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The Difference Between Pop Church Songs and Worship

pop church songs

Most worship songs we sing these days follow some form of pop songwriting ethic. Pop church songs, really. Even the most “out there” worship songs can be linked to some similar sounding thing in popular music. But not all the pop stuff transfers equally. Not only do worship songs differ from pop songs, I find that pop songwriting techniques often work against congregational singing.

So, as much as we may enjoy the song-craft and twisty life of pop music, it helps to know the difference when we all start singing together.

The Difference Between Pop Church Songs and Worship

1. Pop Church Songs prioritize cleverness. Worship songs prioritize credibility.

A good pop song works best when it’s a little bit smarter (or faster) than you are. That lyric or melodic bridge takes you by surprise and in doing so, wins your affection. Worship songs don’t need to do that because when people are singing with you, they’re not waiting for you to deliver. They are participating in worship, which means the song simply needs to feel credible. It needs to feel like something they want (or need) to say to God.

2. Pop Church Songs thrive with precise arrangement. Worship songs thrive with flexibility.

Pop songs benefit from skilled performance. That last chorus works so beautifully because the chord structure in the bridge was crafted to lift the final movement of the song to a new “fifth gear.” Pop songs work when they end well. But worship songs don’t necessarily do that. Worship songs very often work best when they can be adapted to the needs of the congregation. Maybe slower, maybe down a half step, maybe stripped to just a verse and chorus. Worship songs work best when they’re malleable.