Worship Corner - Columns/Blogs, Song Stories and Articles
About Marty Nystrom Marty Nystrom is a songwriter, best known for As The Deer, which has been a mainstay for years in CCLI’s lists of Top 100 Worship Songs. In the CCLI Copy Report results from February 2008, As The Deer was listed at #41.
10 Traits the Top CCLI Songs Have in Common
Posted 6/9/2008


(In sidebar)
1. How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash
2. Blessed Be Your Name - Matt & Beth Redman
3. Here I Am To Worship - Tim Hughes
4. Open The Eyes Of My Heart - Paul Baloche
5. Shout To The Lord - Darlene Zschech
6. Holy Is The Lord - Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio
7. You Are My King - Billy Foote
8. Forever - Chris Tomlin
9. Lord I Lift Your Name On High - Rick Founds
10. Come Now Is The Time To Worship - Brian Doerksen
(CCLI US February 2008 Survey)

Christian Copyright Licensing Inc. releases a biannual list of the top 25 worship songs used by churches in America. This list is an indicator of those songs that have crossed denominational and worship style lines. As a songwriter I have studied this list closely through the years. Not only have I watched it for worship trends but also for song elements that have remained consistent regardless of changing musical styles. Here are ten traits that are important to the success of these classic worship songs. 

1. Universal Theme:
A successful lyric will be an existing sentiment in the hearts of worshipers from a broad audience. A song on the top of the CCLI list is there because its theme remains true to worshipers regardless of age, denomination or cultural background.  Lyric phrases such as “How great is our God” and “Forever God is faithful” are relevant and honest expressions for all believers. A lyric should not require an in-depth Bible study before it can be appreciated.

2. Lyric Consistency
A strong song will have a theme that remains consistent through all of its sections. The lyrics in the verse will support or build on the topic stated in the chorus. A strong song will not wander from idea to idea. The second section of “Open the Eyes of My Heart” begins with “To see you high and lifted up.” This is an effective transition tying the sections together. The verses of “Blessed Be Your Name” bring more understanding to the message and encourages us to sing the chorus with even greater passion. A good question to ask, can the theme be stated in a word or short phrase?

3. Prosody
Prosody in song writing refers to the perfect marriage of music and lyric. Not only should each compliment the other but will ideally bring out the best in its partner.  When heard alone, does the music incite the same emotion or message that the lyric expresses? The pitch, rhythm, tension and energy in the melody married to the lyric “Shout to the Lord all the earth…” is an example of effective prosody.

4. Lyric Originality
The lyricist of a classic song finds a fresh way to express an old thought. Lyrics like “You stepped down into darkness” and “He wraps Himself in light” paint a picture in the mind’s eyes making the message memorable without being overly poetic.  A lasting song will include words, phrases, and rhyme pairs that have not been overused and that cause a lyric to be predictable and trite. A good lyricist will seek out scriptural truths and make them accessible to the worshiper. 

5. Form
Right-brained creative types love to break the mold and free themselves from the restraints of musical structure. Before abandoning traditional song forms writers should remember that their audience is made up mostly of “left-brainers.” Their minds will be seeking a clear picture of how a song is ordered. They will not be satisfied if it leaves them feeling unsettled or disjointed. All of the CCLI examples contain solid song forms and are built with sections that are so distinctive that there is no question where the verse ends and the chorus begins.

6. Musical Interest
Songs included on the top of CCLI’s list are often included on instrumental recordings based on the merit of their musical interest. A great song will have a melody that is easily recognizable apart from its harmonic and rhythmic accompaniment. It will have musical integrity enough to be appreciated by musicians of all levels and will introduce new musical ideas with each section.

7. Usability
Perhaps the greatest challenge for the writer of praise and worship music is to find the balance between originality and usability. How do we introduce new musical ideas while keeping the song playable and singable for the local church? “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” has been high on CCLI’s list for many years. Apart from being an inherently strong song, it has lasted because its chordal simplicity makes it approachable for any church band.

 8.  A Well Placed Title
Ideally a song should never leave a listener wondering what the title is. The title should be unique, repeated appropriately and set in strong places within the song. “Here I Am to Worship” and “Come Now is the Time to Worship” place the title as the opening line of the chorus. “How Great is Our God,” “Blessed Be Your Name” and You Are My King make use of repetition. “Forever” and “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” end the chorus with their titles.

9. Balance of Repetition and New Ideas
Life is made up of the familiar and the new. Human beings love both as long as they are kept in balance. The same is true in song writing. Too much of a good thing can make a song boring. An overabundance of new ideas can cause a song to ramble. Songwriters repeat words, phrases, melodic motifs, and chord progressions to bring a sense of coherence to their song ideas. It’s not hard to find examples of these techniques in all of these top CCLI songs.

10. Effectiveness in Worship
I’ve saved the most important for last. The primary reason these songs are so beloved by Christians world-wide is simply because they are effective in helping worshipers exalt Jesus. Rather than drawing attention to themselves as musical works, these songs have been proven to incite worship in the hearts of people around the globe. This above all is what determines which songs will span generations.

