MUSCLG 5
History of Rock and Roll
Description: Lecture, four hours; discussion, one hour. Analysis of forms, practices, and meanings of rock and roll music, broadly conceived, from its origin to present. Emphasis on how this music has reflected and influenced changes in sexual, racial, and class identities and attitudes. Credit for both courses 5 and 185 not allowed. Letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2020 - I think Professor Holmes is a great lecturer and the subject material is pretty interesting. You have to do weekly readings, which I skimmed/ didn't read and still got an A. The grades are made up of participation and 3 essays (2 pages double spaced). Your dis section instructor is pretty important because they grade everything (I recommend Alex Hallenbeck if he's teaching!).
Fall 2020 - I think Professor Holmes is a great lecturer and the subject material is pretty interesting. You have to do weekly readings, which I skimmed/ didn't read and still got an A. The grades are made up of participation and 3 essays (2 pages double spaced). Your dis section instructor is pretty important because they grade everything (I recommend Alex Hallenbeck if he's teaching!).
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Spring 2025 - Super easy class, but honestly I was left a bit disappointed with how the class was structured. As a musicology minor and classic rock lover, I was super excited to take this class, but the way it was taught and structured was a BUMMER! Class was based around this one book about 10 rock songs you should know and every week was based around a chapter, which were around different "themes" in rock. Lectures were basically the professor going on some tangent about each chapter and trying to connect it to Rock history, but I didn't really learn anything about rock history from them (one week we spent learning about songs that have to do with money?). People would barely show up to class and the professor got frustrated about that, so around midway through, he started requiring attendance and changed the grade distribution to reflect that which was super silly. He is also OBSESSED with AI, which take it as you will, but I feel like it didn't really belong; if you were to ask him for help, he would just tell you to ask ChatGPT. Pretty much the rest of your grade is based around one project which in my opinion was really easy if you know classic rock, but I would imagine a bit tedious if music isn't your area. As I mentioned, I love rock music and I'm minoring in musicology, so I was really disappointed with this class, but if you just want an easy class and not too concerned about taking away anything meaningful, then go for it.
Spring 2025 - Super easy class, but honestly I was left a bit disappointed with how the class was structured. As a musicology minor and classic rock lover, I was super excited to take this class, but the way it was taught and structured was a BUMMER! Class was based around this one book about 10 rock songs you should know and every week was based around a chapter, which were around different "themes" in rock. Lectures were basically the professor going on some tangent about each chapter and trying to connect it to Rock history, but I didn't really learn anything about rock history from them (one week we spent learning about songs that have to do with money?). People would barely show up to class and the professor got frustrated about that, so around midway through, he started requiring attendance and changed the grade distribution to reflect that which was super silly. He is also OBSESSED with AI, which take it as you will, but I feel like it didn't really belong; if you were to ask him for help, he would just tell you to ask ChatGPT. Pretty much the rest of your grade is based around one project which in my opinion was really easy if you know classic rock, but I would imagine a bit tedious if music isn't your area. As I mentioned, I love rock music and I'm minoring in musicology, so I was really disappointed with this class, but if you just want an easy class and not too concerned about taking away anything meaningful, then go for it.
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