Sad Song Playlist

If we have been born again, we can walk in the assurance of the abiding presence of Jesus within us. We can recognize that He goes before us and with us, and that can result in joy in our hearts. Psalm 16 states:
8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

So, we can ask ourselves each day how we are experiencing the presence of God.  Certainly, that comes through making time available to seek Him through His Word and in prayer.  But, as we walk day by day, we can seek ways through which we can remain in a state of knowing that He is with us.  Faith Radio can certainly provide that reminder through Bible teaching and uplifting music, and we can be drawn to worship Him in response to the knowledge of Him.

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The awareness of God's presence can bring us peace and joy and cultivate in our hearts a desire to pursue a deeper walk with the Lord. Proverbs 4 instructs us:
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Faith Radio provides you with all-Christian programming to the glory of God 24/7 through a number of ways - on-air with our 9 broadcast outlets, as well as online through our website and our app for smartphone and tablets.  One component of our program schedule is solid Biblical teaching by well-known, well-respected Bible teachers.  Another is the uplifting music that we share each day - over 15 hours a day on average for over 100 hours per week.  Our music is oriented toward Praise and Worship, lifting up Jesus and reminding us of who He is and what He's done. 

Interestingly enough, a new survey shows that the younger generation, Generation Z, is attracted toward songs that are not uplifting.  An article on the Movieguide website notes:

A new report from Spotify found that Gen Z is actively seeking out sad music.

“‘Sad’ is the most-searched term for Gen Z listeners on Spotify globally,” the streaming platform wrote, adding that they are listening to Spotify’s “sad” playlists “more than any other age group.”

Krista Scozzari, the North American Marketing Lead at Spotify, said, “There’s something really unique about this generation. They embrace their feelings so much. They’re really flipping the stigma of vulnerability. Gen Z has brought a raw, authentic new reality to expressing their emotions, and we’re seeing that in how they listen.”

Gen Z'ers are generally thought to be those born in the mid-1990's to early-2010's, meaning that you have a number of tweens, teens, and young adults who are part of this generation.  And, apparently they are being conditioned toward sadness, which really says a whole lot about the mental condition of many in that generation. 

The Spotify website notes: 

On Spotify this summer, sad songs are getting us in our feels, thanks to our listeners who are unapologetically expressing their emotions. “Sad” is the most-searched term for Gen Z listeners on Spotify globally, and they’re tuning into our sad playlists—including pop-infused sad hour, R&B-inspired All The Feels, rap-heavy tear drop, sad sierreño, sad girl country, and sad girl starter pack—more than any other age group.

Scozzari is also quoted as saying, "With this campaign, we really wanted to celebrate how sharing sad music helps us feel more connected,” adding, “Our listeners want to feel seen and heard, and to help normalize their feelings and humanity, hopefully helps them feel all that.”

The Movieguide article quotes from Simon McCarthy-Jones, described as "a professor of clinical psychology at Trinity College Dublin;" the article relates:

“When people listen to sad music, only around 25 percent say they actually feel sad,” he said, per Relevant Magazine. “The remainder experience other, often related emotions, most commonly nostalgia. This feeling of nostalgia can help increase our sense of social connectedness, mitigate feelings of meaninglessness and reduce anxiety.”

While teenagers listening to sad music isn’t necessarily a sign of deeper issues, experts recommend that parents talk to their children if they have concerns.

It went on to say:

Dr. Brian Primack told NPR. “Sometimes the signs and symptoms in adolescence are different. Maybe there’s more irritability as opposed to sadness.”

Primack explained that your child’s music might be a clue that they need help but stressed that parents should see their children’s music choices as an attempt at “solace” rather than a “cause of the mental illness.”

And, as Movieguide notes, it "previously reported on external influences that can impact your child’s mental health, including social media..."  It related:

Teenagers who spend more time on social media have increased depression, according to recent studies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study placing suicide as the second leading cause of death amongst individuals aged 10-34.

Social media is not the direct cause but rather the correlation between the spike in depression and its use. The basic human to human interaction has been lost on many levels through social media.

I do believe that the influences to which we expose ourselves can have an impact not only on our moods, but also on our spiritual health.  That is why when Christians listen to music, music that exalts Christ should be part of one's playlist. We have to make sure that our hearts and minds are guarded, and God has ordained music to be a powerful tool to bring people into His presence - conversely, the enemy will pervert that purpose to adversely affect us.  

And, that is especially important with our young people, who are especially vulnerable to mental health issues. While experts don't necessarily think a propensity for those in the younger generations to listen to sad music is a problem, it certainly can be an indicator of the condition of the soul.  

God wants to bring us in to a place where we experience His presence and the Bible teaches us that joy comes from being in the presence of the Lord. He wants to usher us into a place with Him where we can be encouraged and aware of His being with us.