Journal of Iranian Social Studies

Abstract Music plays a significant role in human life, especially during adolescence, and teenagers devote a considerable amount of time to listening to it. This qualitative study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with 25 adolescent girls, explores their reasons for listening to music as well as their preferred genres and favorite singers. Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis, resulting in four main categories: musical taste, patterns of consumption, motivations, and generational differences. The findings indicate that listening to music is one of the main leisure activities for adolescents. Most participants were interested in Western pop music, K-pop, and old-generation Iranian pop music, while the lyrics and content of songs were of great importance to them. Persian rap was less popular among the respondents. The findings of this study demonstrate the significant role of music in the lives of the adolescent girls who participated in the research.