Teaching Pop Music Analysis for Non-Majors

I am teaching two new NYU classes this fall. One of them is History of 20th Century American Popular Music, which I wrote about recently. The other is Pop Music Analysis for Non-Majors. I enjoy teaching new classes, even though they require a lot more work than teaching an existing class. The history class takes significant prep on my part, but it isn’t difficult work, because I know why people are taking the class and what we’re expected to teach them: in addition to factual information about the evolution of jazz and rock and so on, the students need to learn how to do research and how to present it in writing. By contrast, the pop analysis class should be a breeze to prep, because I have taught the subject matter a thousand times. However, it actually poses the bigger problem, because I am not as clear on what the learning goals of the class are. Here’s the catalog description: This course introduces students to music analysis through close listening to popular music. Students…