Youth, Music, & The Sex-Positive Movement Youth learn about sex from popular music. Rather than critiquing the song-creator, we must explore the ideas within each song… Mad at Disney – A Tik Tok Song Salem Ilese challenges the romantic myth perpetuated by a multinational company who has made billions selling the myth to us… My Four Rules to Finding the Best Music I have learned that songs impact how I think, feel, and act. Here four rules to make sure I listen to music that shapes me into who I want to be… Covers by Switchfoot Good musicians are also good listeners. They absorb the music of others. Switchfoot found cover six songs that they believe are meaningful during the challenges of the pandemic… RTJ4 by Run The Jewels White Christians often quickly dismiss hip hop because of its unfamiliar sounds (music), and profane words. The emotions and ideas go unheard. Run The Jewels released an album that… Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple In the midst of a pandemic, Fiona Apple quietly released an album that captures the often ignored aspects of life, weaving ideas of hope for freedom through it all… Ten Songs About the Coronavirus We often look to music in times of crisis for comfort, empathy, and encouragement. Many musicians are quickly responding to the coronavirus with new songs to help us. The Ongoing History of New Music (Podcast) Host Alan Cross shares his musical passion and experience as a music journalist, making him one of the most important teachers on a subject that often lacks knowledgeable and reliable sources… Everybody is Looking for Some Light Many people experience seasons of significant suffering caused by sickness, death, job loss, addiction, or broken relationships. In the moments where we are too discouraged to pray, music can be the voice that speaks FOR us… Long Live Love – Kirk Franklin Kirk Franklin is respected by many as one of the greatest gospel singers and arrangers in the 20th century. And yet Kirk Franklin experiences significant moments where his voice is muted by others… Delta by Mumford and Sons On the surface, Delta does not offer the vigorous energy of earlier Mumford & Sons albums, but it does give the listener something more subtle and much richer… Everyday Life by Coldplay Struggles and temptations can divert veteran bands from creating art that connects meaningfully with the listener. Coldplay’s competence, engagement, and selflessness combine to create a life-shaping listening experience… THE KIDS ARE COMING by Tones And I The Kids are Coming by Tones and I is the debut EP from 19-year old Australian Toni Watson. Similar to Lil Nas X (Old Town Road), Tones and I rocketed into global stardom by a viral song, in her case one called Dance Monkey. Tones and I has had very few… JESUS IS KING by Kanye West Learning why judging Kanye West is pointless and harmful and discerning his music is necessary and helpful. On October 25th, Kanye West released his newest album entitled Jesus is King to immediate skepticism and criticism from many Christian listeners. In the past… An Inappropriate Song Request & Great Teaching Moment At a recent Christian high school dance, a white student approached my DJ booth and politely asked if I could play a particular song. I couldn’t hear her because of the pumping music so I asked her to type the title on my computer screen. She wrote… TRAPLINE by Snotty Nose Rez Kids Snotty Nose Rez Kids is a hip-hop duo from the Haisla Nation in British Columbia, Canada. TRAPLINE is their third full-length album with a message of hope for indigenous listeners and a call for non-indigenous audiences to listen and learn. Their mission is clear… Lover by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift makes two deliberate choices in her latest album Lover. She chooses love over hate and she chooses self-expression over money. Lover is her seventh full-length studio album, featuring 18 tracks… Why Country Music is Obsessed with Alcohol Songs about alcohol in country music are nothing new but a more recent phenomenon within country music is portraying alcohol as the ultimate solution to the listener’s problems. This new attitude is summed up by the chorus of Christian country artist Thomas Rhett’s song Beer Can’t Fix… WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish Billie Eilish demonstrates an honest maturity that is resonating with teenagers. Listening to this album can be extremely helpful for parents and church leaders to understand how their youth may be feeling and empathize with their unique challenges… III by The Lumineers The Lumineers do an excellent job of weaving together the stories of the fictional Sparks family, highlighting the brokenness that travels from generation to generation. The climax of the album occurs in the song entitled Jimmy Sparks… HOMECOMING – Beyonce In this Netflix documentary, Beyonce hopes to educate as well entertain. She champions equality and liberty for all humans as she focusses on the experiences of black women whose voices and dreams have been muted. God says: “I have indeed seen the oppression of my people… Old Town Road: Lil Nas X or Billy Ray Cyrus? When choosing between the original version and the remix, music fans have the responsibility and the capacity to identify and refuse to be complicit to systematic racism found within the music industries… Does Hip Hop Cause People to be aggressive? This question has been debated ever since hip hop became more mainstream in the late 1980’s and the intensity of the conversation rose… Retaliation Vacation by Hollerado Endings and the limits of time are part of the human experience. “Retaliation Vacation” offers a unique perspective of a band grappling with their own ending. They show courage in facing this reality head on. They reveal a maturity and vulnerability that is inspiring to others… Happy Song! …no wait… Sad Song! After playing Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, I asked a group of Grade 6-8 students what mood they heard.One Grade 6 student eagerly raised her hand and blurted out: “Happy song! …no wait… Sad song! …no wait… The song starts sad and then becomes happy… 7 Rings and Consumer Culture Ariana Grande’s new single 7 Rings has shot up to #1 on the Billboard charts and broke the record for most streams in a 24-hour period on Spotify. More importantly… ARMS WIDE OPEN by Ellyn Oliver Arms Wide Open is the debut EP release from Ellyn Oliver, a 27 year old artist from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She spent much of her early career helping other musicians and now she is ready to share who she is through her own music. Her Christian faith is central to…
