American Popular Music

A broad survey of popular musics in the United States from the late 19th century to the present. We will explore blackface minstrelsy, the music of Tin Pan Alley, ragtime and big band jazz, early blues and country music, post-war pop singers, the evolution of rock and roll, R&B and soul, folk music, alternative music, hip-hop, and MTV and the popular mainstream. Themes of music and identity, multi- cultural sources, the business of music, and the influence of technology will be followed throughout the course. No previous background in music is required. Also listed in American Studies.