MUSC 195 Topics in the Study of Popular Music
Various topics are offered.
History of Electronic Dance Music
In this course we will examine the historical and stylistic evolution of electronic dance music as a global phenomenon emerging from mid-twentieth-century pop and soul to present. Through critical listening and analysis of scholarly literature, we will consider theories rhythm and groove; form and technique; the influence of party culture and technology on music production and consumption; race, class, and sexuality; and the historical evolution of a range of musical genres including house, disco, eurodance, jungle, trance, and dubstep.
Brazilian Popular Music
In this class we will survey Brazilian popular music from the colonial period to the present, examining such genres as lundu, modinha, samba, bossa nova, MPB, jazz, tropical rock, baile funk, axe, música caipira, and sertanejo. Examining these genres in their socio-historical contexts, we will think about how music has been central to the Brazilian nation-building processes while voicing the interests and concerns of the underclasses.