The Evolution of Popular Music - Funk and Hip Hop

This unit explores the exciting and unpredictable methods by which music adapts, evolves and metamorphoses into new, variant and derivative styles. Popular music is a fluid and mutating phenomenon which frequently acts as a mirror to its community, reflecting both cultural and counter-cultural values. The role of music performance, theory and technology in these evolutionary processes will be considered, as well as relevant socio-political frameworks. The unit material will feature the development of 20th century African-American musical styles, although these processes and frameworks can be applied to music from multiple territories (e.g. indigenous Australian music).

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Analyse basic musicological concepts in a range of contexts, applicable to evolutionary nature of social groups and artistic genres;
2. Contextualise the function and value of music as an evolutionary artistic force in academic and social settings;
3. Articulate intermediate musical nomenclature in relation to the practice and production of musical texts;
4. Devise and adapt musical works that endeavour to convey meaning about the evolution of social groups and artistic genres.