Index for this guide:

Checklist for Doing Research in Rock Music

Indexes for Finding Articles on Rock Music and Musicians

Magazines & Journals for Rock Research

Recording Industry Information

Indexes to Songs in Collections

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Discographies and Finding Sound Recordings

Bibliographies

Bibliographies on Individuals

Special Rock Resources

Web Sites on Rock Music

Research Guides

RESEARCHING ROCK:
A CHECKLIST FOR A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE LITERATURE

Checklist for Doing Research on Rock Music

I. Take a tour of the Library.

Tours of the Music area are available by appointment by calling Leslie Bennett (x6-1930) or e-mailing her at lbennett@uoregon.edu.

II. Read an encyclopedia article that may summarize your topic.

[The two general music encyclopedias that are best for research rock performers and music are: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2d ed.(MUS. REF ML 100 .N48 2001) [29 vols. + available online as Grove Music Online] and The New Grove Dictionary of American Music [MUSIC REF. ML 101 .U6 N48 1986].
These provide an overview of the rock music scene, its performers and composers, and include useful bibliographies for further research. You should also consult the list included with this of specified encyclopedias in popular and rock music.

III. Search the catalog for books about your topic.

Consult the list of subject headings to see what terms we use to find your books. Make a list of these terms, then search the SUBJECT section of the UO Library's catalog (which lists books and recordings from 1975 to the present).
Another tip: people can be subject headings too. (For instance, books on Elvis are listed under Presley, Elvis in the subject catalog; books on The Who are also listed as a subject.)

IV. Search the various indexes to find articles about your topic in magazines and newspapers.

The Music Reference area and the UO Library's web site have a number of indexes that may be helpful in researching your topic. There is a list included with this resource that should help in determining which indexes are available, and which ones to use.

V. Search this list of resources to determine which specialized resources might have useful information about your topic.

[Especially note the list of journals and magazines.]

VI. Search for recordings in the UO Library's catalog.

Recordings often have program note information that can be used in your research, especially for determining who played on what recordings.
To find particular songs on recordings or in sheet music collections, consult How to Find Individual Songs, on the web at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/music/researchguides/songs.html.

ANY QUESTIONS? Ask the music librarian, Leslie Bennett. My hours are usually Monday-Tuesday and Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. You can make an appointment for help with your research by calling x6-1930 [346-1930]. You can also e-mail me your questions. Click lbennett@uoregon.edu.

RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH IN POPULAR MUSIC & ROCK

Subject Headings to Use in the UO Library's Catalog to Find Information on Rock Music.

The following subject headings from the Library of Congress Subject Headings books are used in the University of Oregon's catalog to find books, scores, and recordings of popular and rock music, as well as books on the subjects of the music, the performers, and instruments.
Be sure to use the subject section of the UO Library's catalog.
You may also use peoples' names as subject headings in the catalog and the article indexes.

Music and Musicians Subject Headings:
BLUES (MUSIC)
BLUES - MUSICIANS
DRUMMERS
GUITARISTS
MUSIC AND RACE
NEW WAVE MUSIC
POPULAR MUSIC
PROTEST SONGS
PUNK ROCK MUSIC
REGGAE MUSIC
RHYTHM AND BLUES MUSIC
ROCK GROUPS
ROCK MUSIC
ROCK MUSICIANS
ROCKABILLY MUSIC
SALSA
SOUL MUSIC
(+ names of performers, lyricists, and composers.
Examples:

Beatles
McCartney, Paul
Lennon, John
Vicious, Sid

Subject Headings for Instruments:

INDEXES FOR FINDING ARTICLES ON ROCK MUSIC & MUSICIANS

Music Indexes

The Music Index.
Available in paper at the Music Index Table and on the UO Library's web site, by choosing Articles, Databases & Indexes

The Rolling stone index: twenty-five years of popular culture, 1967-1991.
[MUSIC ML1 .R65]
An index to one of the earliest publications on rock music, from its beginning until 1991. (For indexing to newer editions, see the indexes listed above and below.)

General Indexes that include Music Articles

Academic Search Premier
[Available on the UO Library's catalog by searching by its title under Articles, Databases & indexes.
This resource provides access to online versions of journals.
Use the same subject headings you used for the UO Library's catalogs]

Alternative Press Index.
1969 - present.
[Available on the UO Library's catalog by searching by its title under Articles, Databases & indexes

MAGAZINES & JOURNALS USEFUL FOR DOING ROCK RESEARCH:

[NOTE: Before looking through all these, try using the indexes listed above, as they should all include the resources listed here- and will save you hours of looking for articles!

