Many of Skillet’s songs are prayers for God to teach us to realize that this life isn't forever. The famous rock band reminds us that if we build our lives on scripture, we will have a rock as our foundation as we navigate our lives.
Watching Skillet’s meteoric ascent into one of rock's biggest bands has been a treat. The incredible success of their last albums, Comatose, Awake, Rise, Unleashed, and Victorious, has been astounding. Each album moves the band to another level of popularity.
In anticipation of their 11th studio album, Revolution, Skillet has released the energetic new single “Unpopular.” I spoke with John Cooper again about the song, our 16th behind-the-song discussion, making Skillet the most “popular” band I’ve featured in my series.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
We wrote “Unpopular” with both a funny and serious attitude. It’s saying the world’s gone so nuts that the things the world loves are so disgusting and crazy—like, in a world gone mad, would you want to be famous? That’s the joke of the song. There’s a lot that God has been showing me this past year and a half. And I prayed that God would give me songs to speak to this moment.
For instance, do people want to be on the popular people’s side? Do you want to be on the side who the people you are cheering for—oh, it’s so great. Watching the Olympic ceremony with my kids and seeing drag queens act like they’re doing a Lord’s Supper imitation. Isn’t that great? We’re so popular.
So, we’re like, I don’t want to be on that team. I want to be on the side of everyday people. As a band, we always feel like God has inspired our songs and that we’re singing about something that matters. And that’s what’s happening with this album in a big way. It feels like more than just writing what is on our hearts.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Romans 8:37 (NKJV): “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV): "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Revelation 12:11 (NKJV): "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV): “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Acts 5:29 (NKJV): “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
2 Corinthians 10:2-5 (NIV): "I beg you that when I come, I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
What is the takeaway message?
“Unpopular” is about the people who said Skillet would never make it. They said we were too Christian. We were too pretty. We had too many girls in the band and too many keyboards. It's too musical. It's too this or too that, and 26 years later and ten albums later, we are very unlikely people to be still making music.
The song conveys Skillet’s message that we want to be on the side of people who are like, "Oh, I still like raising my family and going to church and loving my kids and not being weird and loving freedom."
I'm a little older and have accepted struggle as part of the journey. The lyrics are a call to make your life matter. You realize you have a chance for your life to count every day. In a sense, we're all destined to be forgotten, so live the way you want and don't turn your back on who you are. I drew the sentiment from my own career. We've always put our heads down and pushed forward when confronted with adversity.
Lyrics
Am I the only one who ain't come undone?
Everybody's lost their dang minds
When you check your feed, it's like clown TV
And you're waitin' for the punchline
Oh, my, my, hey, yeah
Guess I'm a loner in the crowd
Oh, my, my, hey, yeah
Guess I'm the one you've been talkin' about
Guess I'm the one you've been talkin' about Unpopular, unpopular
Call me out, clasp down
Can't supplement true facts
Have you heard? I'm a commoner
Got my family, sanity, everything I need
If freedom is disease, who would ever wanna be popular?
For what it's worth, I think today's a good day to be unpopular I won't apologize when I speak my mind
I'm just bein' me, so lay off
If thinkin' for myself is called raisin' Hell
I guess that I'm an outlaw, whoo Oh, my, my, hey, yeah
I ain't a loner in the crowd
Oh, my, my, hey, yeah
Guess we about to be gettin' loud
Guess we about to be gettin' loud Unpopular, unpopular
Call me out, clasp down
Can't supplement true facts
Have you heard? I'm a commoner
Got my family, sanity, everything I need
If freedom is disease, who would ever wanna be popular?
For what it's worth, I think today's a good day to be unpopular
To be unpopular
Guess I'm the one you've been talkin' 'bout (talkin' 'bout)
Guess I'm the one you've been talkin' 'bout (talkin' 'bout)
Guess I'm the one you've been talkin' 'bout (talkin' 'bout)
I guess I am the one
Whatever Unpopular, unpopular
Call me out, clasp down
Can't supplement true facts
Have you heard? I'm a commoner
Got my family, sanity, everything I need
If freedom is disease, who would ever wanna be popular?
For what it's worth, I think today's a good day to be unpopular
To be unpopular
Closing Thoughts
This song has an infectious urgency. As we live in these last days, it is imperative to think about what you would be found doing if the Lord were to come back today. Love is the answer. We should love God because He first loved us and love others unconditionally because while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
When I first heard this song, I was immediately hooked by its message, which connected to the themes found in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" That's how we can show the world what we are for instead of what we are against as followers of Jesus and make our lives count.
“Unpopular” is a daily prayer asking God to come and change our hearts and lives so that our behavior and the way we live flow from God living inside of us as believers. This song is a powerful expression of accepting that God never leaves or forsakes us. He is all we need.
In this era of political uncertainty, my heart cries out to be a citizen of heaven and to serve my King Jesus. As a church, we must provide for the people who need us. This song lights a fire in Christians to know and proclaim what we stand for—no matter what the world tells us to do. So, don't compromise. Don't forsake God or be ashamed of the Gospel. Stand up for what you believe.
There is an infectious urgency to this song. As we live in these last days, it's essential to think about what you would be found doing if the Lord were to return today. Love is the answer. Not only should we love God because He first loved us, but we should also love others unconditionally.
Have joy and worship loudly about the love of God in your life. His grace takes away anxiety, guilt, and shame. Know that being His is enough. Knowing that He's with us, we can face our daily battles with courage and strength. Because we know this truth, whatever the outcome, which is based on His promise in Romans 8:28: "God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." We're all united in our struggles, spiritual warfare, and desire for truth and relationship.
Ask yourself, “What am I wasting my time on?” “What am I doing with my life?” Think about what you’re doing for His kingdom. And, as a believer, you can live out the words: “Call me out, clasp down/Can't supplement true facts/Have you heard? I'm a commoner/Got my family, sanity, everything I need/If freedom is disease, who would ever wanna be popular?/For what it's worth, I think today's a good day to be unpopular/To be unpopular.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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