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Music's Big Bang: The Genesis of Rock 'n' Roll

OverviewSyllabusFAQsCreatorsRatings and Reviews

HomeArts and HumanitiesMusic and Art

Music's Big Bang: The Genesis of Rock 'n' Roll

University of Florida

About this course: Explores the factors — musical and cultural — that led to the birth of American rock 'n' roll music in the early 1950s. Covers in detail the genres, styles and people that converged to create this new music.


Created by:  University of Florida
University of Florida

  • Professor David Carlson

    Taught by:  Professor David Carlson, Executive Director of the Center for Media Innovation + Research and Cox/Palm Beach Post Professor of New Media Journalism

    College of Journalism & Communication: Center for Media Innovation
LevelBeginner
Language
English
How To PassPass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings
4.6 stars
Average User Rating 4.6See what learners said
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Four basic themes of our course
Some basic tenets of rock 'n' roll
5 videos
  1. Video: Class Introduction
  2. Video: An Art and a Business
  3. Video: A Threat to Mainstream American Culture
  4. Video: A Showcase of Technology
  5. Video: Linear Evolution
  6. Discussion Prompt: Meet and greet
Graded: Lesson 1
WEEK 2
In the beginning: American popular music
There were many, many genres, styles and sub styles of American pop
11 videos
  1. Video: Intro: Popular Music in the Early 20th Century
  2. Video: Part 1: Country and Rural Blues; Early Jazz
  3. Video: Part 2: The Ladies of Risque or Hokum Blues
  4. Video: Part 3: Early Male Blues and Jazz Players
  5. Video: Part 4: The Spread of Country Music
  6. Video: Part 5: Country Gains Popularity: Bob Wills and Hank Williams
  7. Video: Part 6: On the Fringes: Black (and white) gospel
  8. Video: Part 7: On the fringes: Boogie woogie and jump blues
  9. Video: Part 8: On the fringes: Bluegrass and Folk
  10. Video: Part 9: Mainstream Popular Music 1
  11. Video: Part 10: Mainstream Popular Music 2
Graded: Popular music
WEEK 3
The blues: Mississippi Ghosts 1
The Mississippi Delta, an area surrounding the Mississippi River, becomes the cradle of the blues
5 videos
  1. Video: W.C. Handy
  2. Video: Charley Patton: Part 1
  3. Video: Charley Patton: Part 2
  4. Video: Charley Patton: Part 3
  5. Video: Charley Patton: Part 4
Graded: Mississippi Ghosts 1
WEEK 4
The blues: Mississippi Ghosts 2
The legend of Robert Johnson and his visit to "the crossroads"
9 videos
  1. Video: Robert Johnson: Part 1
  2. Video: Robert Johnson: Part 2
  3. Video: Robert Johnson: Part 3
  4. Video: Robert Johnson: Part 4
  5. Video: Robert Johnson: Part 5
  6. Video: Lead Belly: Part 1
  7. Video: Lead Belly: Part 2
  8. Video: Son House: Part 1
  9. Video: Son House: Part 2
Graded: Mississippi Ghosts 2
WEEK 5
A tale of three cities: New Orleans
New Orleans is the city of jazz
5 videos
  1. Video: Jelly Roll Morton
  2. Video: Louis Armstrong
  3. Video: Professor Longhair
  4. Video: Fats Domino
  5. Video: Lloyd Price
Graded: New Orleans
WEEK 6
A tale of three cities: Chicago
Chicago is where the blues went electric
5 videos
  1. Video: Chicago: Part 1
  2. Video: Chicago: Part 2
  3. Video: Chicago: Part 3
  4. Video: Chicago: Part 4
  5. Video: Chicago: Part 5
Graded: Chicago
WEEK 7
A tale of three cities: Memphis
The delivery room of rock 'n' roll
6 videos
  1. Video: Memphis: Part 1
  2. Video: Memphis: Part 2
  3. Video: Memphis: Part 3
  4. Video: Memphis: Part 4
  5. Video: The People We Met
  6. Video: Thank you and Final Farewell
Graded: Memphis

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Creators
University of Florida
The University of Florida (UF) is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in academic excellence, both on campus and online. Ranked in the top 20 of Public Universities, the University of Florida is the state’s oldest university and has a long established tradition of academic excellence.
Ratings and Reviews
Rated 4.6 out of 5 of 34 ratings

DD

Lots of fun! It's great to get a historical perspective and a chance to compare the old to the new version. Too bad the old sounds are not up to the later day quality of recording but this is understandable since music recordings were really just starting.

Yick Hong Lam

Exactly what I need, thanks.

AC

This course was very informative. I was enlightened to learn how music migrated from New Orleans to Chicago due to the economy. I was surprised to learn that rock was not initially accepted by mainstream America - that it was considered "lowbrow". I learned how rock artists of the 70's did many covers of blues genre artists. I was surprised to learn how the Rolling Stones came up with their band name. Overall, I was impressed how music crossed race lines in a country that was/is extremely segregated. It makes you wonder where music will be in another fifty years.

Aldo Maximiliano Alvarez Lima

Very interesting. The teacher is a great motivator and the bravery for using the songs arguing that it is for educational purposes was very important. Other courses where music is not reproduced are kind of boring.



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