[ecrea] Call for Chapters: Sacred Songs: Religion, Spirituality and the Divine in Popular Music Culture

Sacred Songs: Religion, Spirituality and the Divine in Popular Music Culture

In March 1966, The London Evening Standard published an interview with 
John Lennon, entitled ‘How Does a Beatle Live? John Lennon Lives Like 
This.’ During this interview Lennon remarked upon the relationship 
between religion and popular music. “Christianity will go,’ he remarked, 
‘it will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I 
will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know 
which will go first, rock ’n’ roll or Christianity.’
 Lennon’s controversial remarks highlight an often-ambiguous 
relationship between popular music and the sacred, where at different 
points individual musicians have endorsed or forcefully rejected 
religious ideologies via their music practice. For example George 
Harrison’s close affiliation with the Hare Krishna Movement, Bob Dylan’s 
return to Judaism, Cliff Richard’s open espousal of born again 
Christianity and Kanye West’s recent lyrics proclaiming that ‘Jesus 
walks with me.’ Entire popular music genres may reflect or help to 
constitute sacred practices as illustrated by Reggae’s relationship with 
Rastafarianism and Death Metal’s articulation of existential themes.
 As Lennon observed during the 1960s, fans may elevate popular music 
artists to the stature of spiritual leaders, looking to them for 
guidance in uncertain times and sometimes dedicating their lives to 
emulating and pursuing the rock gods. The quasi-religious character of 
popular music genres and the role of the artists as avatars, are among 
the topics Georgina Gregory (University of Central Lancashire) and Mike 
Dines would like to explore in an upcoming volume on popular music 
spirituality/religion and the sacred in contemporary culture.
 We are especially interested in the variety of approaches to the 
subject, which may include, but not restricted by the following themes:

·       Role of religion in lives of artists within the popular music genre
·       The incorporation of popular music in sacred ceremonies
·       Religious metaphor in popular music
·       Incorporation of religion within popular music practice
·       Fandom as a form of worship
·       Divinity and rock stardom (rock stars’ homes as sites of 
pilgrimage, etc.)
·       Pop memorabilia as holy relics

Those interested are encouraged to send proposals of up to 500 words via 
email to Georgina Gregory on (GGregory /at/ uclan.ac.uk) or Mike Dines at 
(miked71uk /at/ gmail.com) by 1st May 2017. Please included a brief biography.

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