Church Music Website Receives Major Update

The Church of Jesus Christ’s music website at music.ChurchofJesusChrist.org has been revamped to elevate the music searching, listening and study experiences for Latter-day Saints. Following a major update to the Sacred Music app in July 2023, this site redesign includes many of the same features introduced in the app last year.

New features in the Sacred Music app and music website allow you to view and print sheet music and to change key and tempo. Sort, search and filter options have also been improved to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

Some of the new features include:

• Matching layout of music collections on the app and website
• Search and filtering functions
• Improved music listening interface

The update continues the hymnbook and “Children’s Songbook” revision announced by the Church in June 2018 to unify members around the world and “meet the needs of a global church.” These music channel improvements help prepare for the gradual release of newly selected music, which is expected to begin in four languages as early as May 2024. A collection of new music will be delivered in the Sacred Music app, Church music website and Gospel Library alongside the current hymnbook and “Children’s Songbook,” where the new music will reside until the full new hymnbook is released.

In addition to better unifying the global church, the overall music effort will also increase the music offering in other languages, both audio recordings and sheet music for solos, small groups, and choirs. Improved delivery channels will help members find what is already available in each language and more quickly see what is new. Other music resources are also available in the redesigned site. The website is currently available in 66 languages, and the app is offered in 48 languages.

The Lord said to Emma Smith that “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me” (see Doctrine & Covenants 25:12), and Chapter 19 in the Church’s General Handbook states that the Lord “has encouraged individuals and families to use uplifting music in their daily lives.” The ongoing updates to the Sacred Music app and music.ChurchofJesusChrist.org make it even easier for Latter-day Saints to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through song, inviting the peace of the Spirit both at home and at church.

“Sacred music is composed to enhance the home-centered and Church-supported worship services, uplift the soul, and bring individuals closer to God,” said Elder Isaac K. Morrison, a General Authority Seventy. “The uplifting and reverent nature of these hymns creates an atmosphere conducive to spiritual communion.”

Each part of this Church music initiative focuses on five purposes for sacred music outlined on the Church’s page addressing the ongoing revisions to the hymnbook and “Children’s Songbook.” These purposes are to:

1. Increase faith in and worship of God the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost.
2. Teach the core doctrine of the gospel with power and clarity.
3. Invite joyful singing at home and at church.
4. Comfort the weary and inspire members to endure in faith.
5. Unify members throughout the Church.

Easier access to sacred music allows members to utilize music for the things it does best, these purposes included. As this update makes it more intuitive for members to access sacred music at home and at church, improvements in delivery channels and continued updates to the library content itself will both help to improve the power and clarity of music resources affirming the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To learn more about the Church’s current music efforts, see:

• Hymnbook and Children’s Songbook Revisions
• Annual Music Submission
• Sacrament Meeting Hymns Feature in Gospel Library
• Churchwide Talent Database