Music 117 - Poets, Punks and Protest: Popular Music as Political Speech

Can a song change the world? We know that lyrics can convey a message, but what about distribution strategy or performance venue? How are subcultures and styles used by artists and record companies to exercise or resist power? From the gramophone to TikTok, popular music has played a unique role in political and social discourse. In this class we try to understand what makes popular music different from other forms of political speech. By reading historical and ethnographic case studies from the eras of blues, soul, punk, rock, EDM, and hip hop, we will gain an understanding of music’s potential as an agent of social change. In this discussion-based class we will pay specific attention to gaining a wholistic understanding of popular music as protest.

Spring semester. Professor Krishnaswami

Pending Faculty Approval