Worship music

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Christian music
Stylistic origins: A variety of influences evolving from the Jesus Music movement.
Cultural origins: 1960s United States and Australia
Typical instruments: Electric guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Keyboard, Synthesizers
Mainstream popularity: Continuous from 1990s
Subgenres
Christian alternative rock - Christian bubblegum pop - Christian hardcore - Christian industrial - Christian hip hop - Christian metal - Christian pop music - Christian punk - Christian rock - Christian soft rock - Christian ska - Worship music - Cprog
Other topics
Christian entertainment industry - Christian girl group


Worship music is a sub-genre of Christian music that is commonly used to denote songs that are used to worship God and set in a choral music style, often with repeating, short, easily sung "chorus" parts. Originally termed praise music (or praise song), then later praise and worship, worship music has become the more current phrase to refer to any music used by Christians as part of their devotional practices, whether in the confines of a local church, or elsewhere.

This article will limit its scope to the prevailing notion of worship music as also being synonymous with a particular styling of music in the church- a.k.a praise and worship.

Contents

[edit] Changing Name, Changing Style

[edit] From Traditional to Popular

The origin (as mentioned extensively in the history below) of worship music comes from a broad development away from classical and traditional forms of musical liturgy which involved largely piano (with optional classical musical instruments) and choir-based, multi-part vocal applications in its songs to a style that matched the musical and vocal nuances of popular music as it was developing from the late '60s until present day. Originating with campfire songs and '60s folk music stylings, the simplicity of the songs were easily played by musicians and easily learned and sung by the congregants of churches in which they were played.

Critics, often proponents of older church music styles (such as hymnal traditionalists), have criticized the more modern musical style of worship music as being simplistic lyrically, and some even believed that updating the musical style of church music was somehow a denigration to sacredness of the old forms of chants, hymns and traditional prescribed songs often assigned for use in many Christian denominations. An example of this type of criticism is that traditionalists occasionally jokingly referred to worship music as "7-11" music; seven words sung eleven times. This is because they perceived these songs as focusing only on a simple, singular message (which can sometimes seem repetitive). While worship music is most often found in church congregation settings, it is becoming more common for people to enjoy listening to and singing worship music wherever they are: at home, work or while commuting.

[edit] Liturgy's Changing Modus Operandi

Worship music not only was a shift from tradition of style in church music liturgy, it also introduced a common accessibility to all those interested in actually playing the music. This primarily happened through four things:

These changes in the way church music was learned, played and disseminated had a dramatic effect on the musical liturgy of the Christian church worldwide.

[edit] Use of the Acoustic Guitar

The introduction of the acoustic guitar as a new primary instrument made the music portable and accessible in almost any venue, where the previous piano-based liturgy was limited to church sanctuary's, meeting places and a few homes. That alone helped this new church music to mirror the wildfire spread of popular music that happened throughout the last half of the 20th century, when the influence of the guitar dominated the cultural strata of music in North America and Europe.

[edit] Simple, melodic song writing

The predominance of simple, melodic writing in its songs was an early earmark of this music. This was divergent from the extensive and almost exclusive use of SATB choral applications for vocal parts, which had predated worship music. This new simplicity contributed greatly to the musical style's popularity amongst congregants who found the music infectious and memorable, also mirroring the modus operandi of pop music through the 20th century.

[edit] Use of garage band musicians

A corellary factor in the musical style change included the extensive use of non-classically trained musicians (garage band and self-taught musicians) in congregations which espoused worship music. Propelling this was the introduction not only of popular music styling, but the huge influx of tens of thousands of "hippies" (converted through the Jesus people movement of the '60s and '70s) into churches across America. With them, and the growing popular music culture in the US, garage band musicians poured into churches.

[edit] Use of the chord chart

The use of the chord chart as a common method of transcribing, distributing and learning new songs came to fruition inside the church with the praise and worship revolution. Originating from the popular use of fake books in music culture, chord charts also moved in to the church. With the use of chord charts in the '90s and on, church music began to be shared and distributed quickly. Much to the chagrin of the church music publishers, this was accelerated by the use of photocopying in the '90s, then by the instant reach of the internet after the turn of the century.

This is not to say the chord chart has overtaken use of standard piano and vocal scores in the church. Those remain very much alive. As worship music has matured in its form, the musical style has actually become more complex in the last 5-10 years, as opposed to its early very simple forms in the '70s and '80s. The use of chord charts will continue to flux as the music form evolves.

[edit] History

Worship music (as a musical sub-genre) became popular in the 1980s, when Christian music publishers such as Maranatha! Music, Integrity Music and Vineyard Music started releasing a new style of songs of worship to God that featured a choral music format. The musical roots of the genre started long before the 1980's, but the term "worship music" was not used until then.

Worship music's goal is to bring people and entire churches into a deeper personal worship experience and intimacy with God. This emphasis on building and strengthening the relationship between God and man is the true foundation of worship music. Praise, worship and adoration of the Creator is the focus of worship music, and it serves as one of the ways a Christian can give thanks to God for everything that God has done for that person.

