Assignment Instructions
Assignment 2: Music Analysis PURPOSE: The purpose of this assignment is to use content analysis to critically analyze how one social
issue/problem is discussed and represented in popular culture through music lyrics.
BACKGROUND: There are many agents of popular culture though which the messages, themes and
symbols of popular culture are produced and consumed. Media is a key agent of popular culture, and
within it music is one mode for the production and consumption of popular culture. The music of the
1960s marked a key period of transition in the United States as themes of social problems and dissidence
started to fill the radio waves. This assignment will allow you to explore one social issue or problem in
music today.
See below (NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS: OPTION 1 AND OPTION 2) for a detailed
assignment description.
Option 1 Instructions:
1) Choose one social issue or social problem (i.e. drugs, the environment, war, teenage
pregnancy, hate crimes, etc.).
2) Find at least 5 songs with lyrics that address your chosen social issue/problem. You will need
to cite these songs using proper APA formatting (see below).
3) Analyze the songs for similarities and differences in how they address the social
issue/problem. You may:
- look for themes within and among the songs (i.e. songs about war that talk about ‘ending - consider the year the songs were copyrighted - consider the genre the song fits in war’ is the song directed at a particular audience? (think socio-demographic characteristics:
age, race/ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status (SES), and sexuality)
- what type of vocabulary, words, grammar, euphemisms, vernacular is used for the lyrics? Consider the actual production of the song as well: tempo, emotion, male/female singer,
individual singer/band, etc.
4) Find at least two sources that address music and your social problem (i.e. the sources are
providing similar analysis or commentary on how your social problem is addressed through music).
These may be popular sources (i.e. magazine articles or websites), but Wikipedia is not acceptable. 5) Find at least one peer-reviewed article (see attached Finding Peer Reviewed Journals
guidelines) that discusses your social issue problem and how it is portrayed by the media (ideally this
would be focused on your social issue and problem, but this may be difficult to find – so an article on TV,
radio, internet, movies is OK).
6) Write-up your paper
a) Cover Page b) Clearly identify your chosen social issue/problem. a. Why are you interested in studying this? c) Write-up your analysis of how this social issue/problem is addressed in the 5 songs you chose
a.
NOTE: this is the majority of your paper. It is a ‘comparative critical’ analysis of how your
chosen social issue/problem is addressed in these songs. It is NOT a summary of each song, and it
should not include cutting and pasting the lyrics of all of the songs into the paper.
b. Use the prompts in step 3 to help you organize this analysis c.
Information about the singer/band should be a VERY minimal part of this analysis; the
lyrics are the heart of the analysis
d.
d)
problem. APA-formatted in-text citations should be used throughout this section
Briefly describe the TWO sources you found that discuss music and your chosen social a. Discuss how the analysis or commentary in these two sources compares to your analysis b. Remember your APA-formatted in-text citations e) Briefly describe your chosen peer-reviewed article. a. What is the main research question/thesis of the article b. What is the research method used in the article (i.e. survey, interview, content analysis,
observation, experiment, etc.)
c. What are the key findings of the article d. Discuss how the findings in this article can help you to better understand/explain your
chosen social issue/problem and how it is addressed in your chosen songs
e. Remember APA-formatted in-text citations f)
Conclude by discussing how your analysis is helpful and relevant in the study of American
Popular Culture PAPER FORMAT: - length: 3-5 pages - APA formatting should be used throughout o 1” margins
o 12 pt times new roman font
o in-text citations and corresponding full references
o See APA formatting help under Lessons
APA Formatting for Music Recording must include:
1. Name(s) of composer(s)
2. Date of copyright in parenthesis ()
3. Title of song [Recorded by (if available) artist if different from writer]
4. On Title of album (italicised) [Medium of recording; CD cassette etc.]
5. Location: label
6. Recording date if different from copyright date Examples:
Nicks, S. (1977). Dreams [Recorded by Fleetwood Mac]. On Rumours [CD]. Burbank, Calif.: WB
Records. Vine, C. (1996). 5 bagatelles [Recorded by I. Munro]. On Mere bagatelles [CD]. Australia: Tall
Poppies. Mussorgsky, M. P. (1994). Coronation Scene from Boris Godunov [Edited by K. Marie Stolba]
On Development of western music, Vol. 2, No. 4.[CD]. Madison, Wis.: Brown and Benchmark.
