Nathaniel Sloan

Dr. Nathaniel Sloan, Ph.D., is a musicologist and academic specializing in historical musicology, popular music, jazz, and music culture. He has served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California since 2018 and previously held adjunct teaching positions at Fordham University and the California Jazz Conservatory. Dr. Sloan earned a PhD and MA in Historical Musicology from Stanford University in 2016 and 2012, respectively, and a BA in Music History, Theory and Composition from Brown University in 2008. His scholarly work includes research on popular music, jazz, race, songwriting, music history, and musical form. He is the co-author of Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works, and Why it Matters, published by Oxford University Press in 2019, and co-creator and co-host of the Switched on Pop music podcast, which began in 2014. His peer-reviewed publications include articles addressing Taylor Swift and songwriting, Cab Calloway and 1930s Harlem jazz, the Cotton Club, Broadway spirituals, and Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Dr. Sloan has presented research at conferences of the American Musicological Society, Society for American Music, and IASPM-US, among others. His professional service includes serving on the editorial board of American Music, reviewing manuscripts for academic presses, and participating as a National Endowment for the Arts grants panelist.