This article is concerned with investigating some aspects of the usefulness of using genetic algorithms (GAs) for musical composition and to highlight some of their limitations. It also demonstrates the limited amount of work done so far in examining the output of GAs used in creative applications, rather than simply describing the architecture and functionality of such an algorithm, and the limited scope of work that has been undertaken. The article examines some approaches in musicology and composition that may help us to understand further how GAs could be applied to creative music tasks.