Earlham Libraries Home: MUS 353: Topics in Contemporary Popular Music: Reference, Select Books, Websites

Library Purchased Reference Sources

ABC-CLIO eBooks Reference Collection This link opens in a new window
Over 600 ebook versions of encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies and other reference tools. Includes many sources on Popular Culture, American & World History, and volumes from the "Daily Life" cultural history encyclopedias.
Pop Culture Universe This link opens in a new window
Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window Offers the in-depth, original profiles from the Current Biography and World Authors series, the thorough periodical coverage of Biography Index and the specialist biographical content of Junior Authors & Illustrators. It provides biographical full-text articles, page images and abstracts from today’s leading magazines and journals.

Books

Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World** by John Shepherd
ISBN: 0826474365
Publication Date: 2005
"EPMOW lives music. Put another way, it does for popular music what Grove has done for classical" -- David Brackett
The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music by Phil Hardy
ISBN: 9781849720922
Publication Date: 2004
Caribbean Popular Music: : An Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall by David V. Moskowitz
ISBN: 9780313331589
Publication Date: 2005
Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture by Yvonne Bynoe
ISBN: 0313361908
Publication Date: 2006
Guide to the history, development, people, events, and ideas of Hip Hop music and culture.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Popular Culture - North Africa and the Middle East by Gary Hoppenstand & John F. Bratzel
ISBN: 9780313332746
Publication Date: 2007
African Americans and Popular Culture by Todd Boyd
ISBN: 0313064083
Publication Date: 2008
Comprehensive overview of the African American influence and presence in film, television, radio, music, other popular art forms, and sports.
American Pop by Bob Batchelor
ISBN: 0313364117
Publication Date: 2008
Covers 1900-2010's by decade. Includes data on Cost of Products from 1900–2000.
Encyclopedia of World Pop Music, 1980 - 2001 by Stan Jeffries
ISBN: 9780313091209
Publication Date: 2003
Appendix A lists entries Alphabetically by Country
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures by Mike Gonzalez, Daniel Balderston & Ana Lopez
ISBN: 041513188X
Publication Date: 2001
Controversies of the Music Industry by Richard D. Barnet & Larry L. Burriss
ISBN: 9780313310942
Publication Date: 2001
Women Icons of Popular Music by Carrie Havranek
ISBN: 9780313340833
Publication Date: 2008
Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes by Ilan Stavans
ISBN: 9780313343957
Publication Date: 2014
Encyclopedia of the Blues by Edward Komara
ISBN: 9780415926997
Publication Date: 2005

Mainstream Music News

AllMusic
Biographies, discographies, reviews, and essays on [mostly] popular music.
WWW Sites of Interest to Musicologists
From the American Musicological Society.
Billboard.com
Charts of top song, available by genre. Historical archive of charts also available.
Wikipedia

Finding new music - Blogs, etc.

Hype Machine -
Music blog aggregator. Pulls hit songs off music blogs across the web and allows users to vote on them.
Daytrotter
Self described as "The source for new music from emerging bands”, Daytrotter records live sessions with musicians and makes them available to download.
Gilles Peterson - Worldwide Music
BBC Radio 6 Music - Gilles Peterson
"The formula for Gilles' radio shows is a simple one: the finest new music he can lay his hands on? and that's it. From Sun-Ra to Roy Hargrove to Theo Parrish to Flying Lotus - if it swings in the right places, it's in. His shows are a marker for everything that is great about underground music from Brooklyn to Benin and beyond."
NPR Music
Brings together content from multiple NPR programs, such as "All Songs Considered" and "World Cafe", and live concert series such as "Tiny Desk Concerts" and "Studio Sessions".