MUSC 105LThe Music and Life of Prince
Prince Rogers Nelson was a complex and sophisticated African-American musician who challenged aesthetic and music genre boundaries. Prince’s political thought fueled his musical commentaries. A shrewd businessman who had an ambivalent relationship with the internet, he was a pioneer in selling music in digital format (e-commerce). Since his death in 2016, the burgeoning critical music studies discourse has blossomed in multidisciplinary directions. Course examines how Prince’s musical practices have become a locus to study composition, performance and production techniques, racial politics, and gender fluidity. This is an interdisciplinary course designed for undergraduate students who want to know more about Prince’s contributions to American popular music while being introduced to a critical music studies discourse.
Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.
When it runs
Winter 2026Open Winter 2026
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Tue Thu 9:50am–11:25am | Music Center 138 | G. Fiore | Closed 19/18 |
Who teaches it
| Instructor | Rating | Difficulty | Would take again | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giacomo Fiore | 4.4 / 5 | 2.3 / 5 | 81% | 59 |
From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.
SlugAtlas is a student project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by UC Santa Cruz. Course data is a snapshot of the public class search; myUCSC is authoritative for enrolment.