What CCM Can Learn from The Eagles

[toddohio]

I caught some of The Eagles Farewell TV thing on NBC this week. I thought Don Henley said something very profound that the CCM music industry can take to heart.

Don said something like..."we (The Eagles) were forced to become great songwriters...we didn't write much from personal experience...we wrote songs from a much broader view...songs that everyone could relate to..."

I can't wait for the current trend of "everybody in their brother making a praise and worship CD" ending. Let me explain: I love P&W music. I especially love it at church. But, praise and worship music is a niche within a niche within a niche. It's very narrowly targeted to people who go to church regularly and who love to praise and worship God all of the time (I wish that were me at times). I realize that some are "called" to praise and worship, and that's cool.

But, I believe that this P&W CD trend could hurt CCM radio...especially in a year or two when our recurrents and gold songs are these P&W songs that have words like praise, worship, we bow down, exalt, magnify, Holy, dwell, reign, gloria, etc. Don't get me wrong...these songs are incredible and have their place for sure. But...P&W songs are narrow and exclude listeners - which makes CCM stations very unfamiliar and unrelatable to non-core listeners.

Songwriters in our industry may have a greater impact on the culture by writing songs about everyday life and how God impacts our relationships, decisions and heartbreak. We would still have a specific target listener, but our message would be very broad and appealing to mainstream radio listeners.

Imagine radio stations across the country adding more and more new listeners because we took to heart the words of Don Henley..."we wrote songs from a much broader view...songs that everyone could relate to..."

 

[radioelizabeth]

toddinohio wrote:
"...praise and worship music is a niche within a niche within a niche. It's very narrowly targeted to people who go to church regularly and who love to praise and worship God all of the time (I wish that were me at times). I realize that some are "called" to praise and worship, and that's cool. But, I believe that this P&W CD trend could hurt CCM radio..."

And the truth is that no one likes to worship ALL the time. Ok, before you throw tomatoes...

We are HUMAN...and our FEELINGS & EMOTIONS play such a huge part of who we are. Our MINDS and our SPIRITS are not always lining up. You honestly have to be either IN THE MOOD or DISCIPLINING yourself to want to hear worship. That might not be the "best scenerio" as Christians, but that doesn't mean it isn't the truth.

The times when I am "on fire for Christ" I definitely listen to my Darlene Zschech. I also make the choice to listen when I know, as a Christian, I really NEED to. Regardless of how I feel about it at the moment. But...not always.

Also, private worship and corporate worship evoke different emotions, responces, and experiences. Radio is a private experience and that definitely impacts the way worship is received on the radio.

Some artists that have done a great job include the artists that just SOUND GREAT no matter what they sing...so, you are captivated and you listen. There aren't many, but I would say Mercy Me, Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and a few others really have that kind of pull.

I think it's wonderful to create music that is so completely vertical, and I am a HUGE P/W fan from that perspective. But I think we do need to be honest about it's role in radio.

There are also times of day when it may be better received than others. Where tempo and energy rules have to be weighted with lyric and style. An expectation of worship on the dial on a Sunday morning might resonate better than during a morning commute to work.

I imagine these songs would test well...because they are great songs...but because I like the song and like to listen to it, doesn't mean I would choose to listen to it.

And P/W is even narrower than the lonely love song.

Songs can take us to a different state of mind, but our state of mind also impacts our choice.

e
<P ID="signature">______________
RADIOELIZABETH
Pleasant, Passionate, Persuasive
www.radioelizabeth.com</P>

 

[scooterodell]

AMEN!!!!

 

[rbrucecarter]

> And the truth is that no one likes to worship ALL the time.
> Ok, before you throw tomatoes...

NO tomatos here. CCM radio is primarily about entertainment - and is not a worship venue.

> The times when I am "on fire for Christ" I definitely listen
> to my Darlene Zschech.

Darlene is a tremendously talented artist. Some of her stuff ROCKS! But by the time it is performed in churches by low talent bands and singers, it loses its zest.

> I think we do need to be honest about it's role in radio.

