Length: 1000-1200 words, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 pt.
Format necessities:
- Cover page with name, class section, due date, and TITLE
- Paragraph format.
- Citations, footnotes, and bibliography in MLA format with at least two sources beyond the textbook. Avoid open-source repository sources such as Wikipedia, coursehero.com, and genius.com.
Goal: Students will apply musical concepts discussed in this course to a specific album. Students will also discuss the themes of this course in their relationship to a specific album.
Submission type: online through Canvas as a Word document.
Assignment: Pick and discuss an album of your choice using the following criteria.
- Give background information on the album: release date, record company, highest sales chart position (if applicable), producer or executive/key producers, main performing personnel.
- Pick three contrasting songs to discuss in detail: lyric topics, song form, instrumentation and arrangement, musical elements such as riffs and hooks, singing/performing styles, applicable background vocals, and production/technology elements.
- Write about the following themes in relation to your chosen album.
- Music and Technology (how is music technology used on this album?)
- Music and Identity (What is the sexual/racial identity of the performer(s) and how does that affect the resulting music?)
- Music and Peripheries (Where was this music recorded and/or where did the artist(s) come from? What effect does this have on the music?)
- Music and Form (What song forms are used?)
- Music and Business (How was this album marketed and distributed? Did thoughts about this affect the creation of the music itself?)
Note: The same paper-writing tips from the midterm writing assignment apply. Avoid filler, conversational writing, and writing in first- or second-person point-of-view (no “I” or “you”). Make sure to proofread your paper out loud to ensure there are no severe grammar or syntax errors that get in the way of expressing your content in the best way possible.