POPULAR MUSIC STUDIES

The course intends to introduce the main themes of the young discipline known as ‘Popular Music Studies’, which deals with those musics that are ‘popular’ (Pop) mainly because of their wide audience, their planetary diffusion and sales figures.
The course intends to provide the student with a series of useful tools to deal critically with the musical products of contemporary popular music production, reflecting on some general themes such as: the relationship of contemporary popular musics with the media and their cultural dimension; the formation of meaning and the attribution of aesthetic value to Popular songs; the links with the complex and multiform song industry.
In general, tools from Transcultural Musicology, Music Anthropology, Music Sociology, Semiotics and Marketing will be used.
Finally, the course weaves continuous references to Western culture and art history, with which the student should be familiar.
The course is held almost at the same time as the annual Sanremo Festival: viewing of the Festival is therefore required.

According to the framework for the European Higher Education, the so called Dublin descriptors, the expected results are:
1. Knowledge and Understanding
a) To know the basic terms and concepts of the young discipline and to understand the texts that use such terms and concepts.
b) To understand the peculiarities of the approaches of the so called "Popular Music Studies" and their new approach.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
a) Being capable of a simple analysis of some given musical examples, being aware of the singles musical languages and cultures.
b) Ability to connect a musical tune with its cultural framework.

3. Judgement's ability
a) Being capable to formulate and to argument simples hypothesis.

4. Communicational Skills
a) Being able to communicate the peculiarities of the ethnomusicological approach to music, using an appropriate terminology.

5. Learning Ability
● Being able to take notes and to share them in a collaborative form.
● Being able to consult the texts critically and the Bibliography immanent.

No particular prerequisites are required but open mindedness, curiosity and attention.

An introduction to the main themes of the young discipline known as Contemporary Popular Music, perhaps better known in its English acronym “Popular Music Studies”, which deals with those musics that are “popular” (Pop) mainly because of their wide audience, their planetary spread and sales figures.

1) Lucio SPAZIANTE, Dai Beat alla generazione dell'Ipod. Le culture musicali giovanili, Roma, Carocci, 2010.
2) Gianni SIBILLA, L'industria della canzone, Bari, Laterza, 2024.

Oral examination. It starts with a topic of the candidate's choice. It continues with questions on the reference texts. The University's grading scale for examinations will be adopted, and so:
1) Scores in the range of 18-22 will be assigned for: Sufficient knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Limited ability to use data and form independent judgments; Sufficient communication skills.
2) Scores in the range of 23-26 will be assigned for: Fair knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Fair ability to use data and form independent judgments; Fair communication skills.
3) Scores in the range of 27-30 will be assigned for: Good or excellent knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Good or excellent ability to use data and form independent judgments; Fully appropriate communication skills.
4) The “laude” will be awarded to students with excellent knowledge and comprehension of the textbooks and related topics.

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Oral examination. It starts with a topic of the candidate's choice. It continues with questions on the reference texts. The University's grading scale for examinations will be adopted, and so:
1) Scores in the range of 18-22 will be assigned for: Sufficient knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Limited ability to use data and form independent judgments; Sufficient communication skills.
2) Scores in the range of 23-26 will be assigned for: Fair knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Fair ability to use data and form independent judgments; Fair communication skills.
3) Scores in the range of 27-30 will be assigned for: Good or excellent knowledge of the textbooks and related topics; Good or excellent ability to use data and form independent judgments; Fully appropriate communication skills.
4) The “laude” will be awarded to students with excellent knowledge and comprehension of the textbooks and related topics.

Lesson with abundant use of audio and video materials. The student is recommended to watch the Sanremo Festival 2026.

Before starting a course I order the necessary texts for the course in BAUM; obviously, being exam papers, these are not available for loan.
You can also find the texts for the exam in Venetian as well as national bookstores, online, or in the many Venetian libraries.
I recommend reading the books in the order I listed them.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development