I see the PW movment on radio similar to the attitude "OK, we can't have too much fun, its time to take our spiritual medicine and make it Holy again". Christian "Jack FM" - "We are going to play what we want, don't give us requests for rock / CHR, or HOT AC, we know what is best for your spiritual life."

> There are also times of day when it may be better received
> than others. Where tempo and energy rules have to be
> weighted with lyric and style. An expectation of worship on
> the dial on a Sunday morning might resonate better than
> during a morning commute to work.

THANK YOU! I am glad somebody said it. But when one goes to a church where the PW rocks - slow PW on the Christian station doesn't prepare you for the excitement of the service you are about to attend. I now turn it on the Christian rock station as I go to church - instead of being bored out of my mind, mellowed down to the point of being sleepy / or worse yet ineffective in a fast paced, creative ministry environment.

> I imagine these songs would test well...because they are
> great songs...but because I like the song and like to listen
> to it, doesn't mean I would choose to listen to it.

I wonder how impartial the surveys are that say PW songs test well. When one has a predetermined outcome in mind, objective evidence to the contrary tends to get ignored.

> And P/W is even narrower than the lonely love song.

Thank you again! I do not know a single person under 50 years of age, male or female, that likes it on the radio. When it comes on, they punch the button to another - usually secular - station. Does that make them less "spiritual"? No - it is them expressing a distaste for slow, boring music.

 

[smashedcd]

> > And the truth is that no one likes to worship ALL the
> time.
> > Ok, before you throw tomatoes...
>
> NO tomatos here. CCM radio is primarily about entertainment
> - and is not a worship venue.
>
> > The times when I am "on fire for Christ" I definitely
> listen
> > to my Darlene Zschech.
>
> Darlene is a tremendously talented artist. Some of her
> stuff ROCKS! But by the time it is performed in churches by
> low talent bands and singers, it loses its zest.
>
> > I think we do need to be honest about it's role in radio.
>
> I see the PW movment on radio similar to the attitude "OK,
> we can't have too much fun, its time to take our spiritual
> medicine and make it Holy again". Christian "Jack FM" - "We
> are going to play what we want, don't give us requests for
> rock / CHR, or HOT AC, we know what is best for your
> spiritual life."
>
> > There are also times of day when it may be better received
>
> > than others. Where tempo and energy rules have to be
> > weighted with lyric and style. An expectation of worship
> on
> > the dial on a Sunday morning might resonate better than
> > during a morning commute to work.
>
> THANK YOU! I am glad somebody said it. But when one goes
> to a church where the PW rocks - slow PW on the Christian
> station doesn't prepare you for the excitement of the
> service you are about to attend. I now turn it on the
> Christian rock station as I go to church - instead of being
> bored out of my mind, mellowed down to the point of being
> sleepy / or worse yet ineffective in a fast paced, creative
> ministry environment.
>
> > I imagine these songs would test well...because they are
> > great songs...but because I like the song and like to
> listen
> > to it, doesn't mean I would choose to listen to it.
>
> I wonder how impartial the surveys are that say PW songs
> test well. When one has a predetermined outcome in mind,
> objective evidence to the contrary tends to get ignored.
>
> > And P/W is even narrower than the lonely love song.
>
> Thank you again! I do not know a single person under 50
> years of age, male or female, that likes it on the radio.
> When it comes on, they punch the button to another - usually
> secular - station. Does that make them less "spiritual"?
> No - it is them expressing a distaste for slow, boring
> music.
>
good post. i completely agree. just 10 years ago the only stations playing p and w were inspo stations. now you just about cant tell the diffrence in the two formats. off with the p and w!!<P ID="signature">______________
deep tracks xm 40 for those who arent single minded</P>

 

[neutral_observer]

> I wonder how impartial the surveys are that say PW songs
> test well.

A piece of the song is played, participants choose a number to rate it, and the numbers get averaged. Seems impartial to me.



> I do not know a single person under 50
> years of age, male or female, that likes it on the radio.
> When it comes on, they punch the button to another - usually
> secular - station.

And, yet, stations such as WLAB in Fort Wayne play a lot and do well.

Me? I have no personal opinion on it. If I couldn't get primary research on it in a situation, I'd probably stay away for the most part.