Meaning-Making in the Contemporary Congregational Song Genre

Chapter 1 CCS Genre Formation and Scrutiny      

Introduction      

Key Questions and Findings        

The Formation of a Genre           

Perspectives on CCS History        

Selected Scholarship      

Why Music Semiology? (Texts, Writers, Audience)           

YouTube - the Primary Text       

Chapter 2 Contemporary Congregational Songs 

What's in a Name?         

Praise and Worship Theology     

Contemporary for whom?           

Defining congregational

Songs or Music?               

Are the most sung songs representative of the genre?   

Songs Under Analysis    

Introduction      

Where Do They Come From?     

Authenticity, Originality, and the Singer-Songwriter        

The Production Milieu   

Industry Insights              

Chapter 4 So the Songwriters Say (Poietic Analysis Pt 2) 

Who's who?      

Writing for the People  

Performance or Participation?   

Predicting Success          

Chapter 5  The Old and New Guard - Ways of Thinking for CCS Writers (Poietic Analysis Pt 3)        

Bridging Old and New   

Theological Considerations         

Co-writing          

Roles and Writing            

Poietic conclusion           

Chapter 6 How Christians Feel About the Songs they Sing - Individually (Esthesic Analysis Pt 1)    

Methods and Background           

To Sing or Not to Sing    

The Individual's Perspective and their Voice        

Why Christians Connect with Certain Songs         

Chapter 7  How Christians Feel About the Songs they Sing - Corporately (Esthesic Analysis Pt 2)   

Australia's National Church Life Surveys

What Gathered Worshipers Really Think

The Other NCLS Survey and What it Reveals        

The Big Picture of Local Churches' Musical Worship         

Synthesizing the Individual and Corporate            

Chapter 8 Just Another Pop Song? The Music  (Trace Analysis Pt 1)            

Introduction      

Memorable Melodies   

Melodic Expectations    

Catchy 

Banal Harmony

The Band            

Tempos and Time Signatures     

Structure            

Chapter 9 Just Another Pop Song? The Lyrics  (Trace Analysis Pt 2)            

Introduction      

Counting Lyrics 

Addressing God

Theology and Poetry     

CCS Categories 

Focus of current CCS      

Chapter 10 Some Individual Examples - Australia  (Trace Analysis Pt 3)    

The Problem with Analysing a Genre      

Cornerstone     

Mighty To Save

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)   

What A Beautiful Name

Chapter 11 Some Individual Examples - UK and USA  (Trace Analysis Pt 4)              

10,000 Reasons

How Great Is Our God   

In Christ Alone 

Revelation Song

Trace Analysis Conclusion            

Chapter 12 The Current and Future CCS Genre   

Meaning-making in CCS

Conflicting Messages    

Ambivalence or Appropriation   

The Evolving Genre        

The Functional Genre    

Where to From Here?