MUS 232 American Popular Music

Prior musical experience not requisite, but welcome.

What is American popular music? What does the common definition include? What does it exclude? This course examines different genres of American popular music and traces the multicultural and multi-ethnic roots of these styles. Activities involve active listening, analysis, reading, watching films and videos, conducting research, possibly writing and performing songs, and writing a final research paper. We will be examining Country, Rap and Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B, Black Gospel, Bluegrass, The Great American Songbook, Singer-Songwriters, Folk, Italian-American, Latin, and Caribbean music, and exploring their shared and differing roots.

Credits

1 Course Credit