Example of Rerecording by artist other than composer with different recording date:
Goodenough, J. B. (1982). Tails and trotters [Recorded by G. Bok, A. Mayo, & E. Trickett]. On And
so will we yet [CD]. Sharon, CT; Folk- Legacy Records. (1990). In text citations singer or band, copyright year and track number.
- E.g. for the song: "Tails and Trotters" (Goodenough, 1982, track 5) Option 2 Instructions:
1) Choose ONE social issue or social problem (i.e. drugs, the environment, war, teenage
pregnancy, hate crimes, etc.).
2) Find at least 5 songs with lyrics that address your chosen social issue/problem. You will need
to cite these songs using proper APA formatting (see below).
3) Analyze the songs for similarities and differences in how they address the social
issue/problem look for themes within and among the songs (i.e. songs about war that talk about ‘ending war’ consider the year the songs were copyrighted consider the genre the song fits in is the song directed at a particular audience? (think socio-demographic characteristics: age,
race/ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status (SES), and sexuality) what type of vocabulary, words, grammar, euphemisms, vernacular is used for the lyrics? Consider the actual production of the song as well: tempo, emotion, male/female singer,
individual singer/band, etc. 4) Find at least TWO sources that address music AND your social problem (i.e. the sources are
providing similar analysis or commentary on how your social problem is addressed through music).
These may be popular sources (i.e. magazine articles or websites), but Wikipedia is NOT acceptable.
5) Find at least ONE peer-reviewed article that discusses your social issue problem and how it is
portrayed by the media (ideally this would be focused on your social issue and problem, but this may be
difficult to find – so an article on TV, radio, internet, movies is OK). See Finding Peer Reviewed Journals guidelines for how to find a peer-reviewed journal article
through the APUS online library (links under Assignment 2: Music Analysis and weekly Lessons) Instead of writing a paper (Option 1), you have the option of putting together a presentation
of the songs and the written sources using one of the FREE online multimedia programs (prezi.com,
creaza.com).
For prezi.com – go to Try Prezi free; go to Students & Teachers click on Educational Licenses
(bottom of the page); go to Edu Enjoy (click “Continue); Continue to Student/ Teacher Verification and
create an account.
For creaza.com – register for a free account and proceed to create a multimedia presentation. Please remember to include the following elements into your presentation:
6) Clearly identify your chosen social issue/problem.
7) Why are you interested in studying this?
8) Include your analysis of how this social issue/problem is addressed in the 5 songs you chose
NOTE: this is the majority of your project. It is a ‘comparative critical’ analysis of how your
chosen social issue/problem is addressed in these songs. It is NOT a summary of each song, and it
should not include cutting and pasting the lyrics of all of the songs into the presentation.
-Use the prompts in step 3) above to help you organize this analysis
-Information about the singer/band should be a VERY minimal part of this analysis; the lyrics are
the heart of the analysis
-APA-formatted in-text citations should be used throughout this section
9) Incorporate the THREE sources you found (including one peer-reviewed article) that discuss
music and your chosen social problem.
10) Show how the analysis or commentary in these sources compares to your analysis
-Briefly describe your chosen peer-reviewed article.
-What is the main research question/thesis of the article
-What is the research method used in the article (i.e. survey, interview, content analysis,
observation, experiment, etc.)
-What are the key findings of the article
-Discuss how the findings in this article can help you to better understand/explain your chosen
social issue/problem and how it is addressed in your chosen songs
11) Submit your presentation for grading under Assignments. The following information should
be included in a Word document attachment:
- URL of your presentation (remember to include necessary permissions to view it!)
- Critical analysis of the lyrics and sources
- List of APA-formatted References (for all sources, including music and written sources)
Grading Rubric
View the grading rubric so you understand how you will be assessed on this Assignment. Click
the grid icon at the top of this instruction page, or the grid icon under "View iRubric" on the main
Assignments page.
Assignment 2 meets the following course objectives: Compare and contrast culture, popular, high culture, elite culture, mass culture, low culture,
subculture and counterculture. Describe examples of the different types of norms operative in popular culture, and how these
are related to the process of social control. Apply key cultural theories and analytical dimensions for examining popular culture. Explain how various elements of popular culture inform or reflect our attitudes, behavior, and
society and why the popular culture becomes popular. Illustrate diversity in popular culture and concepts of multiculturalism, ethnocentrism, and
cultural relativism with reference to key stratifying factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, class,
age, region and sexuality. Analyze culture within individual, social, historical, political, economic, and global contexts. Describe the cultural and social significance of popular culture in shaping the larger
contemporary American society.

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