Popular Music
Popular music is a discipline that takes seriously the music that most people actually listen to, examining its creation, production, performance, history, and cultural significance. Far from being a trivial or marginal subject, popular music encompasses some of the most important artistic, technological, and commercial developments of the past century, from jazz and blues through rock and soul to hip-hop, electronic music, and contemporary streaming-era genres. Studying it develops both the practical skills of the musician and producer and the critical understanding of the cultural forces that shape what music is made and how it reaches its audiences.
At the University of Northampton, this part-time programme develops your performance skills, music industry knowledge, music technology abilities, theory and musicianship, studio recording techniques, and traditional academic skills. This breadth reflects the reality that a career in popular music typically requires multiple overlapping competencies: you might perform and record your own music, understand the business context in which that music circulates, produce and engineer sessions, and communicate about music in informed and critical ways. The part-time structure gives you the flexibility to develop these skills at a pace that fits around other commitments, whether you are working in or near the music industry or developing your practice alongside other aspects of your life.
Graduates from popular music programmes move into careers as performers, producers, recording engineers, music teachers, session musicians, music journalists and critics, artist managers, and professionals in the wider music industry. Many combine several of these roles across a portfolio career. The skills and knowledge developed through the degree are also applicable in the broader creative industries, in education, and in arts administration.
Postgraduate study in music performance, composition, or music technology is available for those who wish to develop their expertise further.