Another week, another Top 10 blog post. Since we have started this top 10 series, we have talked about many topics, from worship artists, movie trilogies and franchises, activities to undertake in Australia and high sugar foods, to superheroes, things to do at the beach, and original and traditional Christmas carols, as well as top 10 music videos of the year. Now this topic, though it may seem a little critical, is equally as valid- what are the top 10 most overplayed songs on Christian radio throughout the last 15 years?
If you would ask this question to 100 different people, guaranteed you’d have 100 different answers, depending on the listener’s musical taste and what they think the term ‘overplayed’ really is. Frankly, most songs on the radio are overplayed, but as I write in my list (this is a special top 10s, I tried real hard to find 10 overplayed songs but it eventually blew out into 20), I’ve noticed there are just some songs the radio plays again and again. Not that these songs I’m about to mention aren’t good, it’s just that I would probably need a break from them before I hear them again.
Light Up the Sky (The Afters)
How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin)
How He Loves (David Crowder*Band)
I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe)
He Reigns (Newsboys)
Flood (Jars of Clay)
Redeemer (Nicole C. Mullen)
Me and Jesus (Stellar Kart)
Caroline (Seventh Day Slumber)
My Saviour, My God (Aaron Shust)
Walk By Faith (Jeremy Camp)
I Need You to Love Me (BarlowGirl)
Hero (Skillet)
God’s Not Dead (Newsboys)
More to Life (Stacie Orrico)
Dare You To Move (Switchfoot)
The Words I Would Say (Sidewalk Prophets)
10,000 Reasons (Matt Redman)
Who Am I (Casting Crowns)
Oceans (Hillsong UNITED)
Quite a comprehensive list, right? Songs that you can remember in years past? I can. I’m sure everyone knows “God’s Not Dead”, “Oceans”, “Who Am I”, “Hero”, “Flood” and “How He Loves”, and I’m sure that even if these songs are overplayed, they still minister to whomever listens. Overplayed doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, yet the flipside is this- if a lot of songs are overplayed, then which songs aren’t played enough? The trade-off in promoting the same songs over and over again is the underexposure of artists and songs that may be just as good, if not better, than the songs that are played tirelessly on radio.
Which song out of the twenty is your favourite? Any songs you feel ought to be included as some of the most overplayed songs on radio? Who is your favourite underrated artist/song? Let us know in the comments.