Worship music is sometimes also referred to as praise and worship music. The two terms are often intermixed today. Praise music was usually used to refer to faster, upbeat type of songs, while worship music would imply a slower, more heartfelt expression of adoration and worship to God.

[edit] Early Roots: Late '60s & Early '70s

The term "worship music" did not come into use as a common expression until the mid-'90s. The etymology of the phrase is really a progression from the original coined phrase of "praise music", which began appearing and being labelled as such during the early 1970s. This expression was an outgrowth of the music ministries that accompanied the Jesus movement of the '70s through the US and especially as it originated from the Calvary Chapel churches throughout Southern California. The Jesus people also concurrently expanded the notion of popular Christian music with Jesus music, which eventually became known as CCM (Contemporary Christian Music).

Much of the original praise music was itself heavily inspired by a series of then "contemporized" church songs written from the lyrics of the Bible, called "Scripture in Song". That music was written by David and Dale Garratt of New Zealand and served to ignite music in Calvary Chapel music (which became Maranatha! Music) and other church groups worldwide. Maranatha! Music was the main purveyor of the "praise music" moniker, and carries that banner even today. Corresponding with the growth of the music within North American churches, the UK was also churning through cultural shift, and worship leader/songwriter Graham Kendrick emerged as an early influential voice in songwriting for the new "church music" liturgy.

[edit] Expanding into the Church: The '80s

Towards the late '70s and at the start of the '80s, another southern California church based music group began expanding in popularity- Vineyard Music. Springing up from the music ministries of the Vineyard churches, they reflected very similar style and lyrical content as the early Calvary Chapel/Marantha Music song content, but began to label their songs as "worship songs". In mid '80s other companies sprang up to meet the needs of the quickly modernizing church. Musical tastes and styles were rapidly changing as the church struggled to close a gap of nearly fifty years from the modern music of the culture. The '70s, '80s and '90s saw the church close that gap with increasing attentiveness to the modern sounds and expressions.

In 1987, a music ministry that birthed "Hosanna Music" began to expand. Originally, as direct mail club, eventually changing its name to Integrity Music, they branded the phrase "praise worship" into their products, solidifying the moniker for many church music lovers. Over the next 5-10 years, songwriters and worship leaders such as Don Moen, Kent Henry, Bob Fitts, Lynn Deshazo, Gary Sadler, Daniel Gardner, Billy Funk, Marty Nystrom, Lenny LeBlanc and many other writers worked with producer Tom Brooks and helped fill American churches with new choruses that became basis of the Integrity song catalog.

[edit] Modernization of Sound & Style: The '90s

As the '90s came along, Vineyard Music had expanded as well, and they became very popular during the 1994-1998 time frame, when a cooresponding revitalization in their churches birthed a plethora of still well-used songs throughout the church global. During that time, Vineyard almost completely labeled its music "Worship Music". It was also during that time that UK influence from modern sounds of worship bands like Delirious?, and writers such as Matt Redman began to appear, many of whom gave direct acknowledgement to their stylistic inspiration and philosophical roots with Vineyard music writers such as Kevin Prosch and others. The UK worship was brought into the North American strata by the EMI Christian Music Group, through the brand "WorshipTogether". It grew from 1998 until present with names such as Delirious?, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes and others.

The '90s also saw global contribution in church music from Hillsong Australia songwriters and worship leaders writing songs that would sweep the world with popularity and longevity as anthems of the modern church. Originally with worship leaders and songwriters Geoff Bullock, and later Darlene Zschech, Hillsong eventually became the most recognized church community in songwriting.

New styles of worship music have been emerging and becoming popular, such as the intimate or deep worship style, which is used to denote more of a quiet type of worship music. There is also acoustic worship, which relies on acoustical instruments only without electronic instruments such as electric guitars.

In 1994, the first online discussion group appeared related to worship and music (called the "Worship List"). It quickly expanded into a community website called "praise.net" and survives to this day as the oldest online information center on the topic. Out of that online community, the first online worship and music resource (WorshipMusic.com) was started in 1998.

[edit] Popularity & Commercialization: 2000 and beyond

The popularity of worship music has grown tremendously since the year 2000, and has seen the release of many new worship music albums by both the major record companies and independent labels. This explosion in the Christian music market has brought worship music to the forefront, and no longer relegated for congregational singing only.

[edit] Hillsong

The move into Christian pop culture, and growing popularity of megachurches, was marked by the popularity of Hillsong, which in 2005 broke Australian records by selling more CDs on the week of the release of the CD than all other CDs in the pop market combined together.

[edit] Other Devotional Music

There are many styles of music used in Christian devotional contexts. A broader review of those styles and their origins and history in church liturgy would incorporate the broader topic of church music. This includes all the forms of Christian devotional stylings such as gospel, southern gospel, hymns, country gospel, black gospel, chants, blended music and choral music.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Free Resource Sites & Directories

Add free worship resource sites below. If a site is largely commercial, it will be removed.

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