Why Music Education Is Not Important

Let me start by pointing out the part that made you click: “Music education is not important.”

At least, that’s what the world seems to believe.

When I first started on this path, I believed deeply in the power of music to shape young lives. But almost immediately, I began to hear the doubts:

“Is that even a real job?”
“Don’t you just play instruments all day?”
“When will you become a real teacher?”

I was constantly warned, even in college!:

You might not have your own room.
Your budget might be nonexistent.
You’ll be competing with sports and testing.

And when I stepped into the classroom? The warnings became reality.

Music teachers often feel like they’re fighting to prove their worth. Their resources are limited. They’re given carts, or makeshift classrooms, and are under constant scrutiny. As a result, it’s easy to wonder: If no one else treats music education like it matters… does it?

Let’s unpack that together.

Music Programs Waste Valuable School Budgets.

I’m not going to lie to you. Quality music education doesn’t come cheap. My own father almost fainted when he found out the actual price of flutes.

Offering a high-quality music program comes at a cost. Some of those costs include sound equipment, concert repertoire, instruments, books, risers, music stands, and many other supplemental materials. And yet, many school districts aren’t in that position, financially. When school administrators are forced to choose between purchasing more Chromebooks and funding the chorus program, it’s not surprising that the arts are among the first programs to be cut. And while that might feel infuriating, it’s not hard to see why. Schools are often judged by their test scores, STEM, and graduation rates. These are measurable, highly public metrics. There is increasing pressure on administrators to prioritize “core” subjects with clear academic outcomes. Which brings me to:

Music Education is not a real subject.

“Miss Delonas, when do you become a real teacher?”

Yep, one of my own students asked me that question, and it definitely stung. But I’m sharing it here because it clearly illustrates what most music teachers already know: our work is often seen as “less than.”

Sometimes people just assume that music education means playing instruments all day, and just having fun with the students while the real teachers handle the important subjects. But if those people aren’t in our classrooms each day, how would they know any better?

When music is labeled as a “special,” along with gym, art, and world language, it’s easy to see how students pick up on this rhetoric. The scheduling itself sends a message to students and families: These classes are the side dishes; they are not the main course.

It’s tough for a music teacher to insist that their subject should be treated with the same weight as math or ELA when they’re stuck pushing a cart between classrooms or sharing a stage with the cafeteria.

For this reason, many music educators were thrilled when the US Senate named music as a core subject in the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015. Music would finally start getting the academic recognition it deserved, right? Unfortunately, the reality of public school music education hasn’t significantly changed. As classes are squeezed into short weekly sessions, music programs remain prime targets for budget cuts. They continue to be treated like afterthoughts.

Why Keep Music Education When Tests Rule the Curriculum?

“We can’t possibly do pull-out lessons Miss Delonas, they’ll miss important subjects like math.”

This quote is from a real conversation I had with a school administrator. The administrator alluded to concerns about test scores and how my subject specifically stood in the way of their testing goals. After all, standardized test scores dictate everything, from funding to teachers’ job security. When a child is pulled from class for a concert rehearsal or weekly instrument lesson, it’s easy to understand why classroom teachers and administrators may need to vent their frustration. At the end of the day, music education doesn’t feed into those all-too-important test scores. At least not directly.

And while music might seem like a distraction, there are plenty of studies that suggest otherwise. One study from 2019 found that high school students in music classes, especially those playing instruments, tended to perform better on Math, English, and Science tests. Another study found that elementary students who participate in high-quality music programs scored twenty-two percent higher on English tests and twenty percent higher on Math tests.

For something considered “non-essential,” that’s a pretty significant jump.

Music education helps students build focus, self-discipline, and confidence—all skills that are useful in testing and any academic subject.

Not to mention that music class gives students something to look forward to. For many students, it’s the reason they come to school. And when students are engaged, attendance improves. When attendance improves, academic performance usually follows. So if music education supports what schools care about, why is it still treated like the problem?

Music Education Doesn’t Lead to Practical Careers.

Here’s another myth that sometimes blares louder than the others.

“How are you going to make money from this?”

