Why I Stopped Listening to Mainstream Worldly Music

Being the son of two musicians, music plays an important role in my life. I became a musician as well, although not to the level they were.

Parents would play on the weekends at evening hotspots in Bend, OR in the early and mid-80s. They would play cover songs from the 70s and 80s, maybe an original here and there. They went on to have respectable careers in music until this day.

Here is my mom’s music website:

Maxie Kinney Music
The Music Journey of a Country Gal from Oregon

I started playing the guitar around 21 years old. I played the keyboard and piano when I was younger.

Here is my music website in progress:

Robbie Newport Music
Original Christian Folk Music

Storytime

I remember a time when I was around 11 years old in a music shop (in the late 80s and early 90s there were mostly cassette tapes for sale) and I had the choice between Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) or New Kids on the Block — I chose BTO and have always been proud of that decision.

I have good taste for genuine music of all genres. At least, I think so.

I kept collecting cassettes throughout the years (MC Hammer, Snow, Billy Joel, etc.) and then CDs (Boston, Blur, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Ben Folds Five, Chicago, Dave Matthews Band, etc.)

By the time I threw almost all of them away being led by God, I had probably around 500 CDs of my favorite mainstream worldly music up until then (32 YOA).

Why?

But why don’t I still listen to these classics that have supposedly brought so much joy along the path of life?

That is the thing, I decided to stop punishing myself with nostalgic songs created by a music industry that goes against the Holy Bible. Yes, they represent Americana and ostensibly are innocent of anything more than having a good time and expressing the soul of that generation, yet often, their music has been cursed with demonic spirits by ruling occultists, and when the listener comes into agreement with the song, spirits can transfer to them.

What I’ve realized is I can’t just listen to anything over and over. I have to be very careful of what music I input into my ears and brain. Listening to Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are” and getting it stuck in my head for days seems like a good idea because it is a great heartfelt song, one of the best love songs of all time, yet it still makes me depressed.

See, I can only listen to songs over and over that don’t make me depressed and sad. The music is just too powerful to mess with.

Example

It makes me laugh with pain when I think of the most depressing songs ever. How about Harry Nilsson “Without You” from 1971 — what a complete downer!

Now, I don’t recommend listening to this song, but if you do, note how it makes you feel afterward compared to before.

Are you depressed yet?

Clarification of Spiritual Implications

What I’m trying to say is, I can only listen to some songs over and over and not get depressed and sad. And songs that are meant to make me depressed, angry, or sad, I stay away from those anyway. There was a time though I did listen to the likes of, Slipknot, Deftones, Seether, etc.

Music will bring the spirit of those who are playing it into the listener if allowed. Some musicians know this and consider themselves casting spells, others are just expressing pain and negative emotions in a somewhat constructive way, yet being guided by a demonic spirit apart from God.

Even happy songs can make me sad. For instance, I can’t readily listen to the Beach Boys without feeling depressed and sad afterward. It gets me to such a high, inevitably, I fall back down to my default austere reality.

There are also talented artists who mean no harm, yet are not born-again Christians who believe in the Holy Bible. They are being led by a worldly spirit.

People may say, so what, I’m not a believer. I understand, yet in my experience, listening to worldly music as a nonChristian ( I was a nonChristian from 19 until 26 YOA) or Christian is bound to make you sad and depressed. For Christians, the Holy Spirit in us will become grieved at the idolatry and unbelief and our conscience will bear it.

Conclusion

This is why I stopped listening to most music, especially, worldly mainstream music. I like listening to old gospel hymns at church and older select Christian music like Carroll Roberson. I also like to listen to instrumental music, including some jazz, blues, classical, and folk.

I don’t mind if song lyrics aren’t always about Jesus, yet it is important to me that the songwriter and singer is a Christian if I’m listening to lyrics.

Ultimately, I no longer feel sad and depressed after listening to music. God has helped me filter out the worldly music and use the good music as a tool for true praise, worship, gratitude, and enjoyment.

Hopefully, this helps the reader consider where their emotions come from when listening to worldly mainstream music, including popular nominal Christian music.