ABSTRACT
In 2001, a study in Berlin schools is carried out in which young people were asked about their music preferences. The findings showed some interesting ethnic and social differences in music taste. This chapter outlines a range of music styles and music behaviour amongst young people in different localities around Berlin. With the city becoming increasingly fragmented, it demonstrates that music consumption becomes increasingly important to the local identities of young people. The chapter draws on research undertaken in Berlin as part of 'Playing for Life', a research project that investigated the music-related activities of marginalized youth. In 2004, the Playing for Life research team investigated nine youth facilities in different parts of Berlin that had a major emphasis on music as a pedagogic tool for youth work. The chapter analyses the observations and unstructured interviews collected over one or two visits to each youth centre.