There’s an ongoing concern that unless a child grows up to be a professional musician, music education is a waste of time. Parents might wonder why they’d waste money on violin lessons when that child could be studying something in STEM and gaining skills with clearer paths to financial stability.

It’s interesting that we don’t apply this logic anywhere else. We don’t dismiss ELA classes because we don’t want students to become novelists. We don’t eliminate gym because most kids won’t become professional athletes. And yet, music education is held to a different standard.

The truth is that not every student who takes music classes will pursue it professionally, and that’s okay! Music fosters valuable skills that can benefit any future career path. Students develop focus, discipline, organization, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. They gain the confidence to take risks. These are life skills. They’re the practiced habits that show up when a student has to lead a group project, prepare for a job interview, or navigate a tough moment at work.

And yes, some students do go on to build exciting careers in music. But even if they don’t? Music still will have made an impact on their life and future.

Why Have a Music Class When Kids Can Learn It Online?

With the rise in YouTube tutorials, AI, and apps like Simply Piano, it’s natural to wonder if music education can be outsourced. If students can learn from a video or app, what’s the point of dedicating time during the school day?

While I encourage you to check back here for my upcoming blog post on music education apps, I’ll cut to the chase. There is no tech resource or online tool that can replace a traditional music teacher or substitute for quality music instruction. These platforms may provide supplemental value, but they’ll never be able to adjust a student’s hand position, suggest embouchure improvements, provide feedback on expression, or diagnose learning issues the way a traditional music teacher can.

Music education is so much more than learning to play the notes correctly. It’s how most students learn to collaborate, take creative risks, and listen to one another. There is an unmistakable human element to music-making that simply cannot be replicated through artificial means.

Okay, But Learning the Recorder Is So Pointless!

You really thought you’d get me with this last one? And with all the memes floating around, it seems like everyone is in agreement, the recorder is pointless, right?

While their own memories of playing a slightly squeaky rendition of “Hot Cross Buns” might haunt parents, they may overlook the fact that recorder sets the foundation for future music making.

It’s important to note that recorders are durable and incredibly affordable for school music programs. They’re also an ideal choice for young students with strengthening motor skills and lung capacities. Learning to play a recorder opens the door to developing all sorts of musical skills—such as rhythm and note-reading, that can easily transfer to a band or string instrument later on.

But beyond the technical side, what’s even more powerful is how the recorder teaches students to function as a group. Students learn how to wait for their turn. They learn to listen to their surroundings and stay unified as they follow a conductor. They discover how to recover from a mistake without falling apart. Some students will naturally excel. Others may need more time to find their way. But in a good recorder class, students learn to support each other’s musical growth.

Is the recorder perfect? No. Will it challenge your ears if you hear twenty-four students playing their recorders all at once? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean it’s pointless. In many ways, it’s one of the first sparks in a child’s music education.

So, Why Is Music Education Important?

I’ve unpacked a lot in this post. You might be ready to cancel me.

But here’s the thing: I don’t actually believe music education is unimportant.

I believe it’s been misunderstood.

All of the concerns I shared—the ones I’ve heard from friends, parents, teachers, and admin—come from a place of not fully understanding what happens in the music room. And honestly? I get that.

When parents and administrators don’t see what happens in our classrooms, their imaginations fill in the blanks. That’s why it’s so important to make our music teaching visible. We need to point out the skills, share the data, and connect how our music education supports the growth and enrichment of child development. When we’re open about what we’re teaching and why it matters, we help others see that music class is more than just noise; it’s magic.

And transparency doesn’t mean justifying our existence—it means inviting others into our world. It means sharing the transformations we see: the quiet student who finds their voice through a musical instrument, the fidgety student who gains impulse control by studying percussion.

If this post resonated with you, I’d love for you to share it. Send it to a colleague, a friend, or anyone who might need a different perspective. (And if you’re still thinking of canceling me… maybe just forward this article to a music teacher instead. 😉)

And finally, if you are a music teacher, I’d love to invite you to join the Chamber of Freebies—it’s my growing library of music education resources designed to help you save time, teach music with confidence, and show the value of your work on a daily basis.