MUSC 117 - History of Rock

3 Credit Hours
Defining Rock broadly as a family of styles, the course presents an overview of rock/pop styles from the 1950s to the present. Beginning with Blues, R&B, and Rock & Roll, we will survey (among others) Motown, Soul, British Invasion, Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk, Metal, Funk, Disco, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Grunge, and Alternative. While the focus will be on the musical styles themselves (i. e., what makes up their “sound”), we will situate the styles within their historical, social, and cultural context by addressing issues such as race, class conflict, gender roles, and artistry vs. commerce.

Course Attributes: Creative Perspectives, Diversity Flag

Levels: Undergraduate

College of Arts & Sciences Music & Theatre