The purpose of this article is to discuss the main ideas about music and music education in the Swedish compulsory school, as presented in the Swedish curriculum and the music syllabus. Music is there portrayed as 'a social and general cultural instrument', 'a part of cultural heritage' and 'a language that transcends boundaries'. These views on music are interesting to analyse more in detail, and therefore this article will focus particularly on four areas of music. These areMusic as a social and cultural phenomenonMusic as a part of cultural heritageMusic as a languageMusic as a means for transcending boundariesIn order to illuminate and analyse these particular areas, previous Swedish curricula and relevant literature within the areas of music education, sociology, ethnology and philosophy will be reviewed.