Overview
Over the span of this course, we will explore the origins and trajectories of western popular music, from the late 1800s to the present. We will listen to and watch music and video clips, browse websites, and read our very comprehensive text, all using a critical theory lens to help us focus our thinking. By the end of our course, students should be able to discuss the history of western popular music fluently and be able to apply some critical analysis to this very, very broad topic. The course is a fine starting point for aspiring musicologists, and is a compelling interest course for everyone else.
Topics at a Glance
| Module | Topic |
| 1 | The Theoretical Lens |
| 2 | The Seven Elements of Music, The Hybrid Roots and Early Days of Popular Music |
| 3 | Tin Pan Alley, Social Dance and Jazz |
| 4 | Race and Hillbilly Music, The Swing Era and Post-War Pop |
| 5 | The Birth (and death?) of Rock’n’Roll, American Pop and the British Invasion |
| 6 | Folk Music, The “Girl Groups” and the 1960s |
| 7 | The Fragmentation of Pop and Voices from the Periphery |
| 8 | Early Metal, 1970s Pop and Disco |
| 9 | MTV and “Relief Rock,” Metal and Hip Hop |
| 10 | The Alternative Scene, Grunge and Riot Grrrls |
| 11 | Pop Music Post 911 |
| 12 | Into the 21st Century |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Recognize and define musical concepts and elements in popular songs
- Compare and contrast musical elements and intentions
- Recall persons, events, and themes critical to the development of popular music
- Demonstrate and articulate an understanding of the social, cultural and historical influences that shaped the musical genres covered in the course