Music can act as a powerful means of communication. Chronicling the first application of music elicitation in the Balkans, Music, Mattering, and Criminalized Young Men delves into its use as a social research method, pedagogical tool, and youth work intervention. Grounded in feminist principles, Jade Levell’s analysis provides a deep exploration and articulation of this method as a compelling narrative device which empowers participants, in this case men in prison and on probation in Albania, throughout the research process. Framing music elicitation and creation as professional listening tools, Levell develops the theory of ‘sonic mattering’ to explore the role music plays in the lives of young people as they seek to establish their place in the world. Situating music elicitation as a method of the upmost importance, chapters demonstrate its potential to disrupt traditional power imbalances by positioning the participant as expert. Drawing on a context of international development, Levell demonstrates music elicitation’s effectiveness in boosting participant engagement, building trust over a short period of time, and encouraging participants to share stories of their marginalization. A cutting-edge study grounded in a new feminist arts-based research and intervention tool, Music, Mattering, and Criminalized Young Men propounds an effective new methodology for social research and fundamental human engagement. This series has been renamed to “Emerald Studies in Culture, Crime, Criminal Justice and the Arts” effective for 2025 publications onward.