Im taking this class during the summer (2 month course) 3 credits, professor expects 18 hours of week of study time (again, its a condensed course that is suppose to be 6 months long)
if you know anything about american music history, or think you can assist me, reply here.
"this course provides a broad overview of musical, historical, and cultural aspects of 20th Century American popular music from the late 1800s to the present. We will use the interplay of social trends and new developments in popular music to generate various questions about America's shifting political and cultural attitudes. Topics will include minstrelsy, vaudeville, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock'n'roll, bluegrass, country, punk, funk, hip hop, and more. Attention will be given to the ongoing influence of technology on musical innovation, intercultural and inter-racial dimensions of popular music, and recurring cycles of rebellion against and acceptance by the popular music industry. In addition, basic musical concepts (such as pitch, rhythm, and form) will be introduced and applied to the music we discuss.
We will also critically examine the concept of the "popular." Today, the dominant definition of the term is intimately connected to the music industry. Hence "popular" is often synonymous with commercial markets exemplified through MTV, VH1, and other key elements in the music industry. In addition to critically analyzing the music industry, we will also explore a different version of the "popular" that is more connected to multicultural America. In this way, we will look at the social function of music in everyday life and the role of music in America's diverse cultural fabric."
This post was edited by WootWooty on May 30 2013 08:04pm