Popular music in elementary classrooms

An analysis of music educators’ self-reported attitudes and practices

Bibliographic Data

ID22434397
AuthorsIan Cicco (0000-0001-7854-4962, University of Southern Mississippi), Melissa J Ryan (0000-0001-9885-5688, University of New Mexico)
Year2026
Volume10
Issue1
Pages57-73
Publication date2026-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Popular Music Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2397-6721 • E-ISSN: 2397-673X
PublisherIntellect (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1386/jpme_00172_1
OpenAlexW4416813042
LanguageEN
References cited21

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the self-reported practices of elementary music teachers ( N = 87) regarding popular music and their attitudes towards its role in elementary music curricula. Findings revealed that many elementary music teachers actively incorporate popular music into their instruction, with 65.1 per cent of participants reporting frequent or very frequent use. Participants held generally positive attitudes towards popular music, associating it with being relevant, valuable and educational. However, teachers’ attitudes were mixed when it came to using popular music to explore social and racial justice topics; while some participants expressed enthusiasm and found it important to use popular music to give a voice to the oppressed and address contemporary issues, others avoided the topic due to personal beliefs or political pressures. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Enthusiasm · Exploratory research · Music education · Musicology · Popular culture · Popular music · Art Education and Development · Diverse Music Education Insights · Neuroscience and Music Perception

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