Criteria For Song Evaluation

The following criteria are the categories that will be used to evaluate each song submitted. The songs will receive a 1-5 score in each category.

• Singability: Is the vocal range singable for average people (no more than about an octave, between A below middle C and 2nd D above middle C)? Are the note intervals, amount of syncopation, and difficulty of rhythms more for groups or soloists? Is it written for a congregation or a band?
• Musicality: Are the melody line, chord progression, etc. beautiful and compelling? Does the song stand out, musically, or is it average? Is it intuitive without being old hat? Does it resonate, drawing from us a deep response?
• Poeticality: Are the lyrics graceful, beautiful, moving? Is the imagery evocative and artful? Are the words easy to sing? Does the content help us to worship God?
• Stickiness: Can this song bear the weight of repetition, or will it get old? Are its musical and lyrical qualities so interesting and delightful that people can’t forget it or can’t stop singing it?
• Freshness: Does the song use new imagery, or rely upon clichés? Does it sound fresh musically, or like something from an earlier era? Will the vibe, rhythm, lyric, melody, and general feel of this song resonate with contemporary listeners?
• Convergence-ness: Ah, this is the tricky one. How well does this song fit with my sense of the progressive Christian movement? Is the language expansive/inclusive? Is it moving toward new ways of understanding Jesus? Does it reflect the values expressed in the Charter for a Just and Compassionate Christianity and Bryan Sirchio’s book, The 6 Marks of Progressive Christian Worship Music? (1. Praise, justice and fullness of human experience, 2. Inclusive/Expansive language, 3. Progressive theology, 4. Individual and Community, 5. Emotional authenticity, 6. Fresh images, ideas, and language)
• Formativity: Will this song strengthen the ways communities and individuals relate to God, themselves, others, and the environment over time?
• Usefulness: Does this song fulfill a special and needed purpose, such as praise or protest, celebration or lament, confession or assurance, outrage or rejoicing, jubilation or contemplation? Does it have special usefulness in a specific liturgical setting or season? Does it add to the range of topics and modes of expression?
• (Di)Versatility: Will this song help to create a diverse catalog of songs that embody the breadth of the church’s global expression? Or, is this song versatile enough to relate to diverse audiences, and can it be used or adapted in a variety of settings?
• The Magic: Does this song transport us somewhere? Does it bring us into the presence of God? Does it touch us deeply? Does it have that extra “wow” that sets it apart?