To locate the most recent issues of the magazines with the ML call numbers, go to the white slanted shelves in the third floor Music section across from the music reference desk. Earlier unbound editions are held underneath the shelf. If they are bound, they are on the Music shelves.]

Many of these journals are available in full text through the indexes listed above, and searchable through the FindText button on the main library web site.

To gain access to them off campus, you must be a UO community member, and have your computer configured through the UO Computing Center, using the Duckware software, available for free at any computer lab on campus.]

Billboard Magazine
[MUSIC ML 1 .B512]
To 1975 in paper, then issues available through Academic Search Premier
Microfilm = v.98 (1986) to present
Google Books has scanned Billboard issues from 1942 through 2007, including images, advertisements, and the charts.

Blues Unlimited
[MUSIC ML 1 .B58]
1972 - 1987 only

Down Beat
[MUSIC ML 1 .D6]
paper= v.21 (1954) to present
Microfilm= v.41 (1974) to present

Electronic Musician
[MUSIC ML 1380 .E4]
v.3 (1987) - present
Also available (since 1996) from Academic Search Premier

Guitar Player
[MUSIC ML 1015 .G9 G9]
vol 1.(1967) to present
Also available (from 1996) from Academic Search Premier

Journal of Popular Culture
[KNIGHT P 91 .J6]
v.1 (1967) - present
Also available (from 1990) through the Academic Search Premier

Living Blues
[MUSIC ML 1 .L57]
v.35 (1977) - present

Melody Maker
[MUSIC x ML 5 .M17]
paper = v.49 (1974) to 1985
Microfilm = v.61 (1986) - v.76 (1999/2000)

Modern Drummer
[MUSIC ML 1035 .M6]
v.4 (1980 - present

Musician
[MUSIC ML 1 .M212]
v.94 (1986) to v. 205 (1995)

Popular Music
[MUSIC ML 5 .P66]
paper = v.1 (1981) to present
Also available in full text online (2000-present), by going to the Journal Title button on the left of the Library's web site, and typing in Popular Music

Rolling Stone
[MUSIC ML 1 .R6]
paper = 1967 - 1990
Microfilm = 1967 to present
Also available (from 1990) through Academic Search Premier

RECORDING INDUSTRY INFORMATION:
"Greatest Hits" Resources

[Value: Lists best sellers and chart statistics- gives you a sense of what was truly popular at the time and their place on the charts.]

All music guide to rock: the best CDs, albums & tapes : rock, pop, soul, R&B and rap.
[MUSIC REF. ML156.9 .A39 1995
Also available on the web at http://www.allmusic.com/

Bronson, Fred.
The Billboard book of number one hits.
[MUSIC ML 156.4 .P6 B76 1985]

George, Nelson.
Top of the Charts: the Most Complete Listing Ever.
[MUSIC ML 156.4 .P6 G46 1983]

Murrells, Joseph.
Million selling records: from the 1900s to the 1980s: an illustrated Directory.
[MUSIC REF. ML156.4 .P6 B76 2003]

Anything by Joel Whitburn.
Example:

Whitburn, Joel.
Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-1996.
Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research, c1997.
"Chart data compiled from Billboard's pop single charts, 1955-1996."
[MUSIC REF. ML156.4.P6 J64 1997 ]

ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND DICTIONARIES

[Value: these provide an overview of each area of popular music, and give biographical information on performers and composers]

BLUES

Harris, Sheldon.
Blues Who's Who: a Biographical Dictionary of Blues Singers.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .B6 H3]

Komara, Edward, ed.
Encyclopedia of the Blues.
[MUSIC REF. ML102.B6 E53 2006]

POPULAR MUSIC

Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. 7 vols.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 C66 2003]

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 10 vols.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 G84 2006]

Gammond, Peter.
The Oxford Companion to Popular Music.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 G35 1991]

Hardy, Phil.
The Faber Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 H37 1990]

Lissauer, Robert.
Lissauer's Encyclopedia of Popular Music in America.
[MUSIC REF. ML 128 .P63 L57 1991]

The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 P5 1998]

ROCK MUSIC

Freeland, David.
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Popular Musicians since 1990. 2 vols.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 B35 2004]

