This module provides a survey of popular music of the twentieth century, It covers many of the genres of Anglo-American popular music including blues, ‘roots’ country, rock ’n’ roll, 1960s folk, British ‘beat’, psychedelia, progressive rock, punk, new wave, rap and Britpop. In all instances the music is contextualized in its broader social and political contexts.

It aims

• to foster an appreciation of the current scholarly and musical debates involved in the historical study of music, and in particular Anglo-American popular music of the twentieth century;
• to explore in detail the music and the historical and cultural contexts appropriate to the topic;
• to enhance the student experience of learning based on research-led teaching.

• differentiate between musical styles and identify particular artists, through aural analysis of a range of music and through reading from well-chosen secondary sources;
• evaluate broad stylistic, generic and contextual issues appropriate to the topic;
• demonstrate an ability to analyse, manipulate and interrogate musical materials (texts, artefacts, phenomena);
• demonstrate an understanding of the broad contextual knowledge relevant to the topic;
• articulate a personal and critical stance in relation to relevant academic arguments.

Teaching on this module takes the form of ten 50-minute lectures, with supporting seminars where appropriate. Lectures are used to disseminate the fundamental information about the topic, including contextual matters. Methods might include aural analysis, presentation of video material and the study of relevant historical documentation. Prepared handouts and/or items available in electronic format on Learning Central form an integral part of the teaching and learning materials.

Students spend additional time in private reading and listening as an important element of their independent learning.

Discipline specific skills
The ability to

• pursue independent musicological enquiry;
• demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationship of analytical and contextual aspects of historical study in music;
• demonstrate an elementary level of musical, bibliographical and textual literacy.

Generic skills
The ability to

• absorb concepts, build upon them and communicate the resultant synthesis accurately and convincingly in a coherent and communicable form;
• demonstrate initiative and transferable research and analytical skills;
• demonstrate the ability to carry out effective, self-directed research in order to comply with the requirements of summative assessment.

• blues
• ‘roots’ country
• rock ‘n’ roll
• 1960s folk
• British ‘beat’
• psychedelia
• progessive rock
• reggae
• punk
• new wave
• rap
• Britpop

Covach, John, and Andrew Flory, What's That Sound? An Introduction to Rock and its History, 3rd end (New york: Norton, 2012)

Gillett, Charlie, The Sound of the City, 3rd edn (London: Souvenir Press, 1996)

Weekly reading and listening guides are posted on Learning Central.

Weekly reading and listening guides are posted on Learning Central.