Popular Music Studies research is not always straightforward, and may involve seeking out information from non-traditional sources. The following UAL Subject Guides may be helpful:
Below is a selection of reference books and collections of essays (print and digital) that you may find useful for finding background information in popular music studies:
Many sources of information for popular cultural studies are short-lived, i.e. a magazine or journal may only be published for a limited period of years. Older content may not be valuable for historical perspectives
Magazines
The following list of critical and popular magazines are available either through a print or electronic library subscription. Although they would not be considered "scholarly", the content can be critical, and is very often is one of the few places one can find current information relevant to cultural studies research:
(Note Rolling Stone is also available on PressReader)
Websites
Below are some resources available on the internet. If you are unable to freely access the content, please email the music librarian to investigate whether we can find another way to access it.
Library Databases
Journal and ebook database platforms differ from each other in the way they organize and describe their content. Although "Music" is commonly listed as a subject, sometimes you have to look for other headings such as:
Most platforms will also have an advanced search option where you can search by keyword or topic. Explore such terms as:
Journals
Databases for Journals and Ebooks