History of the Recording Industry (314-0-20)
Instructors
Jacob Smith
Meeting Info
Helmerich Auditorium: Tues, Thurs 10:00AM - 11:50AM
Overview of class
This course will explore the history of the recording industry from the invention of the phonograph in 1877 to the most recent developments in digital audio and industry trends. We will examine the social, cultural, and technological factors that have shaped the development of the recording industry, considering musical genres such as jazz, blues, rock, swing, tropicalia, country, ambient, dub, EDM, hip hop, and K-pop. We will consider the production, distribution, and reception of recordings, tracking the changing ways in which sounds have been produced, sold, and consumed. Recordings of popular music will be our primary focus, but we will explore synergies with the film industry, radio, television, digital games, and other digital platforms. Some of the key themes in the course will be the intersection of multiple sound industries; the tension between independent and major labels; questions of copyright and creativity in popular music; struggles for diversity and inclusion in the music industry; the relationship between technology and innovation in sonic arts; and the increasing mobility and cultural ubiquity of recorded sound. Looking back across a "century of sound" allows us to gain a deeper appreciation of our current immersion in recorded music, and to better understand some of the central debates and dynamics that have shaped the recording industry.
Learning Objectives
Understand and appreciate a wide range of sound recordings in their historical, social, and cultural contexts.
Apply a historical understanding of the recording industry to current practices, companies, and artists.
Think critically about the role played by recordings in everyday life.
Apply lessons learned about the recording industry to other creative industries.
Create an original and well-informed analysis of a significant aspect of recording history.
Evaluation Method
Students will be assessed through: 1) short response papers assigned throughout the quarter; 2) quizzes that cover material from class readings, lectures, and discussions; 3) a midterm and final research paper.
Class Materials (Required)
David L. Morton. Sound Recording: The Life Story of a Technology (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004).
Other readings and audio files available on Canvas.