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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "CMS 316"
COURSE NAME: "Popular Music and Mass Culture"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Summer Session II 2024
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Fiamma Mozzetta
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
MTWTH 11:10 AM 1:00 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
From the cylinders to MP3s, from Tin Pan Alley to death metal, this is a general survey course exploring and analyzing the history and meaning of popular recorded music within mass culture and society. It focuses on the historical, aesthetic, social, political-economic and technological developments that have shaped the very definition of the popular in the musical field. The course covers various aspects of recorded music from the history of the recording industry to the concept of the recorded, from rock and other nationally specific styles to the rise of MTV and beyond.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
Various historically determined techniques and styles of production, performance, dissemination and re-production are also investigated. Other topics covered are the use of recorded music as a tool of ideological production and as a site of resistance, the idea of commodification and reification of musical experience in the recorded object, the cross-cultural determinations of specific musical forms, the implications for creativity and politics of a global and highly concentrated industry, cultural negotiations, issues of copyright and questions relating to gender, ethnicity and race.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The general conceptual framework –drawing from a variety of theoretical schools, from the Frankfurt School investigation of the culture industry to British Cultural Studies’ valorization of audience activity--will be accompanied by specific investigations of the workings of particular aspects of the field --the music press and the role of criticism, the impact of music videos, the workings of the industry, songs and genres, public performance and participation, fans and subcultures and the nature of the ‘pop star’. Even though the course will necessarily concentrate on Western produced music –specifically that produced in the US and the UK— a variety of non-Western popular music forms such as Jamaican reggae, Algerian rai, Brazilian bossa nova and MPB, Puerto Rican salsa and Nigerian afrobeat among others will be specifically looked at.
By the end of the course students will be able to approach popular recorded music through a highly nuanced and complex set of theoretical frameworks while at the same time be in the position of placing historically –both within the musical field and the wider cultural and social arena—the musical artifacts that they encounter as listeners.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| The Routledge Reader on the Sociology of Music | John Shepherd, Kyle Devine | Routledge | 9781138856363 | ML3916.R6762015 | |
| The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music | Andy Bennett, Steve Waksman | SAGE | 9781446210857 | ML3470.S34 | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Research paper | | 25 |
| Midterm | | 20 |
| Final exam | | 30 |
| Participation and Attendance | | 25 |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Please note that frequent absences (3+) automatically lower your participation grade.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Week 1:
Introduction: what is popular music?
Adorno on popular music
Week 2:
Histories of Popular Recorded Music
Week 3:
Identities and identification: music scenes, communities and subcultures
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Mid-term
Week 4:
Power and politics / The Music Business / World of Music
Week 5:
Media and popular music: narratives, canons and representations
Final / Research paper due (+ presentations)
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