Research Archives - Page 8 of 14

Finney Media does music research every year on hundreds of songs in multiple markets across North America . . . and every year, the numbers on which songs from the past are the most popular with Christian Music Radio listeners changes. From our research during the past year, here are today’s Top Five Testing Songs released during each of the past 10 years.

2020

2019

1.	Cain	Rise Up	1.	Helser, Johnathan & Melissa	Raise A Hallelujah
2.	Tasha Layton	Into the Sea	2.	Vertical Worship	Yes I Will
3.	Jeremy Camp	Keep Me in the Moment	3.	We The Kingdom	Holy Water
4.	Josh Baldwin	Evidence	4.	Michael W. Smith	Waymaker (ft. Vanessa Campagna)
5.	Hope Darst	Peace Be Still	5.	Hillsong United	Another in the Fire

2018

2017

1.	Lauren Daigle	You Say	1.	Tenth Avenue North	Control
2.	Cory Asbury	Reckless Love	2.	Lauren Daigle	O’Lord
3.	Casting Crowns	Nobody	3.	Crowder	All My Hope
4.	Micah Tyler	Even Then	4.	Tauren Wells	Known
5.	Elevation Worship	Do It Again	5.	We Are Messengers	Point to You

2016

2015

1.	Zach Williams	Old Church Choir	1.	Bethel Music	No Longer Slaves
2.	Aaron Shust	Ever Be	2.	One Sonic Society	Great Are You Lord
3.	Hillsong	What A Beautiful Name	3.	Northpoint Inside Out	Death Was Arrested
4.	Elevation Worship	O Come to the Altar	4.	Jeremy Camp	Same Power
5.	Mercy Me	Even If	5.	Jordan Feliz	The River

2014

2013

1.	Francesca Battistelli	Holy Spirit	1.	Newsboys	We Believe
2.	Third Day	Soul on Fire	2.	Hillsong United	Oceans (Where Feet May Fall)
3.	Mercy Me	Greater	3.	Phil Wickham	This is Amazing Grace
4.	Owl City with Britt Nicole	You’re Not Alone	4.	Rhett Walker Band	Come to the River
5.	All Sons & Daughters	Great Are You Lord	5.	Big Daddy Weave	Only Name (Yours Will Be)

2012

2011

1.	Chris Tomlin	Whom Shall I Fear	1.	Aaron Shust	Risen Today
2.	Matt Redman	10,000 Reasons	2.	Third Day Children of God Chris Tomlin	I Lift My Hands
3.	Hillsong	Cornerstone	3.	Third Day	Trust in Jesus
4.	Newsboys	God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)	4.	Jason Gray	Remind Me Who I Am
5.	Big Daddy Weave	Redeemed	5.	Afters	Lift Me Up

Check out which titles are on this list that you may have taken out over the years . . . and consider if they should be a part of your station now.

Coming in August – Data from the Finney Media 2021 Why Listen® Survey.

Year-round, Finney Media tests Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) across the United States so we get a view on how listener tastes change over time. So, we thought it would be helpful to give you a look at the top Male and Female Artists based on the latest research of library songs from across the country.

Last month, we looked at MALE CCM ARTISTS. This month, Female. Based on a weighted scoring system (higher scoring songs mean higher weighting) over the past few months of testing, here are the Top Five Female Artists:

Top Five Female CCM Artists
1.	LAUREN DAIGLE
2. (tie)	Hillsong United Kari Jobe
4. (tie)	Francesca Battistelli We the Kingdom

How did we define female artist? Frankly, it’s a little subjective. If one of the dominant voices in a multi-voice band is a woman, we defined that artist as female. That makes Hillsong United, Hillsong Worship, We The Kingdom, and Cain female in our thinking. Casting Crowns, however, with Mark Hall as the dominant voice, is male.

That doesn’t change at all who our runaway no. 1 is. Lauren Daigle is easily the top female artist. Since her debut, every one of her songs has scored well and continue to score either great or good. We have not seen a female artist like her since Amy Grant’s debut forty years ago!

Coming in July . . . we’ll review the latest testing on the Top Five Songs released in each of the past ten years!

