Music: History of Rock and Roll

Examines rock music as a succession of related musical styles and as a social movement reflecting and influencing the changing American political and social landscape.

Open to degree and PACE students

MU 1145 is a course which looks at rock music from two perspectives: as a succession of related musical styles characterized by specific musical elements; and as a social movement influenced by and reflecting the changing American political and social climate from 1950 to the present. MU 1145 will begin with a brief discussion of those elements of music which apply to rock, so that we have appropriate terminology with which to discuss the music. We will then discuss and listen to some of the roots of rock & roll including African music, blues, and early rhythm-and-blues, and proceed decade by decade to trace the development of rock music from 1950 to the present. This course fits into the AH1 Arts and Literature General Education category and satisfies 3 credits of the Arts and Humanities General Education requirement. AH1: Arts and Literature Arts and literature focus on the understanding, analysis, and production of creative works in a variety of forms, including dance, multimedia, music, theater, visual arts, and writing, among others. While some classes focus on the development of artistic practices within specific forms and genres, others use critical theories to examine the meanings, cultural contexts, and historical development of artistic works. Together they enable students to recognize different artistic traditions, examine individual art works closely using appropriate methods, express their creativity through the rigorous practice of a particular artistic mode, and think critically about artistic works as they relate to different aspects of society and history, including the examination of practices and problems. Learning Objectives • Students will be able to answer the following three questions for each decade studied: 1) What important political, social, economic, and technological forces are affecting American society? 2) How are these forces reflected in and affected by the music? 3) What musical elements characterize each style of rock music, and what common musical threads connect different styles? • Students will gain a greater understanding of the musical elements of rock & roll, as well as the connections and influences of one style on another. • Students will gain a much richer understanding of recent American political and social life, and how this has affected and been affected by the development of rock music. • Students will sharpen their listening skills This course fits into the curriculum as an elective, designed to exercise and improve students’ critical thinking skills by making connections between musical expression and larger social, political, and historical issues. It also can serve as a gateway to more specific technical musical courses.

This course will include a combination of in-class discussion and listening, audio and video examples, assigned readings, and online discussion and listening assignments/exercises. Class time will be reserved for further discussion of the course content, listening practice, and questions. It is important that the assigned reading and review of the week’s learning module be done prior to attending class so that intelligent participation is possible. There are multiple deadlines each week for posting answers to discussion questions, responses to other students’ answers, and completing listening assignments/exercises that must be strictly adhered to. Participation Guidelines: Class participation, enthusiasm, and preparedness definitely affects your grade. I am more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt if you participate enthusiastically and are generally well prepared. Students are expected to fully participate in the course by performing these tasks on a weekly basis, which will likely lead to greater academic success: • Complete all required readings and review content materials prior to coming to class and completing listening assignments and discussion postings. • Engage in the online discussions on the weeks assigned. • Complete the weekly online listening assignments. • Practice good time management and don’t wait until the end of the week to complete learning activities • Reference assigned readings to support comments or differing opinions • Contribute comments based on thoughtful consideration • Raise relevant points that add to the conversation • Show respect for others in all communications • Respond both to instructor and fellow students’ questions and comments

Grading Formula: Assignment Weight Online Discussion 20% Listening exercises 20% Midterm Exam 20% Final Exam 25% “Presentation” 15%