MUS1040

American music and popular culture

(ART)

C J De Wilde

6 points + 3 hours per week + First semester + Clayton + Malaysia

Synopsis: The musical, sociopolitical and commercial aspects of popular music and its development in the United States including British-American folk music, African-American folk music, blues, jazz, country, and rock music. How these styles have influenced each other and relate to the surrounding culture. The ways the /business0 of music affects musical style is a central issue in analysing cultural trends: from the /beats0 of the 50s and the /hippies0 of the 60s to the /punks0 of the 70s and the /rappers0 of today.

Assessment: Written (2500 words): 40% + Examinations (2 hours): 40% + Listening tests: 20%