MUSA1300

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

Requirements fulfilled

  • University Core: Arts (All undergraduates)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

3.88 / 5

Based on 914 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-07-23. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Sections

  • Section 01
    Summer 2026 · Amanda E Daly Berman · On-line Asynchronous · Offered
  • Section 02
    Summer 2026 · Jason McCool · On-line Asynchronous · Offered