Writing about Popular Music

Abstract

Course Description: Effective music criticism – criticism that places a song or album within the appropriate social, political, personal, and aesthetic contexts – can be as enthralling and moving as the music it engages. In this advanced writing course, we will explore different ways of writing about music, from the record review to the personal essay. We’ll consider the evolving tradition of pop music criticism (How are MP3 blogs and websites challenging print media? How is the critic’s role changing?) and the mysterious practice of translating sound into ideas (How do we train ourselves to be better and more thoughtful listeners?). Through reading, writing, and class discussion, we’ll contemplate the mysterious circuitry that causes people to embrace (or require) music – from Bob Dylan to Lil’ Wayne – and how best to explore that connection on the page.