This database (iismc.cini.it) stems from a major bibliographic collection originally set up by Philip Tagg (University of Montreal), one of the most influential scholars of popular music studies. Tagg’s purpose was to create a research tool, which could be used by anyone – researchers, students, and musicians – interested in popular music, a field that has steadily grown in recent decades, as demonstrated by the impressive number of studies published in books, conference proceedings, and journals. Tagg’s bibliography, which he first conceived to meet his own research needs, has been enriched through the years by numerous contributions from his students and collaborators, and now comprises a substantial number of entries which can be searched by author, title- and key-words.
In order to make his bibliographic resource accessible to as many as possible, Philip Tagg decided to look for a partner willing to provide technical, logistical, and institutional support. The Istituto Interculturale di Studi Musicali Comparati of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini was glad to accept and host the database on its website. Moreover, it supplied programming know how in order to develop a system which would enable web users to input data using simple and effective on-line procedures.
A bibliography needs constant updates; therefore, a second partnership was formed with the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASMP), whose president Franco Fabbri agreed to support this scientific enterprise, believing in the usefulness and timeliness of such a valuable resource for anyone interested in this field.
In addition to the official endorsement by the IASPM Assembly, the partnership has lead to the creation of an expert team of scholars who contribute to the updating of the database and vet new on-line submissions. Philip Tagg himself coordinates the management of the database, together with Laura Leante (Open University) and Christophe Pirenne (University of Liege), and with the help of a number of experienced scholars who act as regional correspondents.
The IISMC of the Fondazione Cini takes care of hosting the bibliography on its website, and provides support under the supervision of Carlo Ercole.
Anyone wishing to notify new publications can fill the on-line “SUBMIT” form; once it has been checked and approved by the vetting team, this data will be freely accessible on the internet.
For further information or queries, please contact: [email protected].
For technical problems, prease write to: [email protected].

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e-mail: [email protected]