This article describes and discusses some of the chief resources in the study of post-World War II mainstream popular music. In addition to indicating major areas of research, it can serve as a guide to collection development in the discipline.

One way to teach the research paper is by first discussing sampling, the musical practice of using other artists' work. By studying the lyrics of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, a widely known hip-hop sampler, students gain an understanding of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing sources.