John Cooper, frontman of rock band Skillet, recently addressed controversy surrounding the band’s new song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” in a statement shared on Rock Feed.
The song is a rendition of a traditional Christmas hymn. It sparked backlash online, with some accusing the band of corrupting sacred material. Cooper responded to these claims with measured perspective. He explained the band’s initial excitement about the track and the unexpected criticism that followed.
“It was for Skillet an instant kind of big song for us. It was very exciting. But yeah, then all of a sudden there was this crazy… I mean the internet can be such a weird place, you know, what you’re getting into is just people that feel that you have taken something sacred and made it really evil,” Cooper said.
The band hasn’t faced such accusations in years. He noted that the backlash was both surprising and somewhat amusing given the song’s origins.
“So, it’s been a long time since we’ve been called like satanic, but we got called satanic and demonic and all this other stuff. And I was laughing because it’s I mean, it’s a Christmas hymn. It’s not just a Christmas song. It’s a hymn. So, it was kind of interesting. And unfortunately, sometimes you see kind of the worst of people on the internet, you know. So, I didn’t really get mad. I was just more like perplexed,” he continued.
Cooper chose to respond with acceptance and humor rather than engaging in prolonged debate. He acknowledged that online discourse rarely changes minds.
“And so, we commented on it and I just said, ‘Look, I’m not mad at anybody. You don’t have to like it. I don’t even mind if you think it’s demonic. It’s not. I’ll never change your mind.’ You’re not going to change somebody’s mind on X. It ain’t going to happen. So, it is what it is. But you’re right. It helped the song shoot up. So, bring it on,” Cooper concluded.
The controversy appears to have boosted the song’s popularity rather than hindered it.
Skillet released their first-ever Christmas song in mid-November 2025, according to Crosswalk. The track quickly achieved commercial success. It reached the No. 1 spot on both iTunes’ rock and Christmas charts while garnering over 800,000 views on YouTube.
The controversy centered not on theological content but on musical style. The rendition features a heavy-rock arrangement with a metal breakdown that includes a vocal growl, as reported by Church Leaders. These elements are not typically associated with traditional Christmas music. Some conservative Christians took issue with what they perceived as the marriage of a sacred hymn with aggressive rock instrumentation. They viewed the stylistic choices as inherently inappropriate for religious content.
Cooper articulated his theological perspective on music itself when addressing these concerns. He stated: “I’m not angry or even offended by those who believe my music is somehow satanic,” as noted by Church Leaders. He grew up understanding that music belongs to God and only becomes demonic when an artist intends it to be. Cooper emphasized a crucial distinction: “the devil doesn’t create stuff, he distorts.” Music inherently glorifies God. The devil seeks to steal what God has made good and pervert it for his own purposes.
Many in the Christian community rallied to Skillet’s defense. The band has a well-established history of leading people to faith and preaching the gospel from the stage at their concerts. Defenders emphasized that the controversy revealed more about aesthetic preferences than genuine theological concerns. One commentator noted: “The real problem isn’t theology to these people. It’s apparently just the vibes,” according to Encounter Today. Supporters also highlighted that minor chords, rock riffs, and artistic imagery do not equate to demonic activity. Restricting Christian music to specific stylistic traditions unnecessarily limits artistic expression within faith communities.
Ultimately, the controversy appears to have boosted the song’s popularity rather than hindered it. This demonstrates that artistic boldness in faith-based music continues to spark important conversations about tradition, innovation, and the boundaries of Christian expression.
You can listen to Skillet’s new song via YouTube below.
