Soundtracks in Popular Culture

Catalog description

The movie soundtrack emerged as a driver of popular culture in the late 20th Century: albums like Saturday Night Fever and Flashdance in many ways became more influential and successful than the films whence they came, the crest of a Golden Age of soundtracks that lasted for more than three decades. In this 7-week course, we explore the rise, reign, and ongoing impact of the soundtrack as a work of art, its role in the filmmaking process, as a marketing tool, and a galvanizing force in music and film. We track the evolution of the soundtrack from original cast albums for Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals; to the first wave of score-dominated soundtracks that featured one or two popular songs as tentpoles; though the artistic wave of 1960s and 70s soundtrack albums, to the blockbuster years of the 80s and 90; and explore the reasons for the slow decline of the soundtrack’s power in the 21st Century. Through it all, we will have conversations with great directors and music supervisors, music producers and artists, and engage in reading and coursework that explores the past and in creative work that points to the future. This course is designed to serve and engage multiple student communities at Tisch, from recorded music to film and TV.