American Music History
Class Notes
American Music History - Class Notes
Week 1: Introduction to American Music History
● Definition and scope of American music history.
● Overview of indigenous, folk, classical, and popular music traditions.
● Influence of migration, cultural exchange, and social movements on music.
● Key themes: identity, resistance, innovation, commercialization.
Week 2: Indigenous and Early Colonial Music
● Musical traditions of Native American tribes: ceremonial music, oral traditions,
instruments (drums, flutes, rattles).
● European influence: psalm singing, shape-note singing, and early hymnody.
● African influence: early spirituals, call-and-response traditions, rhythmic complexity.
Week 3: African American Musical Roots and the Birth of Spirituals
● The role of music in slavery and resistance.
● Development of spirituals and work songs.
● The Fisk Jubilee Singers and the commercialization of spirituals.
● Early blues traditions and their regional variations.
Week 4: 19th-Century Folk and Popular Music
● Minstrelsy and its problematic legacy.
● The rise of parlor songs and composers like Stephen Foster.
● Fiddle and banjo traditions in rural America.
● The Civil War and music as propaganda and morale-building.
Week 5: Ragtime and Early Jazz
● The emergence of ragtime (Scott Joplin, James Scott, Joseph Lamb).
● The impact of New Orleans on early jazz (Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton).
● The spread of jazz to Chicago and New York.
● Jazz as a reflection of African American identity and cultural expression.
Week 6: The Blues and Its Influence
● Delta blues vs. urban blues (Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters).
● The Great Migration and the electrification of blues.
● Blues’ influence on rock & roll, R&B, and country music.
● Women in the blues: Ma Rainey, Memphis Minnie.
American Music History
Class Notes
Week 7: The Rise of Country and Bluegrass
● Appalachian folk music and its Celtic roots.
● The Carter Family and the development of country music.
● The emergence of bluegrass (Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs).
● Honky-tonk and the influence of Western swing.
Week 8: Tin Pan Alley and Broadway
● The rise of the American songwriting industry (Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole
Porter).
● The evolution of the Broadway musical.
● Hollywood’s influence on music and the Golden Age of musicals.
● The role of radio in popularizing American songs.
Week 9: The Birth of Rock & Roll
● Rhythm and blues as the foundation of rock (Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Sister Rosetta
Tharpe).
● The influence of country and gospel.
● Elvis Presley and the mainstreaming of rock & roll.
● The cultural impact of rock on youth and rebellion.
Week 10: The Folk Revival and Protest Music
● Woody Guthrie and the legacy of folk protest music.
● Bob Dylan and the 1960s folk movement.
● The role of music in the Civil Rights Movement (Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Pete
Seeger).
● Protest songs in opposition to the Vietnam War.
Week 11: The 1960s and 1970s - Psychedelic Rock, Soul, and Funk
● The counterculture and the psychedelic rock explosion (The Beatles in the U.S., Jimi
Hendrix, The Doors).
● Motown and soul music (The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin).
● Funk and the rise of groove-based music (James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic).
● The political significance of soul and funk in Black communities.
Week 12: Hip-Hop and the Birth of Contemporary Genres
● The South Bronx and the early days of hip-hop (DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash,
Afrika Bambaataa).
American Music History
Class Notes
● The four elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti.
● The golden age of hip-hop (Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C., Tupac, Biggie).
● The evolution of rap into mainstream music and its influence on global culture.
Week 13: Electronic Music and the Digital Revolution
● The rise of synthesizers and electronic production.
● The influence of house, techno, and EDM on American music.
● The impact of digital streaming on the music industry.
● The shift from physical albums to digital singles and playlist culture.
Week 14: Contemporary Trends and Global Influence
● The blending of genres in the 21st century (hip-hop/pop, country/trap, indie/electronic).
● Social media and its impact on music discovery and marketing.
● The role of identity and activism in modern music (Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor
Swift).
● American music’s influence on global pop culture.
Week 15: The Future of American Music
● AI and music composition.
● The resurgence of vinyl and nostalgia for analog sound.
● The impact of streaming algorithms on music consumption.
● The continued evolution of American music in response to cultural and technological
shifts.
Key Takeaways:
● American music history is shaped by cultural exchange, migration, and social
movements.
● Indigenous, African American, folk, and immigrant influences form the foundation of
U.S. musical traditions.
● The evolution of American music reflects broader societal changes, from slavery to civil
rights to digital media.
● Popular music genres continuously borrow from and influence one another, leading to
new forms of musical expression.
● The future of American music will be defined by technological advancements,
globalization, and cultural identity.
American Music History
Class Notes