Republished by permission from Marty Nystrom and Worship Musician Magazine. 


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BThomas Posted 3/25/2009 8:10:27 AM
I guess I shouldn't be surprised but I am disappointed by some of the comments. We are talking about worship songs, contemporary ones, not hymns. And while there are valid criticisms which can be made this article was about something different. It was about common traits of successful songs. If you don't like those kinds of songs, fine. But that is missing the point. A lot of people do like them and the ones which are popular and work well, work that way for a reason. What people want in these types of songs is reflected in the traits mentioned, and as a musician, Worship Director and songwriter, I find the list helpful. Just because a song is simple does not make it dumbed down to the lowest common denominator as some respondents here seem to think. The reality is the majority of people in churches today do not have a strong musical background or read music. They need and want it simple. Same goes for the theology of songs. Baby food for babies. Adult food for adults and for everyone else, something in between. Most contemporary worship songs would fall in the in between. People want music to help them connect God to their daily lives, and these songs are doing it for a lot of people whether you like them or not. God is speaking through them, too, so a bit of humble reality check might be helpful. Unless, of course, you feel you know better than God.
dpalmer Posted 3/1/2009 12:01:29 PM
To SimplyTruth: Not sure where you are going with your comments. Chord structures cannot be copyrighted. Melody lines can however. There are only so many possible chord combinations that make sense. There would be no 'new' songs to enjoy if chord structures could be copywritten.
bgville Posted 2/1/2009 9:37:01 AM
Part III Finally, in response to "anonymous" on 6-24-08, when I'm feeling a spiritual attack in the form of nightmares in the middle of the night, I put on the garment of praise with "Shout to the Lord" and it leaves!!! So YES, I WILL praising with "STTL" on my deathbed (if only in my mind).
bgville Posted 2/1/2009 9:32:52 AM
part II Can the song be done effectively in small groups with just 1 guitar or no instruments at all? Will it be whistled or hummed during the workweek, ie- carried with you no matter where you are?
bgville Posted 2/1/2009 9:26:01 AM
Part I Marty, I would like to add to your list. If a song is "tricky" in its melody line or in rythm, and makes the worshipper spend more time trying to figure out where it is going than being able to focus on singing to Him, it's solo material, not corporate worship.
Craiger Posted 1/29/2009 12:24:32 PM
(For rje) Shout To The Lord seems to be number 8 this time around: http://www.ccli.com/LicenseHolder/Top25Lists.aspx
SimplyTruth Posted 1/26/2009 8:32:27 PM
Other notable CCM praise tunes lifted from U2: Newsboys 'I am Free to Dance'/U2 'Where the Streets Have no Name'. Insert U2 lyrics into the Newsboys song, and they fit perfectly. And, 'Open the Eyes of my Heart'. 'Open the Eyes...' verses borrow from U2 'Still Havent Found what Im Looking 4'
SimplyTruth Posted 1/26/2009 8:26:08 PM
I was wondering. Did Matt Redmond pay royalties to U2 for taking the exact chord progression from their hit song "With or Without You" and just changing the words to make it a praise song? If U2 only knew how many CCM folks borrowed heavily from their songbook, they might be the next Hillsong.
rje Posted 1/8/2009 6:19:21 AM
I haven't checked the list to confirm, but isn't singing range a big part of what makes a song popular? If people can't sing it because it's too high/low, it eventually gets dumped. I think its the only reason "Shout to the Lord" isn't still in the top 25
Anonymous Posted 6/24/2008 3:10:13 PM
Part III: It’s a big world out there, and there’s also a lot of musical rich history behind us…what about some Samba, Jazz, Blues, French-Canadian folk, Debussy-esque harmonies, etc.? I recommend that all Church music-makers check out Harold Best’s excellent book, “Music through the eyes of Faith,” as a mind-expanding counter-cultural examination of how to approach music Christianly, and how to create both useable and lasting music for the Church.
Anonymous Posted 6/24/2008 3:09:23 PM
Part II: I like some of these songs just fine, but their conception and style is so closely wedded to the prevailing standards of music producers that it's hard for me to see the songs as having a legitimate shot at longevity or legendary status. Also, how about some church music that has strong influences from something either than American “alternative” rock?
Anonymous Posted 6/24/2008 3:08:28 PM
I’ll have to make this post in three parts due to the evident space limit: Part I: A previous poster wrote that each of the above songs "stands the test of time"! Fascinating, given that I'm pretty sure none of these songs was written earlier than 1987. How many of these songs are truly stirring or memorable without a backing band? How many of these songs will we be singing on our deathbeds?
Anonymous Posted 6/23/2008 5:31:31 PM
Thanks for the insights, Martin. I am a keyboard player, and have played at one time or another, all the songs on the liist. A trait that may be in the weave of all of these songs is that they stand the test of time. With all manner of instrumentation, vocalists, keys (with or without key changes . .) and settings, from the keyboard I can sense a difference when one of these songs is sung: there is an energy in the room that is undeniable. Not just volume, but energy. Praise God! Mike McC.
Anonymous Posted 6/23/2008 1:02:54 PM
