Theodor W. Adorno was a German sociologist, philosopher, psychologist, composer, and music critic. He was a prominent member of the Frankfurt School of critical theory and is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most distinguished aesthetic thinkers and philosophers. Adorno was also recognized as one of the century’s finest essayists. In his publications, such as Dialectic of Enlightenment (1947, co-authored with Max Horkheimer), Minima Moralia (1951), and Negative Dialectics (1966), Adorno criticized fascism and the culture industry, concepts that heavily influenced the European New Left. He also challenged Sir Karl Popper's philosophy of science and Martin Heidegger's existential philosophy. A trained pianist, Adorno was a passionate advocate of Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique. His commitment to avant-garde music formed the backdrop for many of his writings on aesthetics and cultural criticism. Initially, some of Adorno's works were poorly translated into English, limiting their early reception in English-speaking countries. However, improved translations, including some posthumously published works, later enhanced his influence. Adorno's writings remain essential for assessing his contributions to epistemology and ethics, as well as their relevance to aesthetics and cultural theory.