The state of contemporary christian music

[hectorberlioz]

Everyone one here rightly knows me as a classical music lover, but believe it or not, I know a thing or two about other music as well. And one of the things I'm sad to say that I know is contemporary christian music.

If we look back, we have Keith Green, Rich Mullins, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, who came to fame beyond just the christian audience. I'm not saying everyone should try to be them, but these contemporary groups don't even try!
"Jesus Loves Me" (Yes, I know...) is their constant message. They never try to find/write about anything deeper than that. It's a mirror of the pop world.

gotta finish later!

[rohirrim TR]

yeah, I miss Rich Mullins what an amazing artist.

not all the new guys are bad, Jeremy Camp has had a few lyrically thoughtful songs.

[Nurvingiel]

It would be interesting to hear deeper Christian messages explored in song.

Aretha Franklin is still around isn't she? (I like her music regardless.)
What about Jars of Clay? Are they still around?

Even if those two artists are no longer making records, I think they still count as current.

[rohirrim TR]

yeah, Jars of Clay are still around but I disliked their latest album.

[hectorberlioz]

I don't know if Van Morrison was christian, but his songs deal a lot with God. Very good most of them.

Anyways, to continue my rant. If you turn to any christian Radio station, the music is blather re-blathered. It's like when one bad band dies, they recycle the sound of it for the next bad band. EVERY song has electric guitar and has lyrics that say how good Jesus is (which isn't bad in itself, but really!)

It's descended the the level where a song called "Cartoons praise the Lord" was brought into the world...it's a REALLY scary song. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it before or after. Elmer Fudd, Bugs etc...its extremely irreverent, besides just plain bad.

Christian artists should really think about the lyrics the write or have written, and not just accept and sing below-mediocre songs about loving or bieng loved by Jesus (above I said it wasn't bad in itself, but now that I remember: some of these songs have Jesus as their "coolade, buddy, bandaid"...).

Secondly, why the raspy, desperate, I'm-so-going-to-die-'cause-I'm-so-affected voice? Whoever the singer is, they have it...well, Elmer Fudd doesn't.

Thirdly, while I'll agree to let there be electric guitar in christian music, why must it all sound alike? Every song they have the Electric Guitar wailing in this certain way, and that "rap" beat (putt putt PUTT, putt putt PUTT etc) playing and it drives your sanity into the ground.

[rohirrim TR]

you gotta point with the predictable-electric-guitar, but i've heard secular songs that have that problem too. Really makes one wish Rich Mullins and his dulcimers and acoustics were still around.

a lot of christian songs have bad way of having the percussion/drums rhthym identical on every song, almost like they don't even have a drummer but just a recording.

[Mercutio]

Originally Posted by rohirrim TR

yeah, Jars of Clay are still around but I disliked their latest album.

Hmm...I like there latest album

I also like some of Third Day's music.

And Jeremy Camp, yes, and Casting Crowns.

Over the Rhine is good but they aren't particularly my favorite.

[rohirrim TR]

ahh yes Third Day, they were a great band except for their last couple albums, when they started out they had original music, lyrics everything, and now they're falling into the stereo-types (no pun inteded) that Hector has been mentioning.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

contemporary christian music i hear you say?

well, then, let us mention POD (Payable on Death), I enjoy their song 'Alive' - a metal band that is made up completely of christians...that'll do thee, ah say

[crickhollow]

true point, LCoU, POD does have some good songs. But I don't think that they necessarily fall into the CCM. Christian Alternative, maybe? which is another category that is riddled with mediocrity.

i don't blame real musicians who are christians from distancing themselves from the christian music industry in order to gain some credibility with their peers.

on the other hand, pop music in general isn't more creative/better quality than christian pop, IMO.

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by crickhollow

true point, LCoU, POD does have some good songs. But I don't think that they necessarily fall into the CCM. Christian Alternative, maybe? which is another category that is riddled with mediocrity.

i don't blame real musicians who are christians from distancing themselves from the christian music industry in order to gain some credibility with their peers.

on the other hand, pop music in general isn't more creative/better quality than christian pop, IMO.

They (ccm) actually seem to follow the pop trend. I think thats half the reason there for the mediocrity.

