Professor Jennifer Otter Bickerdike is a rock & roll cultural historian, best-selling author, and educator whose career sits at the crossroads of music, media, and higher education. An academic, writer, presenter, and commentator, Jen has spent her life devoted to the mistress that is rock ’n’ roll. With over 30 years of experience across the culture industries, she brings a rare blend of practitioner insight and scholarly depth — from her early career as a US music industry executive and Silicon Valley consultant to her doctorate research on Joy Division and Nirvana in the UK.

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Jen’s work spans music heritage, fandom, broadcast, and academia, with a portfolio as eclectic as her record collection. She has authored several acclaimed books, including the #1 Amazon best-sellers Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon, Why Vinyl Matters, and Eternal Flame: The Authorised Biography of the Bangles, as well as the critically praised You are Beautiful and You are Alone: The Biography of Nico (Faber & Faber / Hachette). Her writing has also supported artists directly, from serving as literary consultant for Echo & the Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant and Mike Joyce of The Smiths forthcoming biography to editing Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s forthcoming memoir.

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A familiar face and voice in pop culture, Jen has appeared in more than 50 documentaries — including 2024’s international hit Taylor Swift Versus Scooter Braun: Bad Blood — and on outlets such as BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Woman’s Hour, Channel 4, Sirius Radio, and The Guardian. She has also worked on archives, liner notes, and exhibitions, from WHAM!’s 40th anniversary box set to the Coventry Herbert Gallery’s 2 Tone: Lives & Legacies.

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Jen’s career in higher education has been both innovative and impactful. At BIMM University, she spearheaded international student recruitment, designed marketing and enrolment strategies across music, film, performing arts, and creative technology, and partnered with teams focused on student support and success. She also led employability initiatives, industry collaborations, and curriculum development to ensure graduates were prepared for real-world creative careers. Her leadership helped drive transformative milestones, including BIMM achieving full university status and securing degree-awarding powers.

Now at the Russell Group’s University of Exeter, Jen serves as Senior Programme Designer, creating inclusive, future-facing academic programmes that align with workforce needs and strengthen global partnerships. Alongside her academic work, she contributes her expertise in fundraising and development to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, cultivating donor support to sustain music education and celebrate cultural heritage.

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At the core of her work — whether developing programmes, designing campaigns, or producing cultural projects — is a belief that education and creativity are powerful forces for connection and change. Jen is dedicated to building authentic relationships that link students, alumni, communities, and industry, fostering environments where innovation and culture thrive.

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Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Jen worked with major acts such as Nirvana, U2, Eminem, and No Doubt during her time at Interscope Geffen A&M, before moving to the UK to pursue her academic career. Her personal journey — including selling everything she owned to relocate to England after the tragic loss of a friend — was featured in Marlo Thomas’s best-seller It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over. In 2019, her hometown honored her contributions to music culture with an official Jennifer Otter Bickerdike Day.

A recovering Anglophile, admitted fangirl, and provocateur, Jen continues to explore how music, fandom, and pop culture shape our lives. Her covid venture, the Rock N Roll Confidential podcast, brought her trademark enthusiasm to conversations with artists, athletes, and dreamers about the A- and B-sides of their lives.

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As co-founder of the non-profit Moving The Needle, Jen also worked to inspire and empower the next generation of women in music.

 

Whether on campus, in print, or in the media, she remains a passionate advocate for creativity, community, and the enduring power of rock ’n’ roll.