Introduction
This book is a survey of American popular music from the nineteenth century to the present day. It begins with studies of Colonial-era musical practices and Minstrel Shows and then traces major developments in American music history, including Tin Pan Alley, jazz, rock and roll, country, soul, funk, disco, punk rock, hip-hop, and more. The aim is to provide readers with a broad stylistic and historical overview of the music that has shaped and reflected American cultural identity over the last two centuries.
Rather than treating music solely as entertainment, this book approaches popular music through a historical and cultural lens that sees music as an art form that reflects, critiques, and often helps shape the social, cultural, and political dynamics of its time. Each chapter combines listening examples, musical analysis, historical background, and cultural critique to help readers better understand the development of American popular music and the values, conflicts, and identities it expresses.
By engaging with this book, readers will be able to:
Identify key musical works and specific stylistic features in a wide range of genres.
Situate popular music within broader narratives of American history, politics, and cultural change.
Assess the evolving relationship between music and culture, including how musical practices respond to social movements, technological shifts, and market forces
Examine how issues of race, class, gender, and power are expressed, contested, and negotiated through music
Describe how aesthetic values and cultural identities have been shaped and communicated through popular music over time.
This book is designed for readers at all levels and assumes no prior background in music theory. Key musical concepts will be explained throughout the text, and analysis will be presented in clear, accessible language. Listening examples and key terms are included throughout to help readers engage actively with the music and the historical narratives that surround it.