Contemporary Christian music

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Christian music
Stylistic origins: A variety of genres evolving from Jesus music.
Cultural origins: 1960s United States
Typical instruments: Electric guitar, Bass guitar, Drums, Keyboard, Synthesizers
Mainstream popularity: Continuous from 1990s
Subgenres
Christian alternative rock · Christian bubblegum pop · Christian electronic music · Christian hardcore · Christian hip hop · Christian metal · Christian punk · Christian rock · Christian soft rock
Other topics
Christian entertainment industry · Worship music

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM; also by its religious neutral term "inspirational music") is a genre of popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The term is typically used to refer to the Nashville, Tennessee-based pop, rock, and worship Christian music industry, currently represented by artists such as Aaron Shust, Amy Grant, Avalon, Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, MercyMe, Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant, Petra, Rebecca St. James, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, and a host of others. The industry is represented in Billboard Magazine's "Top Christian Albums" and "Hot Christian Songs" charts,[1] and by Radio & Records magazine's Christian AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio), Christian Rock, and Inspirational (INSPO) airplay charts,[2] as well as the iTunes Store's "Christian & Gospel" genre.

The term "Contemporary Christian Music" originated in the late 1960s in reference to the emerging pop and rock "Jesus music", the musical product of the Jesus Movement of the time.[3] The Mind Garage is considered the first Christian Rock band, with documentation going back to 1967 in local media and national magazines and newspapers such as The Village Voice, Billboard and Rolling Stone magazine. The Electric Liturgy (RCA Victor LSP-4319), recorded 1969 and released 1970, was the first Christian Rock album recorded in Nashville in RCA's "Nashville Sound" Studio A, on Music Row which was under the management of Chet Atken. Studio A is now a museum.

There is also a great deal of popular music which lyrically identifies with Christianity but is not normally considered Contemporary Christian Music.[3] For example, many punk, hardcore, and holy hip-hop groups deal explicitly with issues of faith but are not a part of the Nashville industry[citation needed] (e.g., Seattle-based Tooth and Nail Records). Also, several mainstream music artists sometimes deal with Christian themes in their work, such as Creed, Lifehouse, and Switchfoot, but fall outside of the CCM genre though they may receive airplay on CCM radio stations.[3]

Contents

[edit] Controversy

Contemporary Christian music has been a topic of controversy in various ways since its beginnings in the 1960s.[3] Some conservative Christians feel that the medium of popular music is unholy, and thus unfit for Christian participation. For example, the Christian college Bob Jones University prohibits its dormitory students from listening to CCM.[4] Musician Steve Camp wrote a monograph titled Steve Camp's 107 Theses: A Call To Reformation in the Contemporary Christian Music Industry [5]. Other noted Christian critics of CCM include Dan Lucarini (the author of the book Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement) and Kimberly Smith (author of the books Oh Be Careful Little Ears and Let Those Who Have Ears to Hear). Also, some simply find the concept of Christian pop/rock music to be an unusual phenomenon, since rock music has historically been associated with themes such as sexual promiscuity, rebellion, drug and alcohol use, and other topics normally considered antithetical to the teachings of Christianity.[3] Perhaps the most well-known (and humorous) defense to this criticism is a quote from a 19th century Methodist minister Rowland Hill: "Why should the devil have all the good music?".

In contrast, some writers from the Reformed Presbyterian tradition, such as Brian Schwertley, assert that CCM violates the second commandment and the Regulative Principle of Worship because it adds man-made inventions, lyrics and instrumental music to the biblically appointed way of worshipping God.[6] An example of exclusive psalmody is the Church of Scotland from the Reformation until the twentieth century, in which there was only the a capella singing of the psalms. (This tradition is continued in the Free Church of Scotland and some other denominations.)

[edit] See also

 Christian music Portal 

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Best Selling Christian Singles and Albums. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
  2. ^ ®R&R - Radio & Records, Inc
  3. ^ a b c d e Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, First printing, Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 10-13. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 
  4. ^ BJU ~ Residence Hall Life. Bob Jones University. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
  5. ^ http://www.worship.com/steve_camp_107_theses.htm
  6. ^ Schwertley, Brian "Musical Instruments in the Public Worship of God"

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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Christian music
Roots and Beginnings Hymns • Spirituals • Sacred Harp • Shape note • Jesus music
Genres and Subgenres Contemporary Christian music • Gospel music
Fusion genres Christian rock • Christian hardcore • Christian metal • Southern Gospel • Christian alternative rock • Christian punk • Bluegrass gospel • Christian country music • Progressive Southern Gospel • Christian hip hop • Gospel blues • Urban contemporary gospel
Lists Christian bands and artists by genre • Christian country artists • Christian electronic/dance artists • Christian folk/folk rock artists • Gospel artists • Christian instrumental/jazz/swing artists • Christian punk bands • Christian vocal artists • Christian record labels • Gospel musicians
Other topics Christian media • Christian music industry
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