get pumped before a mission, but may transition to country or gospel during downtime. “I had no idea people listened to country music until I joined the Army,” says one Cure-loving soldier. The downside? Music is unavoidable in stereo-ready vehicles: “You are screwed if you don't like what is playing,” the soldier adds. (More Iraq stories.)