Hymns in protestant churches were always intended to be devices not only for praise, but also for teaching sound doctrine. Read the lyrics to some of the very old hymns and you will find just that.
Unfortunately in our postmodern culture, truth is supplanted by emotions, so these songs no longer appeal to many people my age (20-35). The appeal to have bigger churches (which means more $$) has caused leadership to abandon doctrine for emotionalism (what Micahel Horton refers to as “moralistic, therapeutic self-held deism”). Jesus, on the other hand, intentionally made statements of truth that caused nominal followers to fall away (”eat my flesh... drink my blood”). But you can’t operate a business on such principles, and your pastor sure as heck couldn’t afford his BMW if he did. Church is for true believers, but there are so few of them that a churchianity business has to appeal to many unbelievers to make money.
What you describe is all too common.
I have been blessed to find a chruch that has a Traditional Service that is actually Traditional. The morning service is practically all hymns. I’m not sure what goes on at the “blended” service, as I have never attended that one, but I get the feeling it is not nearly as bad as most. I guess that is why my pastor doesn’t drive a BMW. :)
For me, nothing brings out more emotions than hearing and singing great hymns that eloquently express the great truths about God. The “emotional” choruses and shallow modern songs generally bring out no emotions (except sometimes grief and anger) in me.
I belive the “emotional” modern songs bring out largely phony emotions, the way watching a manipulative “tear jerker” movie does.