Understanding Rock

This text brings together essays by several of musicology and music theory's young scholars, who take a music-analytical perspective of rock music. Each essay explores the often complex musical structure of rock music and attempts to expand our understanding of the musical experience generally.

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Scholars have become increasingly interested in rock music, but few of the many works published on rock music attempt to subject the music itself to close and sophisticated scrutiny. Understanding Rock brings together essays by several of musicology and music theory's best young scholars that take a music-analytical perspective. Each essay explores the often complex musical structure of rock music, by such artists as the Beach Boys, the Grateful Dead, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Yes, Paul Simon, and k.d. lang. Richly illustrated with musical examples and transcriptions, these essays attempt to expand our understanding of the musical experience generally, and to suppress dividing lines between pop and art music and the way they are studied.