This paper examines the public debate on teacher education in Sweden over the past two decades and its impact on current reforms. Drawing on policy documents, media discussions, and scholarly perspectives, we show how teacher education has become the most frequently reformed part of higher education, shaped largely by political agendas and external voices rather than research-based knowledge. The debate often blames pedagogy for perceived failures, favors cognitive science and psychology over educational research, and downplays critical thinking and reflection. We conclude by highlighting concerns about this development, while pointing to how alternative paths for music teacher education may emerge through questioning and challenging neoliberal logics.