The purpose of this study was to investigate music curriculum development changes in the United States from the 1940s through the 1970s. Silver Burdett music texbook series published during this period were used to trace changes in the elementary music curriculum. The major findings of this study were as follows: It was during the 1960s that music education philosophies dramatically began to change from utilitarian music education to aesthetic music education; the development of music elements was one of the primary characteristics of the elementary music curriculum in this era; and the music elements area in the elementary music curriculum is given a great deal of weight on today's elementary music curricullum. In addition, what is specially noteworthy is that the development of school music curriculum in the United States has gradually evolved over the last fifty years and the U.S. has established a solid foundation of school music curriculum. This suggests the importance of a gradual process in making curriculum improvement efforts to establish a firm foundation of school music curriculum.