The Process of Getting a New Hymn Included in the LDS Hymnbook
Adding a hymn to the official LDS hymnbook is a collaborative editorial process, not simply a matter of recording a polished song. A composer usually begins with worshipful text, a melody members can learn and a clear sense of how the song fits Church teaching and congregational needs. The work then passes through music, doctrinal, editorial and legal review before permanent inclusion in the common repertoire is considered.
The timetable is deliberate, and permission to submit a work does not guarantee acceptance. A song may be strengthened, returned for revision or declined. Local congregations can also use approved music temporarily without adding it to the official hymnal. These distinctions help composers approach the process realistically, particularly when the intended audience includes Australian wards with varied language, musical and cultural needs.
How inclusion routes differ
Different musical projects follow different approval pathways. The intended use determines whether a composition needs to be considered for permanent hymnal inclusion, local congregational use or commercial release.
| Route | Main purpose | Who is involved | Evidence of acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official hymnal | Permanent addition to the common repertoire | Church music committees, editorial and doctrinal reviewers | Appearance in an authorised print or digital edition |
| Stake or area music list | Temporary or regional congregational use | Ward, stake and area music committees | Approval by the relevant music committee |
| Supplemental or special-event music | Conferences, Easter, Christmas and children’s meetings | Programme leaders and authorised reviewers | Listing in official event resources |
| Commercial album | Devotional listening and artistic expression | Labels, artists and listeners | A release, which does not confer hymnal status |
Official inclusion therefore demands the broadest review and produces the clearest institutional endorsement. Commercial success or enthusiastic audience feedback may support a later submission, but neither replaces the formal approval process.
A practical submission packet
A strong proposal gives reviewers enough information to assess both the song and its readiness for publication. It should explain the intended congregational setting without treating the music as a commercial campaign.
A practical submission generally contains:
- The complete lyric, including any refrain or repeated sections
- A lead sheet with melody, chord symbols, metre and suggested tempo
- A clear statement of the song’s scriptural or doctrinal purpose
- Copyright, authorship and publisher information for every protected element
- Details of previous trials, performances or revisions
- A proposed title that identifies the hymn without promotional language
Reviewers also consider whether the language is clear, the theology is sound and the musical structure can support congregational singing. The former LDS Music Store is best understood today as an historical catalogue of Latter-day Saint music and writing. Its archived material still shows how albums, sheet music, songbooks and artist news fitted into the wider Church music landscape, although the store itself has ceased trading.
How committees assess a hymn
The first formal consideration often occurs through a stake or area music committee. Music leaders, organists, choir directors and music teachers may examine the song for musical quality, practical rehearsal demands and suitability for worship. Local feedback is valuable because it reveals whether a melody works when sung by ordinary congregations rather than only by a polished studio group.
Central reviewers then consider additional questions. Doctrinal reviewers assess the teaching expressed in the lyric, while music and editorial reviewers look for repetition, clarity, singability and consistency with established hymnody. Translation, music engraving, accessibility and legal teams may become involved when the proposed hymn requires additional versions or resources.
Listening and public feedback can help, but they are separate from formal approval. The archived album review guide illustrates how listeners can evaluate an artist’s interpretation, lyrics and overall effectiveness. Such a review offers useful evidence about reception, while a hymnal committee must still judge suitability for worship, doctrinal accuracy and long-term congregational use.
Revision, approval and legal clearance
Most submissions need revision before they can move forward. Editors may suggest replacing an unclear phrase, adjusting a line that feels too commercial, simplifying a melody or changing a chord progression that is difficult for an organist. The composer should treat these changes as part of the work rather than as a rejection of its central message.
Copyright clearance must be completed before publication. The writer may need to secure permission from a composer, lyricist, publisher or estates, while translations require their own agreements. Australian performance arrangements should also be checked with the relevant organisations, including APRA AMCOS where applicable. Final approval follows the Church’s authorised process for official publications; no single committee, local leader or commercial platform can add a song to the common hymnal by itself.
Trial singing across Australian congregations
Testing exposes weaknesses that a rehearsal room can hide. Organists, choir leaders, ward members, youth and children should be invited to sing the hymn, while leaders observe whether people understand the words without excessive explanation. Feedback should be specific and balanced, covering musical memory, emotional response, doctrinal clarity and practical rehearsal time.
Australian testing can draw on several local realities:
- Urban and regional settings: compare suburban Sydney or Melbourne with congregations in regional Queensland and Western Australia
- Multilingual communities: consider Tongan, Mandarin, Spanish and other language groups where translation may be requested
- Local worship calendars: trial the hymn around Easter, Christmas, ANZAC Day remembrance meetings and ordinary Sabbath services
- Australian music administration: confirm APRA AMCOS arrangements, recording agreements and the availability of Australian performers
After trial singing, feedback should be collated rather than treated as a popularity contest. A strong text may still need a simpler tune, while a memorable melody may benefit from fewer words. The aim is a hymn that can be understood, remembered and sung across generations without losing its scriptural focus.
Publication and use in local congregations
Once approved, the hymn enters an editorial production process. Lyrics are checked again, musical notation and chord charts are prepared, scripture references are added and print or digital layouts are created. Translations may require their own review and can enter production at different stages. Accessible formats, such as larger-print music or simplified accompaniment, may also be planned.
Publication does not mean every congregation will use the hymn immediately. Ward music leaders decide when it fits local programmes, and organists or pianists need time to prepare arrangements. Local supplemental music can continue to serve conferences and community events, but official hymnal status gives a hymn a permanent place in the Church’s shared musical resources and provides a trusted reference for future use.
Recognition beyond the hymnal
A hymn’s influence can extend well beyond the page. Choral arrangements, instrumental versions, children’s programmes and concert performances can introduce it to people who do not own a printed hymnal. Independent catalogue material from On The Hill Records reflects the importance of carefully produced Latter-day Saint music outside formal worship, while official hymnal inclusion gives a composition a distinct and enduring role within Church worship.
The strongest songs in the LDS hymnal combine memorable music with language that invites faith rather than merely describing religious ideas. Official inclusion establishes that quality, protects its availability to congregations and places it within a repertoire intended for shared worship across generations and cultures.