Before A&M, lyrics and tunes were often interchangeable. This book popularized the "fixed tune" concept—linking a specific set of words to a specific melody (like Abide with Me to the tune "Eventide").
Before A&M, congregational singing in the Church of England was a bit of a mess. Most churches relied on "metrical psalms" (strict, often clunky poetic versions of the Psalms) or a scattered array of private hymn books. Hymns Ancient And Modern
A&M was an instant "blockbuster." By the end of the 19th century, it had sold over 30 million copies. Its success was driven by three main factors: Before A&M, lyrics and tunes were often interchangeable