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Popular Music - Subject Guide

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Books
Call Numbers
Databases
Periodicals
Subject Headings
Websites

Sections in this category: General Resources | Encyclopedias

General Resources

American Song: the Complete Companion to Tin Pan Alley Song
By Ken Bloom. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 S6 B56 1996-2001 v.3-4]
A list of songs that came out of Tin Pan Alley, organized chronologically by composer. Check Status

American Song: the Complete Musical Theatre Companion
By Ken Bloom. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 S6 B56 1996 v.1-2]
An index to over 4,800 American musicals, including brief information about each musical, including a list of songs. The song index in volume 2 allows you to determine what musical a song is from. Check Status

And the Beat Goes On: an Introduction to Popular Music in America 1840 to Today
By Michael Campbell. Allen Library Stacks and A/V [ML3477 C36 A5 & MD ML3477 C36 A5] Check Status

Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock
Edited by Simon Frith, Will Straw, and John Street. Allen Library Stacks [ML3470 C36 F75] Check Status

The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz, 1900 -1950
By Roger D. Kinkle. Allen Library Reference [REF ML102 P8 K v. 1 - 4] Check Status

Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Edited by Colin Larkin. Allen Library Reference [REF ML102 P8 G84 1998 v.1-8] Check Status

The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music
Varied entries covering everything from bebop to western swing by way of psychedelic rock.

Folk and Blues: the Encyclopedia.
By Irwin Stambler and Lyndon Stambler. Allen Library Stacks [ML102 F65 S82] Check Status

A Guide to Popular Music Reference Books: An Annotated Bibliography
By Gary Haggerty. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 P67 H34] Check Status

International Who's Who in Music, Vol. 2: Popular Music
By Cara Bootman and Tamsin Parrott. Allen Library Reference [REF ML105 W62 P 2000] Check Status

Lissauer's Encyclopedia of Popular Music in America: 1888 to the Present
By Robert Lissauer. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 P67 L5] Check Status

The Literature of Rock. 4 vols.
By Frank W. Hoffmann and B. Lee Cooper. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 R6 H] Check Status

The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll
Edited by Patricia Romanowski and Holly George -Warren. Allen Library Reference [ML102 R68 R64] Check Status

Popular Music: An Annotated Guide [1900 -1989]. 5 vols.
Edited by Nat Shapiro, Bruce Pollock, and Barbara Cohen -Stratyner. Allen Library Reference [REF ML120 U5 P6/P61/P62] Check Status

Popular Musics of the Non -Western World
By Peter Manuel. Allen Library Stacks [ML3470 M36 P6] Check Status

Rap Whoz Who
By Steven Stancell. Allen Library Reference [REF ML3531 S83 R3] Check Status

The Rock Who's Who
By Brock Helander. Allen Library Reference [REF ML102 R68 H44] Check Status

The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock 'n' Roll
By Simon Reynolds and Joy Press. Allen Library Stacks [ML82 R49 S] Check Status

She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock and Roll
By Gillian G. Gaar. Allen Library Stacks [ML394 G28 S] Check Status

SongCite: An Index to Popular Songs
By William D. Goodfellow. Allen Library Reference [REF ML128 P67 G65] Check Status

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Encyclopedias

Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, Industry and Society
Contains many entries on social phenomena of relevance to the practise of popular music.

Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Performance and Production
Contains entries on types of performing groups and individuals as well as on a wide variety of performance techniques.

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides

Below are call number ranges for areas within this topic. Use these call numbers to browse the library shelves when you have a general idea of what you want, but don't have a specific item in mind.

[REF] ML102 P8
Dictionaries

[REF] ML156.4 P
Discographies

[REF] ML156.4 R
Discographies

M1630
Scores

MD1630 & MR1630
CDs & LPs

ML2075
Music for movies

ML2811
Songs - United States

ML3469 - ML3541
History and criticism

ML3790
Music business

MT67
Lyric writing

Song Indexes - [REF] ML128 S6 (Allen Library)
Song indexes

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides

Sheet Music Search
Search the catalog of sheet music held at the Allen Library.

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides

ASCAP Playback

Billboard

Black Grooves

Electronic Musician

Journal of Popular Culture

Musician

Popular Music

Rolling Stone online | print format

Sing Out!

Variety online | print format

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides

Use these subject headings to search by general topic in our Library catalog. Copy the subject heading into the search box and use the drop down menu to search by "Subject". There are many more possible subjects than what we have listed here, but these should get you started.

Fakebooks music

Motion picture music

Music and society

Music trade

Popular culture

Popular music

Rap music

Rock music

Rock videos

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides

All Music Guide
Comprehensive music reference source. Covers all genres and styles of music from opera to garage rock to traditional country and has critiques of albums and artists.

BMG Online
BMG Entertainment provides links to three avenues of popular music: country, alternative, and urban. Each site contains news, tour information, and audio and video clips.

BMI
BMI is one of the two largest performing rights organizations in the US. This website provides information and resources dealing with performing rights and licensing fees.

Center for Popular Music
The Center's searchable research library and archive includes sheet music, posters, playbills, trade catalogs, periodicals, etc. representing American vernacular music and culture.

Donald Clarke's Music Box
Online indexed encyclopedia with nearly 4,000 entries for performers, songwriters, producers, and record labels.

Grammy.com
News about the Grammy Foundation, the Recording Academy, and the general music industry.

Hip Hop Bibliography and Webliography
This site includes ezines, reference materials, and other internet resources.

Lyrics World
Index to songs found in "Top 40 Hits of 1930-1999", "#1 Songs of 1930-1999", "Top Singles by Decade" and "Artist Collections", etc.

MCS: The Media and Communication Studies Site
One of the most extensive media and communications sites, with a main index and 20 categories of media subgroupings.

Music Charts from Around the World
A list of links to popular music single and album charts for many countries.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Site for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offers information on tours, exhibits, and events, and has searchable Alphabetic and Category Indexes.

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Broader Guides

Music

Related Guides