Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3 1936) is an American composer. He is a pioneer of minimalism, although his music has increasingly deviated from a purely minimalist style. Reich's innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns (examples are his early compositions, It's Gonna Rain and Come Out), and the use of simple, audible processes to explore musical concepts (for instance, Pendulum Music and Four Organs). These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm and canons, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially in America.

The Guardian has described Reich as one of the few composers to have "altered the direction of musical history."

On January 25 2007, Reich was named the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Polar Music Prize, together with Sonny Rollins.

Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3, 1936) is a composer from the usa . He is a pioneer of minimalism , although his music has increasingly deviated from a purely minimalist style. Reich’s innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns (examples are his early compositions, “ It’s Gonna Rain ” and “ Come Out ”), and the use of processes to create and explore musical concepts (for instance, “ Pendulum Music ” and “” Four Organs ”). These compositions, marke