Rock, Democracy, and American Identity | Greg Kot & Nora Titone | Graham School

What does it mean to understand American democracy through the sound of rock and roll? Music critic Greg Kot and historian Nora Titone join University of Chicago Graham School Dean Seth Green for a wide-ranging conversation on how rock and its musical descendants have shaped — and been shaped by — the American experiment. This conversation previews their Spring 2026 Graham School course, Rockin' in the Free World: Democracy and Music in America, An Unruly History. Born from communities with the least freedom, popular music became one of the most immediate and democratic art forms in modern history, desegregating audiences, amplifying marginalized voices, and demanding response rather than passive consumption. Across the discussion, Greg and Nora describe how the class will "read" songs the way one might read a poem, practice close listening together, and follow an unruly, non-chronological path through U.S. history. They highlight artists such as Mavis Staples, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, and contemporary performers whose work bridges protest and popular culture. Audience questions invite them to talk about dancing in the aisles, personal relationships to live music, intergenerational playlists, and even the role of faith in contemporary rock. The result is a candid look at how this course will help students use music to understand who we have been as a country, what is happening now, and how songs might still change our world. Through insights from Greg Kot’s relationships with major American artists and Nora Titone’s historical lens on democracy and identity, we examine how music expresses freedom, fuels activism, reflects generational change, and continues evolving across genres from gospel and soul to punk, hip-hop, and global pop. Key Questions This Video Explores: How has rock and roll functioned as a democratic and activist art form? What does it mean to practice “active listening,” and why does a song require a listener to be complete? How has music desegregated cultural spaces and elevated marginalized voices? In what ways do artists respond in real time to political and social upheaval? Is rock and roll a dying genre or an evolving umbrella for populist expression? About the Speakers: Greg Kot is longtime music critic at the Chicago Tribune and co-host of NPR’s Sound Opinions. He is the author of multiple books on popular music, including a biography of Mavis Staples, and writes extensively about the social, political, and cultural dimensions of rock and roll. Nora Titone is a historian, biographer, and Senior Director of Programming and Undergraduate Research in the Parrhesia Program. Her work examines American identity, democracy, and the power of narrative in shaping public life. Chapters: 00:00:00 Welcome and course preview 00:02:01 Introducing Greg Kot and Nora Titone 00:06:22 Nora on Mavis Staples and music as history 00:11:27 Reading songs like poems: close listening 00:16:25 Co-creating an unruly course with students 00:21:23 Outsiders, activism, and dancing in the aisles 00:25:36 What counts as rock? Favorite songs 00:30:01 Recurring figures and course through-lines 00:31:41 Rock, hip hop, and the current state of protest 00:36:34 How rock evolves into something else 00:39:02 Music that helps us manage the madness 00:42:15 Generations, class playlists, and student voices 00:45:06 Closing thanks and invitation to join the course This event is hosted by the University of Chicago Graham School. Learn more about Graham School events here: https://graham.uchicago.edu/events/ The Graham School is a one-of-a-kind intellectual community that brings the best of the University of Chicago to lifelong learners who are seeking discovery and discernment. Through an array of distinctive programs and courses in the Great Books, the liberal arts, and advanced leadership, we welcome learners who seek to deepen their understanding of the world and lead examined lives of purpose. Learn more about the Graham School here: https://graham.uchicago.edu/