Popular Music

Popular music is the study and practice of the musical forms, from rock and soul through to hip-hop, electronic music, and beyond, that have shaped contemporary culture and defined the experiences of generations across the world. It takes seriously music that has too often been dismissed by academic institutions, examining it both as a creative practice and as a cultural and commercial phenomenon with its own aesthetics, histories, and social meanings.

At the University of Northampton this three-year full-time programme develops you as both a musician and a thinker about music. You will study performance, songwriting, music production, and recording, developing practical skills in your chosen area, alongside the musicological and cultural study of popular music traditions, genres, and industries. You will engage with questions about authenticity, identity, race, gender, technology, and the music business, and develop the critical tools to understand why popular music matters as well as how it works.

Northampton's programme takes a hands-on approach, with studio time and performance opportunities embedded in the curriculum. You will develop a portfolio of creative work alongside your academic understanding, building the professional presence and skill set that a music career requires.

Graduates go on to careers as performers, songwriters, session musicians, producers, sound engineers, music teachers, music industry professionals, and arts administrators. Many combine portfolio careers across several of these roles. The skills developed in the programme, including creative problem-solving, collaboration, self-promotion, and the ability to work under pressure to a brief, are also valued in industries beyond music, including events, media, and entertainment.

Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in music performance, music production, or music industry management.