The Centre for Popular Music Research, founded in 1983 at Humboldt University in Berlin, was the first institution of its kind. From the
beginning, its mission was to explore the various forms of popular music through research and teaching. The Center has an interdisciplinary
bent, welcoming students and researchers from all relevant fields in support of their research projects. Its tasks include the following:
- to develop and bring to fruition musicological research projects in the area of popular music studies;
- to develop, advise and support student dissertations, theses and research projects in popular music studies;
- to engage in and build a network of cooperative ventures with comparable programs and partners in this area of research;
- to build and maintain contacts with the music industry with the goal of involving practical partners in research;
- to make public the results of popular music research in the appropriate forum, bringing it into academic discussion.