I think these are fair suggestions for all christian artists:


1) don't write lyrics that rhyme all the thyme (ach! ).
Rhyming lyrics is something I'm divided on. Bob Dyla, who is considered a master songwriter, overdid it in one song...and I didn't see why I myself could'nt come up with those lyrics. They were just too commonplace, too much rhyming.

2)Try out different intrumentation.
Hard Rock Electric Guitar can be very tiresome after two or three songs on the radio that use it.
Ins...grr!
I'll finish later!!!

[Curubethion]

There's a lot more to CCM than you're giving them credit for...tobyMac, Thousand Foot Krutch, MXPX, GRITS, Switchfoot, Hawk Nelson, Relient K, John Reuben, Underoath, Shawn Groves, Steven Curtis Chapman, Pillar, David Crowder...and they're all incredibly different.
CCM has as much diversity as its mainstream counterparts. You've got all sorts of music: punk, rap, hip-hop, hardcore, heavy rock, metal, pop, worship...As for instrumentation...you can hear tons of instruments besides heavy rock guitar. Look at Jars of Clay for starters. They use just about every type of alternative instrument you can find: dobro, accordian, 12-string guitar...It's true, some Christian radio stations might make it sound like every CCM song is the same, but that's not being fair to CCM. There's more than the radio.

[Nurvingiel]

Yeah, CCM, mediocre!? Is this the same CCM that I know and love? I'm with you Curubethion, I love those guys!

Well, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. But mediocrity is something you can sort of measure, and I certainly wouldn't equate that with CCM.

Why do you think they're mediocre Hector?

[crickhollow]

Originally Posted by Curubethion

There's a lot more to CCM than you're giving them credit for...tobyMac, Thousand Foot Krutch, MXPX, GRITS, Switchfoot, Hawk Nelson, Relient K, John Reuben, Underoath, Shawn Groves, Steven Curtis Chapman, Pillar, David Crowder...and they're all incredibly different.
CCM has as much diversity as its mainstream counterparts. You've got all sorts of music: punk, rap, hip-hop, hardcore, heavy rock, metal, pop, worship...As for instrumentation...you can hear tons of instruments besides heavy rock guitar. Look at Jars of Clay for starters. They use just about every type of alternative instrument you can find: dobro, accordian, 12-string guitar...It's true, some Christian radio stations might make it sound like every CCM song is the same, but that's not being fair to CCM. There's more than the radio.

if GRITS is in your list of top artists, then I can see that neither one of us is going to win the other over their side. I just saw Pillar, GRITS, and Skillet this weekend at a youth conference. meh.

of the above list, I would agree with you on Switchfoot and David Crowder. Possibly Reliant K and some of Hawk Nelson.

Steven Curtis Chapman, are you kidding me? I like the guy and all, but there are very few of his songs that aren't cringe inducing for their cheesyness. Even supposing I was kind enough to leave Dancing With The Dinosaurs buried in the past.


PS for clarification's sake, are we terming all Christian artists (and again, I'm using the term 'artist' loosely) CCM?

[rohirrim TR]

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

contemporary christian music i hear you say?

well, then, let us mention POD (Payable on Death), I enjoy their song 'Alive' - a metal band that is made up completely of christians...that'll do thee, ah say

POD is the best, I just don't really consider them "contemporary christian" which is why I didn't mention them.

[Curubethion]

Currently, CCM is in a fairly strong state. On the one hand, you have awesome groups like POD, etc. that are just amazing all around. There's also an emerging urban face that's a lot better than the cliche "gangsta rap" that permeates today's music. There's mainstream involvement, but I'm kind of torn about this, particularly when you have bands like Switchfoot and Relient K that try to tread the fine line found in crossovers. Unfortunately, this leads sometimes to cliches that shouldn't be found in music.
Then, of course, you've got the pop, etc., but I don't pay much attention to that-so I won't judge.
One of the nicer trends I'm noticing is that of younger artists appearing, e.g. Krystal Meyers and Bethany Dillon. They provide excellent role models.
So, in general, I think that CCM is strong, but it could use work for sure.

[crickhollow]

you know, I read an interview a long time ago with Michael Card. He said that he wrote a song about contemplating suicide, once, and wanted to record it. The folks from the record label would only agree if he wrote another song about hope to immediately follow it. It has to follow the Christian formula, right?