Year-round, Finney Media tests Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) across the United States to get a view on how listener tastes change over time. So, we thought it would be helpful to give you a look at the Top Male and Female Artists based on the latest research of library songs from across the country. Based on a weighted scoring system (higher scoring songs mean higher weighting) over the past few months of testing, here are The Top Five Male Artists:

1. CHRIS TOMLIN

2. Casting Crowns

3. Third Day

4. Mercy Me

5. Jeremy Camp

The list might surprise you. Where’s For King & Country? Where’s Crowder? For context, here are the next five artists:

6. For King & Country

7. Big Daddy Weave

8. Crowder

9. NEEDTOBREATHE

10. (tied) Newsboys
Zach Williams
Tenth Avenue North

Bottom line, CCM listeners still score songs from Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns and Third Day well if your station and your market continue to play them. If you’re testing, they’re worth a look.

Next month, The Top Five Female Artists – we’ve seen strong scores from women over the past couple years. Who rises to the top in our latest nationwide research?

Want to take a look at the top artist from the last decade? Read LAST MONTH’S article.

A fun new twist from Finney Media this month – our Top Five Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) Artists of the Decade. Here’s how we calculated what you’re about to see:

First, we considered song scores from 2020 on songs released between 2011 and 2020.

Secondly, we gave scores to artists based on how many higher testing songs they had. We score on a 5-point scale: Five points for any song with a nationwide average of 4.2 or higher, four points for a nationwide average over 4.1 to 4.19, all the way to 1 point for any song 3.8 to 3.89. So, it was possible for an artist to have lots of releases between 2011 and 2020 but because their song scores were not that high, they didn’t make the list. Conversely, it was possible for an artist with just a few releases, all of which test high, to make the list. The ideal was lots of releases, many of which test high – if you do music testing, you won’t be surprised by the artists on this list.

With that buildup, here are Finney Media’s Top Five CCM Artists of the Decade 2011-2020:

1.	Lauren Daigle
2.	Chris Tomlin
3.	For King & Country
4. (tie)	MercyMe Big Daddy Weave

Lauren Daigle = High Test. Pretty much every song she has released since How Can It Be in 2014 still tests great. And that’s what makes her easily our no. 1. We’ve noticed that a number of CCM stations have begun to deemphasize Chris Tomlin songs . . . but listeners sure aren’t hearing it that way. His songs are still testing great. And certainly, no surprise to see For King & Country, MercyMe and Big Daddy Weave round out the Top 5.

Want to see more artists?

For fun, here are the next five:

5. (tie)	Crowder Third Day Zach Williams
6. (tie)	Micah Tyler Jeremy Camp

Perhaps the biggest surprise to many programmers I talk with is how well Third Day still tests. Keep in mind, this list includes nothing they released from before 2011, much of which still tests well, and they still managed to pull in at no. 6.

Remember that the highest performing CCM stations regularly test their music, including titles they haven’t considered in a while. Figuring out what those might be is crucial when you’re figuring out the list to test.

Research is what we do. Need help? Visit our RESEARCH page to learn more.

Want to read more? Visit our ARCHIVES to read past articles.

HOW WE FIND THE TOP MORNING SHOW TOPICS

What are the top morning show topics to keep your listener tuned in? All year we survey Christian music radio listeners across the United States to discover where their heads and hearts are in relation to what we put on the radio. Questions we ask, aren’t just about songs but what happens between the songs. It’s enlightening what we learn! One area we ask about is topics you might hear on morning shows and how interested a listener might be in those topics.

Last month we revealed Five of the Lowest Ranking Topics. Now this month, here’s the Top Five Morning Show topics. Focus less on the Lower Five, focus more on the Top Five and you and your listener will have a happier 2021!

The Top Five Morning Show Topics (rated on a 1-5 scale):

1.	A Word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today	4.6
2.	A word of encouragement from a Biblical devotional	4.5
3.	A story from a listener about how God has done a miracle in her life	4.4
4.	Three ways to improve your marriage or relationships today	4.3
5.	Information on a Christian concert in your area	4.1
	Free, fun activities to do with your family around town this weekend	4.1
	A prayer of thanksgiving from a local pastor	4.1
	Story about a neighbor helping save a neighbor during a natural disaster	4.1

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Not only is the No. 1 answer the No. 1 answer this year. It’s the No. 1 answer every year.

Your Christian music radio listener would like for you to include Scripture and how it might apply to her life. She’s asking you to tell her the Truth. You just need to figure out how to bring it in a way that meets her where she is today. She’s busy, distracted, possibly hurting, and hoping you’ll include words of encouragement.

