Overview
In this assignment, you will be a music journalist who has been tasked to write a research article about a recent album (2020 or newer) of American music (broadly conceived). You may write about any album of American music from any artist and genre, but be prepared to listen to the entire album several times. You can imagine that your article might be submitted to Rolling Stone MagazineLinks to an external site., PitchforkLinks to an external site., or the New YorkerLinks to an external site.. The article should appeal to a college-educated readership familiar with all of the concepts and articles discussed in the course.
Format
- 12-point Times New Roman Font, Double Spaced, 1-inch margins on all sides
- Cover page that includes: your full name, your discussion section number, a creative title for your article, the name of the album and a link to listen to it (Spotify or YouTube).
- Header with your last name and the page number only on all other pages
- Use the section headings provided in the guidelines below (6-8 pages total)
- Due Thursday, May 11th at 11:59 pm (no extensions or late work accepted)
Guidelines
Artist Biography (1 page) – What role has this artist (or group of artists) played in their local music scene? Where did they study music and what instrument(s) do they play? What events or albums helped to launch their career? How does this album relate to their career trajectory? What racial, ethnic, religious, or other social groups does this artist represent? How does the artist engage with different communities or social causes?
Historical and Social Context (2-3 pages) – What important events were happening in the world that influenced the album? What traditions or legacies have influenced the album? Who were the main figures and what were the main events that influenced their music? How does the album relate to the musics we have studied in class? What social impact did the album have? What kinds of communities have engaged with the album? How does this album relate to other musics being made at the time?
Analysis of the Track List (2-3 pages) – Describe different trends that you notice throughout the album. Choose two contrasting tracks that stand out and provide a detailed analysis. What is the political orientation of the album? Which genres and styles are represented by the album? What sonic features (tempo, instrumentation, timbre, style of performance, etc.) are salient? Which sections or lyrics stand out to you as exemplary? Which performing artists on the album stand out to you? What musical aspects make this album unique? Is there anything about the quality of the recording (balance of instruments, sampling, sound of the studio) that should be mentioned?
In the Media (1 page) – Find 2-3 quotes about the album or artist (preferably a review) in a major publication (New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR, etc.) or 2-3 quotes from a recent interview with the artist. Why are these quotes salient to your article? Do you agree with the quotes you found? Describe how the artist(s)/album has been represented in popular media. What have other musicians and critics said about the artist(s)/album? Interrogate the source of these quotes – what might lead them to feel the way that they do? What implicit bias can you find? What controversies surround the album and/or the artist?
Important Considerations
- For the purposes of this assignment, “American music” can include: the music of a diaspora in the United States; music from Central America, South America, or the Caribbean; the music of a foreign artist whose career is primarily based in the Americas; music from a foreign artist that has particularly strong resonance in with a given social group in the Americas.
- Your article should not be an album review. It should be an analysis of how the album fits into its social, political, and musical context. Therefore, you should avoid language that reflects your personal feelings about the album, i.e. “This is a fantastic album” or “She is a very talented artist.” Instead, think about the lasting social impact of the album – what aspects will be important 10-20 years from now?
- You do not need to answer every question under each heading provided, but you should engage with most of them.
- Your article should demonstrate mastery of the concepts and terms used in the course. You may cite the readings or lectures, but it is not necessary as long as you bring up several of the main ideas and use them correctly.
- Any quotations or lyrics from a different language should be translated into English. You may cite the text from the original language in a footnote.