Becca, would you mind posting an example of a contemporary worship song that has one seven-word phrase repeated 11 times? Just curious. That "HO" [humble opinion] has been thrown around quite enough without anyone giving any thought to its reality. Yes, there are certainly "contemporary worship songs" that are highly repetitive. Yes, we could often use a little more "depth" in the lyrics. And, from some writers, you will get that. Probably the difficult there is that a worship song that transcends any significant denominational/dogmatic boundaries will, by its very nature, not be as deep theologically ... if it were, it would be limited to use by believers/congregations that hold to that teaching and not by those who do not. I believe that to be implicit in Marty's first point. Now this: "The following traits seem conspicuously absent in 'Christian music': sustained Theological depth; song-writing with a focus on the limited vocal ranges and vocal agility of congregations; adventurous artistic development; a connection with the breadth of the history of music and poetry." Shows some insight, but, regretfully, isn't specific enough. There is a host of "Contemporary Worship Music" that has limited vocal range (an octave or less melody span). Rhythmic complexity is a tad more of an issue, but in my experience most congregants of any particular age aren't good rhythm readers --- throw a new hymn their way with a dotted quarter and eight combination and many will miss it. Sustained Theological depth is regrettably not only absent from most songbooks, but also from many pulpits and the culture at large. And the songwriting process must be examined ... there's hardly such thing as a lyricist/composer relationship in contemporary songwriting, but the same person does both lyric and melody/harmony. It does indeed mean that at times the lyrical content will be adjusted to fit a musical idea. This may indeed be the wrong approach, but it's not one to be changed easily without changing the public's conception of what they are singing. And there is the *real* issue ... to wit, that music has become so very important to people today that it often expects service for itself. Show me a congregation that can worship for weeks on end with no music, and I'll show you one that is ready to sing in Spirit and in Truth indeed. The rest of us are flirting with idolatry by worshiping music instead of music's original Creator.
Anonymous Posted 6/22/2008 5:17:02 PM
I am typically not one to add to these comment lists, however I was particularly struck by the last comment in the first point. "A lyric should not require an in-depth Bible study before it can be appreciated." With lyrics such as “You stepped down into darkness” and “He wraps Himself in light” how can we avoid further study? To "dumb it down" or add more water, is NOT the answer. Still, overall good thoughts. Respectfully, Glenn
Anonymous Posted 6/20/2008 3:07:41 PM
While I appreciate Mr. Nystrom's thoughts, it is painfully clear that Contemporary Church music is more closely wedded to corporate ideas of marketability than at any other time in Church history. The following traits seem conspicuously absent in "Christian music": sustained Theological depth; song-writing with a focus on the limited vocal ranges and vocal agility of congregations; adventurous artistic development; a connection with the breadth of the history of music and poetry.
Anonymous Posted 6/18/2008 2:15:08 PM
Thanks, Marty ... for addressing these traits for the musician-composer in all of us. From the Biblical perspective, obviously the Father is going to "orchestrate" the music that He prefers within the hearts of those whom He is calling ... so, regardless of how "effective" or "savvy" we might think we are in the artistic process, we can rest assured that He is always in the mix! I'm glad He likes creativity and variety. :-)
Anonymous Posted 6/13/2008 12:56:52 PM
Marty, you have provided an excellent assessment. The "secret sauce" for a powerful worship song is somewhat undefined and unpredictable. Yet, somehow, these songs simply strike at the chord of simplicity within our spirit - and we are connected to Him...
Anonymous Posted 6/13/2008 11:49:08 AM
Good analysis. Good article. And besides all that, you wrote one of my all-time favorite worship songs!
Anonymous Posted 6/13/2008 7:37:55 AM
I play piano for my home congregation as well as a Hispanic congregation that shares our building. I also attend a different denominational church on Sat. I am amazed how often these totally disconnected services will contain one song in common any given weekend. Is the Father is orchestrating what He wants to hear on any given occasion of corporate worship? Perhaps it's the Holy Spirit at work- not just a pleasing song stucture?
Anonymous Posted 6/13/2008 4:41:22 AM
Thank you, Marty for this thoughtful list. For a budding songwriter, I appreciate advise from those who by faith and patience have stepped into the blessing! And it's like taking notes from a mini-class. Your list will be read and re-read as I write and edit songs. Kathy from NY
Anonymous Posted 6/12/2008 5:01:40 PM
Interesting "traits" list, not much variety on the song list, however...does that indicate another trait? As in, Similarity: rework a proven lyric/theme/melody for a greater chance at successfuly joining the hit list.....brings to mind the "7/11" concept---a 7 word phrase repeated 11 times equals a hit contemporary Christian song----is that the industry or the public driving that? Just IMHO....Becca
Anonymous Posted 6/12/2008 2:20:11 PM
So, where's the list? Samuel Besse

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