USING THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES, LED ZEPPELIN AND QUEEN IN MUSIC EDUCATION: ENHANCING AESTHETIC TASTE AND MUSICAL LITERACY THROUGH ROCK
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55640/Keywords:
music education, rock music, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Queen, musical literacy, aesthetic education, critical listening.Abstract
This article examines the pedagogical potential of integrating the music of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Queen into formal music education as a means to develop students’ musical literacy, stylistic awareness and aesthetic judgment. Rather than treating rock repertoire as “entertainment” outside the academic canon, the paper argues for its use as a rich educational resource for teaching musical form, harmony, rhythm, texture, arrangement, studio production, ensemble skills and critical listening. Through analytical listening, comparative score study, performance-based tasks and reflective discussion, students are guided to move beyond passive consumption of popular music toward informed evaluation and conscious artistic choices. A structured methodology is proposed in which the selected bands function as three complementary models: songcraft and innovation in The Beatles, riff-based structure and sound aesthetics in Led Zeppelin, and multi-layered vocal/instrumental dramaturgy in Queen. The approach is adaptable for secondary and higher music education, including classical and popular music departments.
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References
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