Many primary and upper primary school teachers have a sense of insecurity related to teaching music and that may compromise an equal and democratic education, and the opportunity for all pupils to learn about music. The research from a case study in Sweden shows that teachers’ thoughts on the subject of music and their competence in teaching music affect what they emphasize to be valuable about the subject. Music is legitimized through its contribution to a general level of education as a tool for social development and communicative skills in other subjects, but not through achieving learning to a specific level that can develop pupils’ practical and aesthetic knowledge of music. When legitimizing a school subject like music, it is important to capture all aspects of what music education provides to pupils. The opportunity to experience and develop musicality can not be limited by teachers’ perceptions of, or genuine lack of musical competence. A music education that capture all aspects is important for pupils’ musical development and also for the choices that are possible for them to make as individuals in the future.