History of Rock, Part One

Module 1 offers an introduction to the course, providing an overview of the content and the instructor. It also covers essential music fundamentals and listening guides to prepare students for the comprehensive exploration of rock music history.

Module 2 delves into the world before rock and roll, spanning the early 1900s to 1955. It explores the music business, the role of radio, and the emergence of genres like country & western, rhythm and blues, and gospel.

Module 3 focuses on the birth and first flourishing of rock and roll from 1955 to 1959, examining the rise of youth culture, the impact of radio and records, and the pivotal role of artists like Elvis Presley and the day the music died.

Module 4 explores the demise of rock and the rise of soul from 1959 to 1963, covering the search for the next Elvis, the Brill Building approach to pop, the folk revival, and the emergence of surf music.

Module 5 delves into the Beatles and the British Invasion from 1964 to 1966, examining the rise of the Beatles, their influence on American pop music, and the emergence of other British bands like the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Who.

Module 6 explores American responses from 1965 to 1967, focusing on artists like Bob Dylan, the impact of folk rock, the legacy of Phil Spector, and the emergence of garage bands and TV rock.

Module 7 delves into Motown pop and southern soul from 1960 to 1969, examining the impact of Motown and Stax Records, the emergence of soul music, and the influence of artists like James Brown.

Module 8 provides an in-depth exploration of psychedelia from 1966 to 1969, covering the influence of LSD, the rise of the hippie aesthetic, and the emergence of psychedelic music in San Francisco, London, and beyond.

Finally, Module 9 includes the final exam, allowing students to demonstrate their comprehensive understanding of the course content and the evolution of rock music from the 1950s to the 1960s.