For many centuries, the church has been one of the main sources and means of spreading new music around the world. Sacred and secular music have always influenced each other a great deal, and many forms of music, such as gospels and spirituals, originally made their way into houses of prayer from the secular world, and in the 20th century, so has pop music.
The first rock & pop superstars like Elvis Presley and The Beatles caused an uproar among devout Christians with their swinging hips, banging heads, screaming fans, and all the other ‘obscenities’ that came with them. John Lennon of the Beatles even dreamed of a better world without religion in Imagine, and he offended the Vatican with his statement that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus”. After several failed attempts to condemn pop music, the church had no choice but to come to terms with it, and to begin to integrate this new form of music.
It was partly through the work of Elvis Presley, a very devout man, that the two musical forces began to reconcile, when he published his spiritual songs and gospel albums (a compilation of which can be found in the issue Songs of Inspiration). In recent years, pop music has inspired the youth movements within the church, and many pop stars have also expressed their faith with songs inspired by religion.
The secular song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is one of the most popular songs in modern pop music, and in the church today, and due to its many religious allusions, it is often played at weddings, funerals and many other religious ceremonies and celebrations.
Klaus Heizmann established “Christian Pop Music” in Germany. This new religious music, which is so close to pop music, is categorised as Modern Sacred Song, and all around the English speaking world, pop singers like Sir Cliff Richard and Josh Groban sang songs of a similar style, and inspired people both in arenas, and in the church alike.
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1534059
for: Brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 289282
The famous Christmas classic by the international star
Discovery Plus Band Series – A Series for Developing Bands
for: Youth concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 674434
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 297308
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 816283
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 941761
Pops For String Quartet
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 685074
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1666212
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar), playback CD
Item no.: 140343
for: Violin, piano
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1543691
for: Melody instrument (C/B-flat/E-flat)
Music score (anthology), online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1012734
for: 2 descant recorders, guitar, glockenspiel
Songbook, ensemble scores
Item no.: 214716
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 617696
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1195937
for: Ukulele
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 587214
for: Keyboard
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 159138
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 756006
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 756005
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 734181
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 104313
17 Christmas Hits
additional 2. part
for: 1–2 violins
Ensemble score (anthology), online audio (playback)
Item no.: 770311
for: Keyboard, Klavier
Spielpartitur, CD, Sammelband
Item no.: 558192
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone (quartet)
Item no.: 276194
Pop und Rock
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Music score
Item no.: 1136472
Schulbuch
for: Voice
Songbook (Hardcover)
Item no.: 337150
Bekannte Weihnachtslieder im Popstil für 2 Trompeten und 2 Posaunen
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones (quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 177367
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
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for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
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for: Tuba
Music score
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for: Big band
Score, Parts
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for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
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for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Buch
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for: Jazz ensemble
Score, Parts
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for: Mixed choir (SMezATB) a cappella
Choir score
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for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
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Score, Parts
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for: Piano; voice ad lib.
Music score (spiral binding)
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for: Youth string orchestra
Score, Parts
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for: Piano
Music score
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for: Vocal Trio
Choir score
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2 Playback-CDs (without sheet music)
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for: Clarinet
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for: Piano
Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands)
Item no.: 1478801
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 726108
from "Christmas Symphony"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 726116
Hal Leonard Flex-Band Series
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices); drums ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 681728
for: Guitar
Music score (with tabs – anthology)
Item no.: 664563