Ah, Contemporary Christian Music. You either love it or you hate it — providing pundits with yet another great opportunity to engage in endless controversy.
Except it isn’t that simple anymore. Back in the 90’s when it started making the rounds in a couple of different churches I attended, all I heard was the really sappy bubble-gum pop stuff which turned me off completely. In fact, I got so fed up with the mediocrity and bad clones of lousy mainstream acts that it became a significant reason for me to stay unchurched for several years.
There’s still that element out there, but it seems to me that the genre is improving dramatically — so much so that it’s actually surpassing the “mainstream” world in many ways. I’m still somewhat new to all the latest acts, but I’ve already fallen in love in a number of artists: Paul Baloche and Matt Redman for straight-up worship, edgier acts like David Crowder Band and Fireflight, the music coming out of Bethel Church in Redding, CA (Brian Johnson, the Jesus Culture group, etc.). I haven’t looked much yet, but I’m hoping to find some good electronica and ambient (”soaking”) style albums to round out the collection. My own personal tastes are more Tangerine Dream than U2 (although I like U2), but I have a feeling I’m in a no-man’s land with that one. 
Hat tip: thanks to Grace for introducing me to some really great music and showing me that God is no respecter of genres. It’s nice to be able to worship to Handel or Tim Hughes and not worry about either one!
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Chirstian music has changed dramatically. You can find anything from soft rock type, alternative, even hard rock and punk. While that may seem strange, God wants to find us and meet us where we are. If this is a garage band playing punk to the glory of the Most High God, then so be it. I believe it is really the state of the heart that concerns Him.
Check out Mat Kearney, Switchfoot, Superchick,Kutless to name a few that are pretty popular right now. While they may not be your muscial stylings, the lyrics are powerful.
ps..got your website from my dad (Dave Hatch) by the way of your dad and your church website.
yep..2nd cousin sue here..take care!
Hi Susan, it’s great to have you here! I think you might be the first family member to post a comment here!
Thanks for the recommendations…I’ll go check them out. I agree with you that God doesn’t look at the outward appearance (or style), but He looks at the nature and intent of the heart.
So this is where you ended up after the “Great 90’s TD debate”! : ) You are not exactly in “No Man’s Land” (pun returned!) with your tastes - I know of a lot of progressive-minded bretheren out here.
As far as “CCM”…there have been artists who were as contemporary and culturaly relevant as anything on secular radio from day one-to claim that “CCM” has “changed dramatically” is really shortsighted and incorrect. I’ve been listening to “CCM” since ‘82, and am still scratching my head as to why every 5 years someone completely ignores the rich and varied talent pool that has gone before while without a hint of irony proclaiming that “CCM” is now more “contemporary” and “relevant” than before! Tell it to Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, Larry Norman, Randy Matthews, Jimmy Hotz, Kemper Crabb, Resurrection Band, Daniel Amos (DA), Terry Taylor, the 77’s, Vector, Charlie Peacock, The Choir, Servant, Undercover, Circle of Dust, Mortal, Fold Zandura, Deitiphobia, Iona, Jeff Johnson, Saviour Machine, Virus, Faith Massive…
All of those artists are as good as (in some cases better than) any similarly styled “secular” act, but in most cases are doubly penalized by first recording in the vertical market that is “CCM”, and then ghettoized by that same market for not meeting the “JPM & one chord only please” mentality of it. Those above that have been “accepted” by the market (Keaggy, Stonehill) have done so in many cases in spite of it’s shallow tendencies, by coincidentally making beautifully simple music. Conversely, Stryper succeeded in large part because they recorded for a secular label-had they signed to a “CCM” label, we know just how successful they would have been…
There is so much truly beautiful and powerful music to discover within “CCM” now; just remember to look down to see the shoulders of those it is standing on.
/rant : )
goozer
Hey Hermes, I think I remember you from TD/EM circles. Small world, isn’t it!
Sounds like you’re quite a veteran with the CCM stuff, so I’ll have to defer to your experience on this. All I know is that I didn’t hear anything I liked before and now I hear stuff that I like, so either my tastes changed or I missed out on the good stuff in the past. Or both.
Also, thanks for that huge list of artists…I’ll have to hunt down some of it and see how it sounds!
Yep, I’m not just a TD pedant…: )
I was lucky in that I met a lot of brothers early in my Christian walk who were “in the know” about music, not just CCM, and were able to point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I would have ended up thinking that Petra was the end-all-be-all of CCM rock! I’m not knocking them at all, though-I have all of their albums save the last few.
We’re out of luck in the “berlin-school” style electronic music in the CCM area. There is simply no way that any CCM label would release a project that would only sell 35 units. : )
Start with Faith Massive (the first 2 albums) for some really great D’n'B on par with LTJ Bukem. Seriously. Virus has done a number of electronica styles under a number of names (Virus, Ambient Theology, The Bubblebaby Experience)-all are worth finding.
Jeff Johnson is another musical chameleon-he’s done prog, pop, jazz, electronic, celtic…sometimes on the same album and always with excellence (although he’s stuck in the celtic rut these days.)
If you missed the 77’s before, you still have time to atone for your error. : ) They were (are) simply one of the best and most honest rock bands ever, IMNSHO. Start with their 3rd album (The Seventy Sevens-from 1987), which was Rolling Stone’s album of the month when it was released, but some other band on Island music managed to suck the oxygen out of the room…something about a some dude called Joshua and his Tree…; ) Then pick up their other eponymously titled album (The Seventy Sevens-from 1992) due to record label pressure. The real title of the album is Pray Naked. It is essential.
The Choir are also one of these bands that will make you go “why weren’t these guys famous?” Start with “Circle Slide” and “Chase the Kangaroo” to discover some truly incredible art.
Anything by Mortal aka Fold Zandura aka Juggernaut is required listening. Covering industrial, NuMetal, alternative, shoegazing, ambient & more, they are always excellent and never boring. They write poetry wrapped in beautiful chaos.
Iona is quite simply one of the best prog bands ever. Their music is of such sublime beauty and majesty that it really should be a crime that CCM ignores them. Start with The Book of Kells and don’t stop until you’ve bought evrything else. they are that good.
Really, all the artists I wrote about (and more) are worty of your attention. Unfortunately, they are also going to be hard to find. : ) As far as more recent CCM artists, I am admittedly a little out of the loop. I love David Crowder, though.
“Play skillfully, and with a loud noise”
goozer