Lyric videos for worship: the ultimate solution from CCLI

Lyric videos for worship: the ultimate solution from CCLI

A growing number of churches are turning to lyric videos as a simple and effective solution when musicians aren’t available.

Lyric videos (see example here) are music videos featuring lyrics that appear on screen in time with the lead vocal. This makes them a more effective alternative to backing tracks.

Recent surveys show that the use of lyric videos increased during the pandemic and has continued since. But while demand for lyric videos remains strong, sourcing versions that are suitable and legal can be a real challenge.

Rich Burrough, of CRE 25 exhibitor Christian Copyright Licensing Inc, said: ‘Unsurprisingly, the obvious source for many churches is YouTube. However, as YouTube prohibits the use of its videos in public without explicit permission of the copyright owner, many churches are unwittingly infringing copyright by playing them during services.

‘Many lyric videos on YouTube are not authorised, can be interrupted by ads, sometimes contain long instrumental sections, and may not be in a suitable key – so a better solution is needed. That’s exactly what CCLI provides with our new range of lyric videos.’

SongSelect Lyric Videos are fully legal for use in all areas of church life, from worship services to small groups. Purpose built in response to customer research, they are recorded in congregation-friendly keys, with valued features such as Next Line Preview. But what really makes them stand out is their simple customisation options.

‘While all our lyric videos are easy to use, and can be played just as they are, it is also possible to format them to fit your specific needs,’ Rich told CRE News. ‘You can adjust the text size and position, change the font and the number of lines shown. You can select a solid colour background, or choose a background image or motion graphic. You can even adjust the volume of the vocal in relation to the music.’

Because smaller churches are most likely to rely on lyric videos, SongSelect Lyric Videos are available via an annual subscription tiered to the average attendance at the main weekly service. No additional copyright licence is required.

Launched this month with more than 500 popular titles, the number has already grown to 600 – with more being added all the time.

Officials from CCLI will be at CRE 25 to show visitors the wealth of available songs and how the system works.

• CCLI are on stand H7 at CRE 25

CRE 2025

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