Music Matters

Music is powerful. What we listen to matters. As a teen, I listened all kinds of terrible music. It was the cool thing to do. What I didn’t recognize at the time is how the music influenced my thoughts and behavior. Looking back 25 years later, I can see some poor choices I made (or even just the way I thought about myself and the world around me) were influenced by the messages in music. Unfortunately most of those messages were negative. Don’t believe music matters? Do a Google search for ‘music and behavior impacts’ and read for yourself. The science is overwhelming.

In college I was convicted of my music choices. Convinced of the scientific theory that “garbage in=garbage out” and that music is just like every other input to your life, I decided to trade up my music for something that would encourage my soul instead of drag it down. I chucked all my old music. Everything from the ‘lost my girl’, and ‘woe is me’ country music choruses to the sex, drugs, and death themes of rap and heavy metal bands of the 80’s – 90’s was traded in at a campus music reseller so I could invest in more positive & uplifting tunes.

I’m glad I did. Isn’t it true that your favorite music TODAY is what you listened to when you were a teen or young adult? It sure is for me. Thankfully, I have a solid collection of music I’m happy to share with my teen son and anyone else for that matter. I feel no guilt or shame for the messages in my favorite music. In fact, when I hear some of my old favorites, it takes me back to good times in college. And now I love to sing along with my son (if you can call what I do “singing”) because he loves the music too. We are worshipping the Lord with our ‘joyful noise’, which is way better than singing “Baby Got Back” or “High Speed Dirt.” Yuck.

Just for fun (and because I know you are curious), here is a list of some of my favorite bands.

Audio Adrenaline – So many good songs and memories to go along with them. This band is my favorite – especially the stuff from 2000 and older.

DCTalk – Oh man, when “Jesus Freak” came out in 1995, my mind was blown. These rappers turned rockers are so fun. Very good stuff.

Newsboys – I prefer the old school albums with Peter Furler. Their “Go” album is among my favorite all time. Makes for very fast running somehow.

Third Day – Mac Powell has been around forever, but his voice is legend. Rock & worship as only he can do it. Legit.

Geoff Moore & the Distance – the first Christian band I got into. Happy songs.

Fear Not – only one album, but it is pure old school 80’s hair band rock & roll that sounds like Skid Row. Except they sing about Jesus. It’s really good.

Guardian – another awesome band that should have stuck around longer. Old school rock with witty lyrics about faith, hope, love, and Jesus.

Skillet – I’ve liked these guys since their first record in ’96. They just plain rock.

David Crowder Band – Newer band I’ve grown to like the last 10 years or so. Very unique sound.

Fireflight – I don’t normally like female vocalists, but this is one exception. Hard hitting and deep lyrics.

Day of Fire – Very raw and real lyrics about life & faith from a guy who found Jesus after doing the hard living thing with a popular secular band. This music makes me run faster.

What music feeds your soul?