In fact, the Top Four are all variations on the theme of spiritual encouragement/spiritual growth.

If you pair this with the rejection of politics/sports/pop culture in last month’s survey (link), it’s pretty clear that we have the opportunity to touch more hearts more deeply by leaning our stations more in a spiritual encouragement direction.

And never an opportunity time like now.

Each year, all year, we survey Christian music radio listeners across the United States to discover where their heads and hearts are in relation to what we put on the radio. A lot of what we ask about isn’t about the songs but what happens between the songs. And, it’s enlightening what we learn.

We ask about topics you might hear on morning shows and how interested a listener might be in those topics.

This month we’ll reveal the lowest ranked morning show topics. Next month, the ones that ranked at the top of the list. We encourage you to focus less on the Lowest Five and more on the Top Five and have a happier 2021!

Five of the Lowest Ranked Morning Show Topics

Here are Five of the Lowest Ranked Morning Show Topics (rated on a 1-5 scale):

The latest update on the weather	4.0
The latest on COVID	3.4
Sports Updates	2.1
Hollywood Updates	2.0
The latest on the President’s tweets	1.9

A Look Closer

Let’s discuss the bottom three first. Over and over, we see Christian music radio listeners tell us they neither want nor expect 1. Politics, 2. Pop culture/Hollywood, or 3. Sports from their Christian music radio station. That was echoed again this year. All of this research was conducted prior to President Trump’s Twitter account being deactivated. The numbers on these three areas consistently show up so much lower than any other areas. It’s worth considering simply leaving them completely out of the content mix unless something extraordinary happened in your town.

As to no.4, the latest on COVID, we were asking about it when it was topic no.1 in the news on a daily basis. At 3.4, that’s just lukewarm among our listeners. Almost as if they are saying, “it’s reality, but please only if there’s some good news”.

And, then there’s the weather. It’s not that the weather ranking at 4.0 is a terrible score. 4.0 out of 5 is pretty good. But, we’ve watched the weather go from the top of the list over the years to now the lower part of the middle. The weather matters, but it appears most people know they can check their phones to get it now.

Next month we’ll focus on the top five, where you’ll want to focus your energy and creativity.

Want to compare this year’s results with what we found two years ago? Check out 2019’S FIVE LOWEST RANKING MORNING SHOW TOPICS.

The conversation with Christian radio listeners about their preferences is one of importance. We learn so much by asking! Late in 2020 we asked, “Other than the Bible, what is the best Christian book you’ve ever read?” Here are the Top Five Favorite Books among CCM Listeners:

1. The Purpose Driven Life (2002)	Rick Warren (AMAZON)
2. Left Behind Series (1995)	Tim LaHaye
2. Redeeming Love (2005)	Francine Rivers
2. The Case for Christ (1998)	Lee Strobel
2. The Shack (2007)	William P. Young

Our no. 1, The Purpose Driven Life, was a runaway winner with twice the number of votes over our no. 2 books. And, yes, you’re seeing correctly. There were four titles that were tied for second place. Is it something about this lockdown year that has made Rick Warren’s classic even bigger than before?

Consider the variety among the books tied at no. 2. Three works of fiction but each with very different and powerful themes. And, in the middle, Lee Strobel’s amazing work of investigative journalism that led him to faith.

In case you’re curious, here are the books that just missed the Top Five list, all worthy titles that scored well, just not quite well enough to make the top titles:.

Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul by Jack Canfield
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul by John Eldredge, Stasi Eldredge
Crazy Love Francis Chan by Danae Yankoski
Heaven Iis for Real by Lynn Vincent
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

Want more? Take a look back at how listeners ranked their FAVORITE BOOKS last year.

It’s been a year. So, we thought it would be fun to celebrate a very long 2020 with a fun Finney’s Fast Five for Christmas. Here are your listeners’ Top Five Christmas movies. As a reminder, we survey across the United States in representative sample music testing.

Rank	Title
1.	Elf
2. (tie)	Miracle on 34th Street
2. (tie)	Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. (tie)	How the Grinch Stole Christmas
4. (tie)	It’s a Wonderful Life

Buddy the Elf has been steadily moving up the past few times we’ve done our survey and he finally claims the top spot!

