Program Overview

Institute of Popular Music

The Institute of Popular Music at the University of Liverpool is a leading center for research and education in popular music theory and analysis.

Theory, Analysis, and Aesthetics

Researchers at the Institute of Popular Music, in collaboration with the Society for Music Analysis, host annual summer schools and symposiums in Liverpool, presenting the latest developments in popular music theory and analysis.

Annual Popular Music Theory and Analysis Summer School

The annual Summer School, which has been running since 2021, is twinned with the Institute of Popular Music in Rochester and is supported by the Society for Music Analysis. The summer school features three specialist tutors, each pioneers in their field, and offers introductions to popular music theory and analysis, as well as first-hand insight into the developing landscape of the field. The course averages 40 attendees per year.

Annual Symposium On Theory and Analysis in Popular Music

An annual symposium on theory and analysis is hosted at the University of Liverpool's Music Department. The symposium features many individual presentations and discussions, and a memorial in recognition and memory of the work of the late Phil Tagg. The July 2024 Symposium On Theory & Analysis in Popular Music was supported by the School of the Arts and featured presentations by:

• Matt BaileyShea
• Alyssa Barna
• Nicole Biamonte
• John Covach
• Stephanie Doktor
• Walt Everett
• Allan Moore
• Mark Spicer

The Routledge Companion to Popular Music Analysis

The Routledge Companion to Popular Music Analysis, co-edited by Kenneth Smith and Ciro Scotto, contains 28 chapters that examine popular music by taking the perspective of developments in contemporary art music as a point of departure to open up multiple new paradigms. The publication features essays by Liverpool staff, including:

• Michael Spitzer (on Neutral Milk Hotel and Post-Memory)
• Kenneth Smith (on desire in Arab Strap's music)
• Giles Hooper (making a plea for us not to forget 'the music')
• Freya Jarman's supporting work (with Bethany Lowe on self-referential songs)

Research Areas

The Institute of Popular Music is part of the Department of Music and the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, and its research areas include popular music theory and analysis, as well as interdisciplinary approaches to music research.

About the Institute

The Institute of Popular Music is a leading center for research and education in popular music, and its staff are recognized experts in their fields. The Institute is committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of popular music, and to providing a supportive and stimulating environment for students and researchers.