Introducing new songs can be tricky. There are lots of ways to do it but the key is to give people a chance to engage with it before you use it in church. Graham Kendrick tends to teach his songs line by line, Stuart Townend tends to ring the changes out with an orchestra before bringing it into worship and Matt Redman will often inject the song straight into the set. The placement of the song in the service also has a bearing on how well people engage with it. Trying to introduce too many new songs in one service is often not a good idea. It can often leave people feeling frustrated and overwhelmed.
A good way to try to get congregations engaged with a new song is to use it in home groups a few weeks before you intend to sing it in church. That way at least some of the congregation will be familiar with it when you bring it into church and there is a better chance that they will remember the lyrics and melody. Putting it in the first part of the set also helps as it gives people time to sing along before they start to feel overwhelmed.
Billy Joel has released his first new song in nearly two decades and it is a return to his classic pop ballads. “Turn the Lights Back On” is a poignant reminder of what has been lost and a promise that something new will be found.
It is not too late for a new year resolution to make the effort to learn more of these timeless hymns. They will provide you with a rich and diverse diet of music. It is like your great-grandmother’s recipe for bread — it might be old but it is always fresh and delicious when you prepare it with the right ingredients.
A reimagining of Kilo Ali’s booty-bass anthem “Cocaine,” this track from Lil Nas X’s debut album is one of its grimiest and jagged songs. It is a clever reimagination that is both a tribute to the rap’s heyday in Atlanta’s 90s era and a warning against drug abuse.
Doom Singer is a name you might not expect from the bubbly, infectiously catchy pop-punk of DNCE but this new song from Chip Chrome and Mono-Tones proves that he’s not stuck in his comfort zone. The song’s chorus is guttural and deafening, with Farren screaming like he’s exorcising a demon.