MUSA 1300 History of Popular Music
From the blues to country, jazz to rock, our nation's political, social, and economic history has been mirrored and influenced by the styles of popular music developed in our cultural melting pot. This course will provide an overall history of popular music in America, with emphasis upon mainstream popular music since 1954. Its focus will be on the independence and interdependence of black and white musical cultures in America. Students will learn stylistic developments in popular music and acquire interpretive strategies, including methods of aural analysis that will view popular songs as historical texts and as autonomous works of art.
Course overview
- Department
- Music Academic
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Spring, Every Summer
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Arts
Requirements fulfilled
- University Core: Arts (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.88 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.02 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 14
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Amanda Daly Berman | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 39 of 48 |
| Spring 2026 | Sarah Lindmark | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 51 of 60 |
| Fall 2025 | Amanda Daly Berman | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 37 of 48 |
| Fall 2025 | Jason Mccool | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 38 of 49 |
| Fall 2025 | Sarah Lindmark | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 67 of 79 |
| Summer 2025 | Amanda Daly Berman | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 18 |
| Summer 2025 | Jason Mccool | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 7–9 hrs/week | 14 of 18 |
| Spring 2025 | Jason Mccool | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 42 of 49 |
| Spring 2025 | Timothy Mangin | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 39 of 47 |
| Fall 2024 | Amanda Daly Berman | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 42 of 52 |
| Fall 2024 | Jason Mccool | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 45 of 48 |
| Summer 2024 | Amanda Daly Berman | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 7–9 hrs/week | 7 of 12 |
| Summer 2024 | Jason Mccool | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 15 of 20 |
| Spring 2024 | Amanda Daly Berman | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 1–3 hrs/week | 47 of 49 |
| Spring 2024 | Timothy Mangin | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 42 of 48 |
| Fall 2023 | Amanda Daly Berman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 42 of 49 |
| Fall 2023 | Jason Mccool | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 41 of 48 |
| Summer 2023 | Amanda Daly Berman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 of 18 |
| Summer 2023 | Jason Mccool | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 of 11 |
| Spring 2023 | Amanda Daly Berman | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 81 of 99 |
| Spring 2023 | Jason Mccool | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 46 of 49 |
| Fall 2022 | Jason Mccool | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 40 of 49 |
| Summer 2022 | Jason Mccool | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 6 of 18 |
| Spring 2022 | Jason Mccool | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 50 |
| Spring 2022 | Timothy Mangin | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 29 of 50 |
| Fall 2021 | Donald James | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 48 |
| Fall 2021 | Jason Mccool | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 31 of 49 |
Data freshness
Instructors
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02