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Arts & creativity · Music

From Ragtime to Rave: A Journey Through Popular Music

Explore the story of popular music from the late 19th century to the present day. This course traces the key genres, artists, and cultural shifts that shaped the soundtrack of modern life, from blues and jazz to rock, pop, and electronic dance music.

540 min10 modulesBeginner friendly
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Free to take. This course does not use any Learning Credits.

What you’ll be able to do

By the end of this course, you will be able to identify the major periods and genres in popular music history, explain how social and technological changes influenced musical styles, and recognise the contributions of key artists and movements.

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

  1. 01

    The Birth of Popular Music: Ragtime and Blues

    • Ragtime: Syncopation and the Piano Craze
    • The Blues: From the Delta to the City
    • Early Recording Technology and the Music Industry
    • Sheet Music and Tin Pan Alley
    • Key Figures: Scott Joplin, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith
  2. 02

    Jazz: America's Classical Music

    • New Orleans Jazz: Collective Improvisation
    • The Swing Era: Big Bands and Dance Halls
    • Bebop: Jazz as Art Music
    • Jazz Singers: From Ella Fitzgerald to Billie Holiday
    • The Decline of Jazz as Popular Music
  3. 03

    The Rise of Radio and the Crooners

    • Radio: Bringing Music into the Home
    • The Crooner Style: Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra
    • The Great American Songbook
    • The Role of the Record Label: RCA and Columbia
    • Post-War Optimism and the Pop Chart
  4. 04

    Rock 'n' Roll: The 1950s Revolution

    • Rhythm and Blues Crosses Over
    • Elvis Presley: The King and the Phenomenon
    • Chuck Berry and the Guitar Riff
    • Teenage Culture and the Birth of the Fan
    • The Backlash: Censorship and Moral Panic
  5. 05

    The 1960s: The British Invasion and Soul

    • The Beatles: From Liverpool to the World
    • The Rolling Stones and the Blues Revival
    • Motown: The Sound of Young America
    • Stax and Southern Soul
    • The Counterculture and Psychedelic Rock
  6. 06

    The 1970s: Diversity and Excess

    • Glam Rock: David Bowie and Theatricality
    • Punk: The DIY Rebellion
    • Disco: Dance, Glamour, and Backlash
    • Prog Rock and the Concept Album
    • Reggae and the Rise of Bob Marley
  7. 07

    The 1980s: MTV, Pop, and Digital Sound

    • MTV: Music Television and the Visual Artist
    • Michael Jackson and Madonna: Global Superstars
    • Synth-Pop and the Rise of Electronic Instruments
    • Hip-Hop Breaks Through: From the Bronx to Mainstream
    • The Compact Disc and the Album Boom
  8. 08

    The 1990s: Grunge, Britpop, and Hip-Hop's Golden Age

    • Grunge: Seattle and the Alternative Revolution
    • Britpop: Oasis vs. Blur and National Identity
    • Hip-Hop's Golden Age: East Coast vs. West Coast
    • Rave Culture and Electronic Dance Music
    • The Rise of the Independent Label
  9. 09

    The 2000s: Digital Disruption and Global Pop

    • Napster and the File-Sharing Revolution
    • The iPod and the Playlist Era
    • Pop Princesses and Boy Bands: Teen Pop Returns
    • Indie Rock and the Internet
    • World Music Goes Global
  10. 10

    The 2010s to Today: Streaming, Social Media, and Genre Blurring

    • Spotify and the Streaming Economy
    • YouTube and the Viral Hit
    • K-Pop: BTS and Global Fandom
    • Hip-Hop Dominance and Trap Music
    • Genre Blurring: Pop, R&B, and Electronic Fusion