In recognition of this, in September, she was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Burns’s research explores how music functions not only as sound but as a cultural form deeply intertwined with identity, subjectivity and social change. She sees popular music as a medium where issues of gender, sexuality, race and class are negotiated and transformed.
“Music,” Burns says, “is incredibly powerful. It not only provides emotional comfort and pleasure but also helps to build confidence and a sense of community. Listening to music by BIPOC or trans and nonbinary artists, or really any artists who challenge conventions, provides marginalized listeners with a reflection and affirmation of their own identities.”
Throughout her career, Burns has examined how artists counter oppression and exclusion within genres.
Rock and metal, for example, have historically been dominated by men, while pop music has been more welcoming to women. Burns investigates how women and BIPOC artists challenge these structures, reshaping genres to make space for their identities.
By analyzing both lyrics and musical elements, she demonstrates how resistance and commentary are embedded in the very fabric of songs. A lyric may tell a story of defiance, while musical gestures—silence, loudness or aggression—can equally signal resistance. Once a genre is transformed by these interventions, it remains permanently altered, opening doors for future artists.
Burns’s interest in these questions emerged in the 1990s, when artists such as k.d. lang, Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos released music that was unmistakably feminist in its themes. Burns asked herself how these messages were conveyed, not just through lyrics but through the music itself. For instance, artists’ expressive use of gentle musical gestures, or their deployment of silence and intensity became part of the interpretation to demonstrate how artists push against stylistic conventions, communicating stories that aren’t typical for the genre.
More recently, Burns has turned her attention to studying collaborations in popular music. With an SSHRC Insight grant awarded in 2025, she’s investigating how artists share sonic space in duets and featured performances. This project, undertaken with Professor Alyssa Woods (MA ’03) of the University of Guelph, examines collaborations from the 1960s to the present, tracing how they have evolved from traditional duets to today’s cross‑genre partnerships.
Burns asks critical questions in the context of this research: Who has authority in these collaborations? Are artists equals, or is one exploited for their identity or style? What happens when gendered and racial identities intersect within the same song? Examples such as Metallica’s collaboration with Lady Gaga, Tanya Tagaq’s work with Damian Rice or Beyoncé featuring Shaboozy on her country album, illustrate the complex dynamics at play.
Burns’ research situates these collaborations within broader cultural and economic contexts, showing how they reshape genres and challenge boundaries.
Nevertheless, she says that “collaborations can uplift marginalized voices, but they can also reinforce inequities when exposure benefits one artist more than the other.”
Looking ahead, Burns sees popular music moving toward a future where genre barriers continue to crumble. Artists like Lil Nas X and Sam Smith exemplify how cross‑genre fusion is reshaping the landscape and welcoming diverse identities, like BIPOC artists and trans and nonbinary artists. For Burns, this evolution is positive: genres at their worst can be restrictive, but at their best they are open and transformative. Music, she argues, provides emotional comfort and confidence, allowing marginalized listeners to see themselves reflected in the work of artists who challenge conventions.
In her scholarship, Lori Burns demonstrates that popular music is never static. It is a constantly evolving cultural force, negotiating identity and opening new possibilities for expression. Her research not only illuminates the past and present of popular music but also points toward a future where diversity and collaboration redefine the soundscape.