WHY YOUTH DON’T LIKE NEW WORSHIP SONGS

At a recent popular music talk with a local church youth group, I decide to slip in a “popular” new worship song for discernment. The song sounds similar to a country song so I think it will spark interesting discussion about the blurring of music genres. The conversation that follows surprises me and reveals that churches may be approaching youth and worship wrong. 

As the last notes fade, several students immediately voice their displeasure for this song and all that are like it. Three themes to their discomfort emerge:

1) The music. 
They complain how predictable the song is musically. One youth says: “From the first note, I knew what it was going to be and that it would be the same [as other new worship songs].”

2) The lyrics. 
They hate how simple the song is lyrically. One youth sarcastically sums up the message of most new worship songs in one sentence: “I found God, I have hope, and now all my problems are gone…yay!”

3) The repetition. 
They cannot stand how often they have to endure hearing new worship songs. When I ask where they hear worship music, they exasperatedly say: “Everywhere!” “At home, at church, in the car with my parents.”

Most high school students in the room that night make it clear to me that they are sick of new worship music. One youth goes so far as to say: “I wish my church would do more hymns [so I don’t have to listen to this type of music].” 

As I drive home, a big problem becomes clear. 

Many church leaders pick new worship songs for Sunday mornings because they think youth like these songs and will worship.   Many youth do not. 

 Here are three reasons why students may not be connecting with the worship songs church leaders expect them to:

1) The music. Church music historically uses popular musical styles from current culture and adapts them for worship.  New worship does not use musical styles youth enjoy.   New worship music builds on the foundation of the guitar, country music and rock and roll. Musical tastes of most youth build on the foundation of samples, hip hop and pop.

2) The lyrics. New worship music includes short verses, building bridges and repeating choruses. In order to be memorable and singable, lyrics do not dive deep.  These youth want worship that speak to their difficult life situations and emotional challenges.

3) The repetition. Youth do not choose the songs they hear in many contexts, such as at church, at home and in the car with their parent(s)/guardians.   The more they hear worship songs they don’t connect with, the more frustration they feel.

Finding worship music that connects with high school students is difficult. It is hard to find worship songs that are based on samples, hip hop, and pop. Worship songs that authentically engage with the emotions and experience of youth are rare.  In fact, the worship songs that will best serve our youth may still need to be written.  Despite these challenges, finding worship music that connects with youth is not impossible. God empowers us to be people who care, who listen well and who respond creatively.   I’m excited to get to work.

Micah received a Masters of Popular Music Studies from the University of Glasgow and has worked several years in the music industries as a musician, critic, and band manager. He has a passion for helping audiences find better through discernment, critical-thinking, and empathy-development.   He integrates the work of several Christian scholars such as Dr. Al Wolters and Andy Crouch alongside the latest research in behavioural psychology, sociology, and popular music studies.