Gabbard, Krin. “La La Land Is a Hit, but Is It Good for Jazz?” Daedalus, vol. 148, no. 2, 2019, pp. 92–100. https://doi.org/10.1162/DAED_a_01745

This article argues that La La Land romanticizes jazz in ways that may distort or oversimplify the genre’s cultural and historical roots.
It draws on cultural analysis and music history, particularly the racial and historical context of jazz as an African American art form.
This is important because it challenges the film’s portrayal of jazz as a pure and apolitical tradition, encouraging a more critical view of what the film is celebrating.
This helps my project by providing a contrasting viewpoint to the film’s nostalgic tone, and I can use it to show that the emotional power of the soundtrack may come at the cost of erasing jazz’s complex cultural history.

Garde Lucas, Lucía. “The Art of Baring Emotions Through Metaphors: An Analysis of Love Metaphors Found in La La Land’s Soundtrack.” Fòrum de Recerca, no. 23, 2018, pp. 295–309. https://doi.org/10.6035/ForumRecerca.2018.23.20

This article argues that La La Land‘s soundtrack uses metaphorical language to convey deep emotional narratives, particularly focusing on love metaphors.
It analyzes the lyrics and musical composition through the lens of cognitive linguistics and metaphor theory.
This is important as it provides insight into how the film’s music communicates complex emotions, enhancing the audience’s emotional experience.
This supports my thesis by illustrating how the soundtrack functions as a narrative tool, expressing characters’ internal states and contributing to the film’s emotional depth.

Carew, Anthony. “Same Old Song: Nostalgia and Fantasy in La La Land.” Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine, no. 192, 2017, pp. 34–39. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.976434983384514

This article argues that La La Land serves as a modern homage to classic Hollywood musicals, blending nostalgia with contemporary storytelling.
It examines the film’s stylistic choices, narrative structure, and musical elements in relation to traditional musicals.
This is significant as it contextualizes La La Land within the broader history of the musical genre, highlighting its role in the resurgence of interest in musicals.
This source reinforces my thesis by providing a framework to analyze how La La Land‘s soundtrack and aesthetic choices pay tribute to and revitalize classic musical conventions.

Smith, Greg. “A Track-by-Track Breakdown of the ‘La La Land’ Soundtrack.” Medium, 28 Jan. 2017. https://medium.com/greg-can-write/a-track-by-track-breakdown-of-the-la-la-land-soundtrack-b7233e308294

This article provides an informal analysis of each track in La La Land‘s soundtrack, discussing how the music aligns with the film’s narrative and emotional arcs.
It offers practical insights into the soundtrack’s composition and its role in storytelling.
This is valuable for understanding the specific ways in which music supports character development and plot progression.
In my project, Smith’s observations can serve as a foundation for more in-depth musical analysis and support my exploration of the soundtrack’s narrative functions.

Lewis, Hannah. “La La Land and Jazz.” ResearchGate, 2024. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384289898_La_La_Land_and_Jazz

This article argues that La La Land blends modern cinematic storytelling with jazz-inspired musical elements to contemporize the traditional Hollywood musical.
It draws on interviews with the film’s creators, music analysis, and genre theory to explore how the film uses jazz as both aesthetic and narrative strategy.
This is important because it offers a well-rounded view of the film’s soundtrack as a deliberate emotional and structural device, bridging past and present.
This supports my project by deepening the musical context around La La Land‘s compositions and showing how the film’s use of jazz contributes to its nostalgic tone and narrative complexity.