Three themes jump out at us as we look at the Top Five Movies:

Innocence. Buddy in Elf. The little girl Susan and Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street. All the characters in Rudolph. The Whos in The Grinch. So much Christmas lovable innocence.
Tradition/Familiarity. These are movies your listeners want to see again and again. Kind of like how they want to hear their most popular CCM songs. And, there are familiar, quotable lines. The most recent release in the top five is 17 years old. Elf came out in 2003 and took 17 years to climb its ways to our top spot.
Love. Each of our top five has love as a strong theme. Buddy helping teach a cynical New York to love. Kris Kringle melting a broken mom’s heart with his love on 34th Street. George Bailey discovering that he was in fact the richest man in town because of all his loving friends. The Grinch? Well in Whoville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day. And, then the true meaning of Christmas came through and the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches plus two!

Thought you might like to see the next five movies, too. Check out no. 8 – not just one movie!

Rank	Title
6. (tie)	A Christmas Story
6. (tie)	Home Alone
8.	Hallmark Christmas Movies
9. (tie)	Frosty the Snowman
9. (tie)	National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Wishing you a blessed Christmas season. Bet you’ll watch a few of these movies, too.

Want to check out more of our research? Visit our RESEARCH PAGE for our past articles.

The Top Five Tune outs for CCM Listeners

The Finney Media Why Listen?® Survey 2018 showed perceptions from almost 27,000 Christian radio listeners across the United States in four different formats – Music Stations, Music and Teaching Stations, all-Teaching Stations, and Teaching Programs. There’s an important takeaway for right now – fall 2020.

One of the questions we asked was about tune outs – things your listener perceives you might do that would cause her to tune away or turn off the radio. The list of tune outs below is focused on just the respondents who came from Music stations. The percentages are the total of “very likely to turn off” and “somewhat likely to turn off”:

1. They have a negative, angry, judgmental tone	85%
2. Announcer talks too much	50%
3. Plays songs you don’t like	48%
4. They talk about a topic I’m not interested in	44%
5. They play commercials	42%

Keep in mind, this survey was over two years ago. Before the pandemic and lockdown. Before this year’s racial tensions. And, before the contentious presidential campaign. We suspect that for Christian radio a negative, angry, judgmental tone as a tune out has not declined since 2018. Here’s what we had to say on all of this back in 2018, but it bears repeating.

The main reasons we uncovered in the Why Listen? Survey for listening to Christian music radio could be summed up in two words – spiritual encouragement. Our top tune out confirms this. The No. #1 tune out – and it isn’t even close – is a negative, angry judgmental tone.

We believe that doesn’t just mean we take out things that are negative, angry, judgmental, but also that we’re proactive about including “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control*.”

With the time we’re in right now, has there ever been a better time for you to make sure your stations sounds like that? Truly different from what your listener hears and sees elsewhere.

Coming in December – Christian Music Radio Listeners’ Top Five Favorite Christmas Movies

*”The Fruits Of The Spirit” – Galatians 5:22

The Top Five Testing CCM Artists

(by Number of Top Testing Songs)

Finney Media does music research across North America each year on lots of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) songs. From that research, we know there are hundreds of songs that CCM radio listeners recognize and love. We’ve poured over the data from the past year to come up with the Top Five Testing CCM Artists based on the number of songs each artist has with scores of 3.8 or higher on a five-point scale average nationwide.

Here’s how they rank:

1.	Chris Tomlin	19 titles
2.	Casting Crowns	15 titles
3.	Mercy Me	14 titles
4.	Third Day	12 titles
5.	Jeremy Camp	11 titles

And, here are the next five:

6.	Lauren Daigle	8 titles
7.	Toby Mac	7 titles
8.	Big Daddy Weave	6 titles*
8.	Crowder/David Crowder Band	6 titles*
8.	For King & Country	6 titles*
8.	Need To Breathe	6 titles*
8.	Aaron Shust	6 titles*
8.	Matthew West	6 titles*

So many organizations – political, business, sports, and media – right now are not focused. While they are unfocused . . . maybe this is the right time for you to focus even more. On your listener. And, the songs she knows and loves. If we can help, visit our CONTACT US page.

*Yes, that is a six-way tie you’re seeing here for the number eight spot.

July 2021: Top Five Songs from each of the Last Ten Years