Music is something that we engage with on a daily basis, and it brings meaning and joy to our lives and experiences. Like all forms of art, music is closely tied to the culture that cultivates it. Beyond merely consuming and listening to music, studying music from different eras and groups allows us to explore and learn from the perspectives and values of cultures outside of our own. Over the last century, many communities in the United States have used music to reinforce their cultural heritage and identities, and over time, these styles have been transformed and combined into a vast repertory that collectively reflects our rich and diverse national identity. This seminar surveys the broader stylistic and historical trends that have influenced present-day music in the United States. Readings and lectures will cover many types of popular and vernacular genre, including the blues, jazz, musical theater, film music, country, rock, soul, salsa, punk, hip-hop, rap, and many others. By examining music “in culture,” as the course title suggests, we will consider not only isolated musical sounds, forms, and experiences, but also the function and meaning of music for its original practitioners as well as for us.