Mar 28, 2024  
Fall 2018 Catalog 
    
Fall 2018 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

MU 217 - Survey of Popular Music in America


Credit Hours: 3

A survey of popular music forms, styles and functions within the social and cultural patterns of the various eras in American history. Special emphasis is centered on theatrical and commercial music. Song collections, scores, films, filmstrips, critiques and other printed materials, disc and cassette recordings will be utilized to sample the 225 years of the popular music of Americans.

Fulfills the following SUNY General Education categories:

  • The Arts
  • Humanities


Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  • discuss in writing the evolution of the blues and its development into rock and roll;
  • discuss the African-American roots in the development of popular music;
  • discuss the white American roots in the development of popular music;
  • demonstrate an understanding of American popular music styles that preceded rock and roll (1880 - 1950);
  • list the musical characteristics of rhythm and blues, and rock and roll;
  • explain in writing the sociological conditions in each decade from 1930 to the present, and how these conditions influenced the evolution of musical styles in these decades;
  • demonstrate a knowledge of the importance of the major musical artists of each popular musical style studied in these decades;
  • write critical essays on contemporary popular music articles;
  • discuss and explain their preferences for a particular popular musical style; and
  • research a topic of their choice related to American popular music, and present findings to the class.


Cycles (C, N, S)