Very divisive attitudes can arise in relation to music, especially in church settings. On the one side, those who more or less accept all music often view those who disagree as ignorant legalists. On the other side, those who think some music is acceptable and some is not are apt to view those who accept all music as, at best, deceived, and at worst, worshiping the devil.

To approach this topic, two words need to be defined: ‘wrong’ and ‘music.’ I defined what music is in an earlier post, and I want to clarify here that I am talking about the style of the music, not the lyrics. Those are very important as well, but not what is being discussed here. What does ‘wrong’ mean? As I concluded in my post on morality, I think it would be better to replace the word ‘wrong’ into one of its usual components, such as contrary to human flourishing, contrary to the Bible, or contrary to logic and reasoning, instead of conflating it into something about which no one is in agreement. So, I want to look at music in reference to those three specific categories I just mentioned.

First, is some music contrary to human flourishing? The only way to comment on this would be to argue that certain combinations of sounds or frequencies were unhealthy in some way. This is something that is not clear and is something on which opinions should be reserved until indisputable scientific research is forthcoming. Heavy metal music is probably targeted the most for producing suicidal thoughts or actions, but it can have benefits as well if you value them, such as independent thinking and a sense of belonging. To me, the only clear health risk for any type of music is the decibel level. Sustained exposure to volume levels greater than 90 decibels is linked to hearing loss. For some more interesting thoughts, check out this article.

Second, is some music contrary to Biblical commands or principles? While the Bible mentions several different instruments and styles of music, it does not directly condemn any as wrong. People have used the incident with the golden calf to say some music is bad, where Joshua and Moses liken the musical style coming from the camp of Israel to the sound of war and revelry, respectively (Exodus 32:17-18). However, is war or revelry always a bad thing? Some might argue so, but it seems strained to state that categorically. I generally lean to the side of not imposing something as a general rule that is easily questionable, as this subject is.

Third, is some music contrary to logic and reasoning? Since lyrics are not being considered, it is hard to think of any sound as being illogical or against reason; this is something that is usually reserved for language and thought. However, music does have the ability to greatly affect how we think, and so I suppose in this sense, it could be said to enhance logic and reasoning or discredit them. There have been some studies that suggest certain types of classical music will allow you to think more clearly, but I think these should be taken with a grain of salt. There are certainly many very smart individuals who listen to other styles of music or no music at all.

As far as my opinion is concerned, I don’t label any style of music as wrong, bad, or destructive. I find it much more helpful to focus on what, very broadly speaking, a style of music is communicating (although this could be different for different cultures) and make sure the music played in a particular venue is appropriate for the occasion. Love, anger, rebellion, joy, peace, angst, and sorrow are all emotions music can communicate and none of these emotions are intrinsically bad. However, they may not be always appropriate for a specific occasion or with certain lyrics.

Music is one of the most accessible pathways to experiencing transcendence. Let’s not rob this of others by criticizing or demeaning the music they listen to without very good reason. Our tastes and opinions on this matter will differ, and polite discussion on this topic is healthy, but I believe erring on the side of allowing freedom in this area is the wiser choice. The only thing in music that I am definitely opposed to has nothing to do with style but rather with volume. It is better not to be around sounds above 90 decibels if one can avoid it.