MUSI16A — American Popular Music
This course examines the historical significance of popular music in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the present. No formal musical training is necessary to enroll in the course. The student will learn how to analyze musical sound as "text." More crucially, the material will focus on the cultural, social, political, and economic dimensions (the "context") of genres ranging from Tin Pan Alley to blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, country, folk, soul, rock, disco, hip-hop, and classical. Readings include textbook material and selected primary and secondary documents. The student's experience will be enhanced by audio clips and a number of video viewing assignments as well. Each assignment asks students to develop a clear, compelling, and precise evidence-based argument to explore the relationship between musical sounds and their broader cultural significance.