MUS 107 - History of American Popular Music

Class: 3 Lab: 0 Credits: 3
This course is a study of representative artists, social and cultural significance, and historical recordings in the development of American popular music from the Colonial era through the end of the twentieth century.

Prerequisite(s): Take ENG 100, RDG 100 with a minimum grade of “C”.

Course Topics:

Music in the Colonial era to the Civil War
Music during the Civil War to WWII
American music between the wars
1930s and the WWII era
The Great Migration and Post-WWII eras
Post-WWII Rhythm and Blues/Rock ‘n’ Roll
Music in the 1950s and early 1960s
Music and Social Movements
1970s: from Soul to Funk to Disco
1970s: Rock Comes of Age
1970s: Outsider Music
1980s: Digital Revolution and the Rise of Synth
1990s: Alternative, Hip-Hop, and E.D.M

Textbooks:
Textbook information can be found on the Book Inn Web site

Required Materials:

Spotify account: (free) https://www.spotify.com/us/
Reliable internet access using a desktop or laptop computer
Headphones and the ability to listen to audio on a computer

Grading System:
An overall grade of C or higher is required for transferability.

A 90 - 100
B 80 - 89
C 70 - 79
D 60 - 69
F 0 - 59

Student Learning Outcomes:

Create coherent, grammatically correct written responses to prompts and questions about popular music.
Distinguish between pertinent and irrelevant information when researching a popular music topic.
Demonstrate knowledge of cultural diversity in popular music.
Explain how the contributions of diverse cultural and identity groups have shaped American society and popular music.

For SCC Online Courses:
If the course you are taking is online, please review the SCC Online Policies that include:

Required materials for all online courses
Mandatory Attendance Requirement
Proctored Exams

Face Covering Requirements:
All faculty, staff and students must wear a face mask/covering at all times (absent a medical condition) on all SCC campuses when safe social distancing measures are not possible or difficult to follow. For further details, refer to the Student Guidelines for Face Coverings and Social Distancing on the SCC Coronavirus COVID-19 Information page.

Standard SCC Course Policies:
Please review the Standard SCC Course Polices on the following topics:

Academic Integrity
Academic Misconduct
Add/Drop period
Appeals Process
Class Attendance
Classroom Behavior (traditional and online)
Classroom Conduct/Expectations
Lab Procedures (general SCC policy regarding this)
Online Confidentiality
Services For Students with Disabilities
Withdrawal Policy

Official Course Syllabus
2020-2021