A comparison of "popular music pedagogy" discourses

The purpose of this study was to interrogate discourses of "popular music pedagogy" in order to better understand music education practices generally and specifically those in the United States. Employing a conceptual framework based on the work of Jan Blommaert (2005), a content analysis was conducted on a sample of 81 articles related to popular music and music education according to the variables of journal and nationality. Results suggest that international differences in discourse existed. American-based authors focused on issues of legitimacy and quality (repertoire and teaching), whereas non-American-based authors focused on matters of utility and efficacy, with an emphasis on the quality of learning and pedagogical relationship. The lack of awareness (national and international) of discourse features and functions may be limiting the effectiveness of both communication and practice.