History of Rock, Part One

University of Rochester

About this Course

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This course, part 1 of a 2-course sequence, examines the history of rock, primarily as it unfolded in the United States, from the days before rock (pre-1955) to the end of the 1960s. This course covers the music of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Phil Spector, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and many more artists, with an emphasis both on cultural context and on the music itself. We will also explore how developments in the music business and in technology helped shape the ways in which styles developed. 
Rock emerged in the mid 1950s as a blending of mainstream pop, rhythm and blues, and country and western--styles that previously had remained relatively separate. This new style became the music of the emerging youth culture and was often associated with teen rebellion. We will follow the story of how this rowdy first wave of rock and roll (1955-59) was tamed in the early 60s but came roaring back with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and then went psychedelic by the end of the decade.

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Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Serbian, Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.82/5 (96 Ratings)

John Covach

Professor of Music and Director

Institute for Popular Music

88,293 Learners

4 Courses

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Serbian, Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Russian, English, Spanish

Offered by

University of Rochester

The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University provides exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(5,867 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 4 min), 7 readings

1 video

Introduction3m

7 readings

Welcome to the Course10m

General Overview10m

Syllabus10m

Grading and Logistics10m

Music Fundamentals10m

Listening Guides (19 videos)10m

About the Professor10m

2 hours to complete

The World Before Rock and Roll (1900-1955)

The Role of Tin Pan Alley in mainstream pop, the formation of a national audience through radio and the rise of television, the pre-rock pop of Frank Sinatra, Patti Page, and Les Paul and Mary Ford; rhythm and blues in the years before rock and roll; country and western and the rise of Nashville.

2 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 95 min)

11 videos

The Music Business in the First Half of the 20th Century7m

Radio and Regional vs National Audiences8m

The Stars of Pop Music Before Rock and Roll12m

Les Paul, Inventor - The Role of Technology6m

Origins of Country & Western (pre WWII)9m

The Rise of Nashville13m

Rhythm and Blues (Pre 1945)7m

Rhythm & Blues (Post 1945)11m

Regional R&B Radio in the 1950s6m

Doo Wop and Gospel6m

Hokum Blues and Sexual Lyrics5m

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

The Birth and First Flourishing of Rock and Roll (1955-59)

Chart crossover and cover versions, the first hits of Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard, the rise of Elvis Presley, the music of Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly, the rise of American Bandstand, the payola scandal and the "death of rock and roll."

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 88 min)

8 videos

The Rise of Youth Culture in the 1950s11m

Radio and Records12m

Crossovers and Covers10m

The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over13m

The Rise of Elvis Presley12m

Sam Phillips Selling Elvis Contract3m

Rockabilly in the Wake of Elvis12m

The Day the Music Died11m

1 practice exercise

The World Before Rock and Roll and The Birth and First Flourishing of Rock and Roll30m

Week

Week 3

1 hour to complete

The Demise of Rock and the Promise of Soul (1959-63)

Was this era the dark ages for rock music or was it a golden era cut short by the British invasion? The music of teen idols, the folk revival, early surf music, sweet soul, rockabilly pop, and girl groups. The Brill Building songwriters and the rise of the producer. Playlets and splatter platters.

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 81 min)

9 videos

Audiences and Marketing - The Search for the Next Elvis4m

The Brill Building Approach to Pop8m

Teen Idols6m

Producers and Girl Groups9m

Sweet Soul7m

TV, Movies, and Dance Crazes15m

The Folk Revival10m

Rockabilly Popsters8m

Surf Music10m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

The Beatles and the British Invasion (1964-66)

The Beatles transform the UK music scene and then invade America. Other Beatles-type British bands. The London blues scene and the Rolling Stones. Other Stones-type bands. The Who and the Kinks.

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 83 min)

10 videos

Introduction3m

The Early 1960s in the US & UK11m

The Rise of the Beatles11m

Beatles as Students of American Pop Music5m

Beatles From Craftsmen to Artists9m

Blues in the UK4m

The Rolling Stones Emerge7m

The Stones in The States5m

Other British Bands10m

The Kinks and the Who12m

1 practice exercise

The Demise of Rock and the Promise of Soul (1959-63) and The Beatles and the British Invasion (16964-66)30m

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History of Rock, Part One

History of Rock, Part One