Hardy, Phil.
Encyclopedia of Rock.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .R6 H37 1988]

Helander, Brock.
The Rock Who's Who.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .R6 H5 1996]

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock.
[MUSIC REF. ML 102 .P66 I4]

International who's who in popular music.
[MUSIC REF. ML105 .I58 4th ed. 2002]

Nite, Norm N.
Rock on almanac: the first four decades of rock 'n' roll.
[MUSIC REF. ML 3534 .N58 1989]

Nite, Norm N.
Rock On: the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock 'n' Roll.
[MUSIC REF. ML 105 .N49 1982]

Rees, Dafydd.
Rock movers & shakers.
[MUSIC REF. ML 385 .R736 1991]

The Rolling stone encyclopedia of rock & roll
[MUSIC REF. ML102.R6 R64 2001]

York, William.
Who's Who in Rock Music.
[MUSIC ML 102 .R6 Y7 1982]

DISCOGRAPHIES and Finding Recordings in the UO Library

[Value: Discographies list the recorded output of a particular record company, topic, or performer and contain historical information not found in other sources.]

To find recordings in our library, see the Guide to Finding Recordings, available on the web at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/general/resources/videos.html. There you will also find access to our Audio Resources Online, which include the Database of Recorded American Music.

Edwards, John W.
Rock 'n' roll through 1969: discographies of all performers who hit the charts, beginning in 1955.
[MUSIC REF. ML156.4.R6 E33 1992]

___________.
Rock 'n' roll, 1970 through 1979: discographies of all performers who hit the charts.
[MUSIC REF. ML 156.4 .R6 E32 1993]

Gambaccini, Paul.
The top 100 rock' n' roll albums of all time.
[MUSIC ML 156.4 .R6 G35 1987]

Graff, Gary and Daniel Durchholz, ed.
MusicHound rock: the essential album guide.[2nd ed.]
Detroit: Visible Ink Press, c1999.
[MUSIC REF. ML156.4.R6 M87 1999 + Doug Circ COMPACT DISC CX3866]

See also the various discographies Michel Ruppli has compiled of record companies' outputs.
Example:
The Chess Labels: a Discography.
[MUSIC REF. ML 156.2 .R783 1983]

Shapiro, Bill.
The CD rock & roll library: 30 years of rock & roll on compact disc.
Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, c1988.
[MUSIC ML156.4.R6 S4 1988]

Strong, M. C. (Martin Charles)
The great rock discography. 7th ed.
New York: Canongate U.S., c2004.
[MUSIC REF. ML156.4.R6 S8 2004]

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

[Value: These list articles and books about topics in rock and popular music]

Hoffman, Frank W.
The Literature of Rock, 1954 - 1978.
[MUSIC REF. ML 128 .R6 H6 + available on Library's website by title]

Hoffman, Frank W.
The Literature of Rock II, 1979 - 1983.
[MUSIC REF ML 128 .R6 H62 1986]

Hoffman, Frank W.
The Literature of Rock III, 1984 - 1990.
[MUSIC REF. ML128.R6 H63 1995]

Leyser, Brady J. and Pol Gosset.
Rock stars/pop stars: a comprehensive bibliography, 1955-1994.
[MUSIC REF. ML128.R6 L49 1994]

BIBLIOGRAPHIES ON INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS:

McKeen, William.
Bob Dylan: a bio-bibliography.
[MUSIC REF. ML 420 .D98 M25 1993]

MacPhail, Jessica.
Yesterday's papers: the Rolling Stones in print, 1963 - 1984.
[MUSIC REF. ML 128 .R6 M3 1986]

Wolter, Stephen.
The Who in print: an annotated bibliography, 1965 through 1990.
[MUSIC REF ML 134.5 .W5 W64 1992]

Resource for Researching Rock Songs:

Pollock, Bruce.
The rock song index: essential information on the 7,500 most important songs of rock and roll. 2nd ed.
New York: Routledge, 2005.
[MUSIC REF. ML128.R6 P65 2005]

Web Sites for Doing Research on Rock and Popular Music

Experience Music Project at http://www.exmpsfm.org
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum at http://www.rockhall.com/
Rock Music Sites in Oregon at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/music/ormus.html#Rock

Return to top

Maintained by: Leslie Bennett, lbennett@uoregon.edu
Last Modified: 07/01/2009