In this course, students will explore the historical development and cultural significance of popular music from the 1950s to the 2000s. The class starts with Hip-Hop and traces the evolution of music backwards through Alternative Music, Early Rock, Heavy Metal, the diverse landscape of the 1960s, and into the beginnings of Rock n’ Roll in the 1950s. Students will explore the events that influenced the creation of the music, critically evaluate the significance of iconic artists and movements, and discover how technological advances in music composition and recording impacted the music created. Students will then compose their own original music inspired by the style of each genre studied. At the end of the course, students will possess a firm understanding of Pop Music’s historical context and contemporary relevance and will be able to showcase their learning with a digital music portfolio and a public performance.
Successful completion of TMS or Department Approval