The philosophy of the second edition of "Music! Its Role and Importance in Our Lives" is a sociological approach to the study of music. It contains history but is not a historical approach. There are nine units, with a total of 27 chapters. It is an activity-based program with over 450 activities. This edition fully incorporates the National Standards for Arts Education. More media and technology are added to create dynamic links with the other performing arts, and to create a variety of ways to promote composition, arrangement, and understanding of music. "Music!" is a Unique, Activity-Rich High School Music Program

Using a sociologically based approach, "Music!" includes an exciting array of brand new features and resources, all of which combine to make it the most comprehensive high school music program available.

Each unit highlights a reason people value music:

. to tell us who we are

. to invite us to move

. to let us perform

. to enhance expression

. to understand life's meaning

. to allow us to create

. to tell the story of our lives

. to characterize an age, and

. to share our humanity.