Hong Kong popular music education and its (dis)contents.

This article examines the status and challenges of popular music education in Hong Kong, focusing on cantopop (Cantonese popular songs) and its marginalization in local schools until recent reforms. Based on a mixed-method study conducted in 2021—including surveys with 59 respondents, ten in-depth interviews, and fifteen focus-group interviews—the research highlights that while cantopop significantly influences young people, there are insufficient educational programmes, industry channels, and government support to sustain its development. Respondents emphasized the need for greater inclusion of popular music in primary and secondary curricula, enhanced practical training in tertiary institutions, and increased funding, particularly for personnel training. The study suggests that coordinated policy efforts and education-based talent development could help revitalize Hong Kong’s popular music industry and enhance its cultural diversity within the creative economy.