History of Rock, Part Two

University of Rochester

About this Course

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This course, part 2 of a 2-course sequence, examines the history of rock, primarily as it unfolded in the United States, from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. This course covers the music of Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, Carole King, Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Nirvana, 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. 
Emerging out of the experimental and ambitious years of late-60s psychedelia, rock splintered into a variety of styles in the 1970s as the music business continued to expand. By the end of the decade, punk and disco had challenged the excesses of the hippie aesthetic, as rock became more commercially streamlined and radio friendly. The emergence and rise of MTV transformed pop music and propelled the careers of Michael jackson and Madonna, while heavy metal and hip hop dominated the late 1980s. Nirvana leads alt-rock's return to simplicity in the early 1990s.

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Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.81/5 (33 Ratings)

John Covach

Professor of Music and Director

Institute for Popular Music

88,259 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), 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%(1,660 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 6 min), 6 readings

1 video

Intro5m

6 readings

General Overview10m

Syllabus10m

Grading and Logistics10m

Music Fundamentals10m

General Overview10m

About the Professor10m

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

The Growing Rock Monster (1970-77)

A series of styles continue to develop the combinations of late-1960s psychedelia: blues-rock, southern rock, progressive rock, jazz-rock, theatrical rock, country rock, and singer-songwriters. Rock becomes increasingly ambitious. [Read Chapter 8 and work through listening guides for that chapter, viewing dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 108 min)

9 videos

Overview of the 1970s10m

Blues Rock British Based12m

American Blues Rock and Southern Rock12m

Progressive Rock12m

Jazz-Rock14m

Theatrical Rock12m

Singer-Songwriters10m

British and Canadian Singer-Songwriters10m

Country Rock13m

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Black Pop, Reggae, and the Rise of Disco (1970-79)

Moving along a parallel but mostly separate path, black pop develops with the help of James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. Motown continues, the rise of funk and Blaxploitation films. Bob Marley and reggae. The emergence of disco the reaction of rock fans. [Read Chapter 9 and work through listening guides for that chapter, viewing dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 91 min)

8 videos

Black Pop in the 1970s Intro5m

Sly Stone and the Rise of Funk11m

Motown in the 1970s13m

Philadelphia Sound11m

Blaxploitation Soundtracks12m

James Brown George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic9m

The Rise of Reggae8m

Disco18m

1 practice exercise

The Growing Rock Monster (1970-77) and Black Pop, Reggae, and the Rise of Disco (1970-79)30m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Mainstream Rock, Punk, and New Wave (1975-79)

Rock style from the early 70s are streamlined and labeled corporate rock, as the music business expands even further. The mega-album. Punk reacts with a return to simplicity. New wave develops the punk attitude. [Read Chapter 10 and work through listening guides and dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 104 min)

9 videos

Module 3 Intro8m

Mainstream Rock 1975–8013m

Continuities13m

Leaner Prog, Louder Singer-Songwriters16m

US Punk 1967-7513m

UK Punk 1974-7710m

American New Wave 1977-8012m

British New Wave 1977-809m

Summarizing the 1970s6m

Week

Week 5

2 hours to complete

I Want My MTV (1980-89)

MTV emerges from a developing cable television industry. Michael Jackson and Thriller. The rise of Madonna, Prince, and Janet Jackson. Does MTV make music more visual than aural? Mainstream rockers continue thrive. [Read Chapter 11 and work through listening guides and dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 100 min)

8 videos

The Rise of MTV12m

The Rise of MTV Part Two9m

Michael Jackson and Madonna16m

Prince and Janet Jackson15m

MTV Success Stories11m

New Traditionalists and New Wave13m

New Acts Old Styles and Blue-Eyed Soul8m

Dinosaurs Adapt and Thrive12m

1 practice exercise

Mainstream Rock, Punk, and New Wave (1975-79) and I Want My MTV (1980-89)30m

Week

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Heavy Metal, Rap, and Indie Rock (1980-89)

Developing out of underground scenes of the late 1970s, heavy metal and hip hop become important mainstream styles in the late 1980s, aided by exposure on MTV. The rock reaction against rap. [Read Chapter 12 and work through listening guides and dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 105 min)

9 videos

Module 5 Intro4m

Heavy Metal Grows15m

Heavy Metal Hits the Big Time9m

Metal Ambition11m

The Roots of Rap13m

Rap Crosses Over10m

CNN for Black People14m

Punk Goes Hardcore11m

Indie Rock Underground12m

Week

Week 7

2 hours to complete

Alternative Rock, Rock Alternatives, and Widening Gaps (the 1990s)

The growth of "classic rock" and the development of the history-of-rock awareness. A survey of artists as they relate to earlier trends in the history of rock, including teen idols, hip-hop, 60s-influenced rock, female singer-songwriters, dance music, indie rock, and heavy metal. [Read Chapters 13 and 14 and work through listening guides and dedicated video.]

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 117 min)

10 videos

Module 6 Intro3m

The Rise of Alternative14m

Indie Rock14m

Metal and Alternative Extensions12m

Hip-Hop in the 1990s12m

Classic Rock13m

New Rock Traditions10m

Female Singer-Songwriters12m

Teen Idols11m

Electronic Dance Music – Conclusion11m

1 practice exercise

Heavy Metal, Rap, and the Rise of Alternative Rock (1980-89) and Widening Gaps (the 1990s)30m

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History of Rock, Part Two

History of Rock, Part Two