Popular Musics of the World
Popular music studied as a global phenomenon, meaning music made for and spread through mass media. MIT's course moves through case studies including Afro-pop, reggae, bhangra, rave, and global hip-hop, using listening assignments, readings, and class discussion to examine how these genres formed. Topics include musical syncretism, Westernization, globalization, the influence of recording industries, and the effects of the post-colonial era on musical exchange. Students analyze how genres travel, mix, and change as they cross borders and media, tracing the industry structures and historical forces that shaped them. Course materials include listening lists, readings, and written assignments built around MIT's OpenCourseWare framework. The course suits anyone curious about how commercial music systems shape sound worldwide, rather than a survey of any single national tradition.