In order to develop the Motives for Listening to Music Questionnaire (MLMQ) and to confirm its construct and concurrent validity, data from a nationally representative sample of 4,524 adolescents in Switzerland were used. The results confirmed the MLMQ’s four-dimensional factor structure (i.e., social, enhancement, coping and conformity motives) in general and across gender, age and linguistic region. Girls listened to music more frequently for coping, enhancement and social motives than boys. Structural equation modelling confirmed the hypothesized associations between coping motives and health-related outcomes (somatic complaints, aggressive and depressed mood, school pressure, low life satisfaction etc.), between social motives and peer-related activities (spending evenings with friends, bullying others etc.), and between conformity motives and being depressed and a victim of bullying. To conclude, confirming its psychometric qualities, the MLMQ is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing music motives in adolescent populations. In health care, the MLMQ could be used to identify individuals and to help applying music therapy in accordance with their motives for listening to music.