For over 15 years, I’ve been hearing that once the “older generation” passes on, there will be no more support for Southern Gospel Music. However, we have seen that as people get older, they gravitate to our genre. Why does this music continually gain listeners 45+ old? It’s a puzzling question that critics of the genre wrestle with every year. There are many published articles, blog posts, and even books that make statements that Southern Gospel’s end is near.
It’s something that I don’t understand either. If the posts I read when I was in college were true, my favorite music wouldn't be airing right now. But working at the largest SG Radio station in the midwest, I have found that we actually grow as people get older. Even as the genre’s style expands, the listeners do as well.
Recently, I stumbled across this this quote by a Southern Gospel fan:
Well, most of the reason I gravitate toward gospel is that I am a proud follower of Jesus Christ...and as such, believe in spreading His Word in the best way possible....and music is a wonderful way to spread any message.
But more than that, I'm getting older...and more and more, I cherish the values that hold families and societies together...and I'm tired of mainstream media defying that, scoffing at it, or worst, shoving values I want no part of as a freedom loving person in my face, as though I HAD to accept them, or else I was...(gasp)...INTOLERANT!(the worst thing anyone can be in this age)
There you have it! Our “older generation” is very bold and a bit rebellious to the extent that they’re not going to be forced on what to think by others. They long for those truths that they can hold to.
Now, I’m not going to say that this IS THE EXACT REASON why Southern Gospel Music won’t be dying anytime soon. But it seems to be a very plausible answer that does define what’s happening in our genre.
~Matt
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