Pop Music and Environmental

Guest Lectures:
- Two guest lectures are scheduled: one on Wednesday and another next week.
- Students should summarize the events of these lectures.
- Details posted on Canvas.
- Attendance and participation in these will help in scoring points.
Album Review:
- Due next week.
- This is the second written assignment, different from the first which was personal.
- Students are tasked with analyzing an album of their choice.
- Must connect the album to music genres discussed in class.
- If the album seems unrelated to discussed genres, students should reach out to discuss.
- Expectation to incorporate background information, utilizing a mix of primary and secondary sources.
- Focus on understanding the genre and its relation to the chosen album.
- The analysis should range from 750 to 1000 words.
- This assignment typically garners positive feedback as it encourages exploration of new music.
Discussion Section:
- There will be no discussion sections this week due to fall break.
- Students are not required to attend class during this officially designated break.

Previous Class Discussion:
- Focused on the relationship between sound media and their contextual global environmental and economic flows in production and distribution.
- Media forms discussed included:
- Shellac in the development of 78 RPM records.
- Plastics in vinyl and cassettes.
- Compact Discs (CDs) and Streaming.
- Notably, exploration of how the music industry impacts the production of materials, workers' rights, and utilizes fossil fuels for energy.
- Acknowledged that the issues are part of a larger environmental and political ecology.
Environmental Protest Music:
- Introduction to the concept through potential examples, considering the definition of what constitutes an environmental protest song.
- Recap of Greta Thunberg's approach and the attention it garners in different musical styles.
- Observation of various calls to action through music, considering emotional connections as pivotal to engagement and activism.

Historical Overview:
- Three major periods of environmental protest music:
1. Early 1800s:
  - Focus on resource extraction and preserving natural environments.
  - Example: "Woodlands" and its themes.
2. 1960s and 1970s:
  - Dramatic increase in environmental consciousness with the release of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring.”
  - Issues centered on species conservation and resource extraction.
  - Presence of classic examples of protest notables like folk music advocating environmental awareness.
3. 1990s Onwards:
  - Shift to sustainability, emphasizing the impact of album production materials on the environment and sustainability practices.
Example of Suwaka:
- Indonesian metal band reflecting socio-political themes via music.
- Created amidst political unrest in Indonesia, formed in a space where underground music flourished due to censorship.
- Members of the band focused on critiquing environmental practices and tourism’s effects through their music.

Palm Oil Production in Indonesia:
- Indonesia employs around 3 million people in the palm oil industry, essential to its economy but linked heavily to deforestation.
- Products containing palm oil can be found ubiquitously in everyday consumables, presenting higher stakes in sustainability and ethical implications.
- Negative consequences include habitat loss for endangered species like orangutans and indigenous communities being displaced.

Critique of the Palm Oil Industry:
- Example of using visual media and performance to raise awareness about environmental degradation.
- Importance of the emotional resonance that music generates in drawing attention to ecological issues:
- Juxtaposition between performance arts and visual elements communicating urgency about environmental degradation.
- Complexity introduced when engaging with cultural dimensions alongside ecological narratives.
Music’s Unique Role:
- Functions as a direct action, making it a potent medium for advocacy.
- Engages audiences emotionally, providing visual, auditory, and narrative connections to issues.
- Observations from professionals suggest musicians are influential in promoting change, possibly outpacing traditional NGOs.

Consider how music communicates complex environmental issues effectively.
Explore the intricate connections music has to culture, identity, and activism.
Reflect on the unique attributes of music as a cultural tool in triggering action and addressing environmental injustices globally.
Discuss how genres shape perceptions of environmental issues and potentially drive people towards activism.