In this module, you will explore the shape and scope of pop music fandom by analyzing not only the music itself through a few high-profile case studies, but also considering the ways we access music in the digital age and the connection between music and memory, nostalgia and community.
Close Listening, Music Fandom, and Cultural Change
In this module, you will explore the joys of “close listening” by digging deeper into your music fandom and the ways in which it connects to your identity and to your engagement with digital media. You’ll prepare your Making Fandom project for submission, and have a chance to revisit the self-reflection and analysis frameworks we’ve been practicing and applying. You’ll also learn about hip hop culture and representation through a case study of rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Globalized and Mobilized: Pop Music Fandom
In this module, you will explore how pop music fandom travels the globe by digging into the example of k-pop (a music and dance aesthetic originating in South Korea). While you’re preparing your Making Fandom project for submission, you will learn about the digital media channels that facilitate global pop, and consider some of the influence these global patterns have had on American music, culture, and politics.