We will examine the historical, sociological, aesthetic, technological and commercial aspects of American music and its influence on culture and style. Tracing the origins of contemporary popular music in the United States from the Colonial period through the 19th and 20th centuries, we will explore in-depth the social issues and cultural circumstances that led to the creation of genres such as Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Bluegrass, Rock n Roll, Country, Motown, Funk, and Hip Hop.
We will also look at album artwork and the important social meanings embedded in the LP record format with an out-of-class project to produce album artwork and a full concept of what the music would address. Live musical demonstrations will be given in the classroom for some topics, and students who play instruments will also be encouraged to demonstrate various genre styles that the class may not be familiar with.