Contemporary Christian 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 Avalon, BarlowGirl, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, David Crowder Band, Amy Grant, Natalie Grant, Jars of Clay, MercyMe, Newsboys, Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, 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.

Not all popular music which lyrically identifies with Christianity is 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. Also, several mainstream artists such as Bob Dylan, Lifehouse, and U2 have dealt with Christian themes in their work but are not considered CCM artists.^[3]

Background

Contemporary Christian music first came onto the scene of popular music during the Jesus Movement revival of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Unlike traditional or southern gospel music, this new "Jesus Music" was birthed out of rock and roll. The pioneers of this movement included 2nd Chapter of Acts, Andrae Crouch and the Disciples, Love Song, Mind Garage, Barry McGuire, and Larry Norman. The small Jesus music culture had expanded into a multimillion-dollar industry by the 1980s. By the 1990s, many CCM artists such as Amy Grant, dc Talk, and Jars of Clay had found crossover success with Top 40 mainstream radio play. Currently, Christian music sales exceed those for classical, jazz, Latin, New Age, and soundtrack music [1].

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] Others 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]

See also

• GMA Music Awards
• Jesus Freak Hideout
• Korean Contemporary Christian music
• Contemporary worship music
• Christian music
• Christian rock

Notes

Further reading

• Alfonso, Barry. The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music. Billboard Books, 2002.
• Beaujon, Andrew (2006). Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81457-9. http://www.bodypiercingsavedmylife.com/. 
• Di Sabatino, David. The Jesus People Movement: An Annotated Bibliography and General Resource. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1999.
• Du Noyer, Paul (2003). "Contemporary Christian Music". The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. New York City: Billboard Books. pp. 422–423. ISBN 0-8230-7869-8. 
• Granger, Thom. CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. Nashville: CCM Books, 2001.
• Hendershot, Heather (2004). "Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music? Christian Music and the Secular Marketplace". Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-32679-9. 
• Howard, Jay R; Streck, John M. (1999). Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music. Lexington, Kentucky: The University of Kentucky Press. ISBN 081319086X. 
• Joseph, Mark. The Rock and Roll Rebellion: Why People of Faith Abandoned Rock Music-- And Why They're Coming Back. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999.
• Kyle, Richard (2006). "If You Can't Beat 'em Join 'em". Evangelicalism : an Americanized Christianity. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. pp. 281–286. ISBN 0-7658-0324-0. 
• Lucarini, Dan. Why I left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement. Evangelical Press. http://www.evangelicalpress.org/esales/product_info.php?products_id=329. 
• Miller, Steve (1993). The Contemporary Christian Music Debate. Tyndale House. http://www.ccmdebate.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
• Mount, Daniel J. (2005). A City on a Hilltop? The History of Contemporary Christian Music. http://www.danielmount.net/ccm.html. Retrieved on 2007-02-12. 
• Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 
• Pruitt, Jim (2003). Contemporary Christian Musician's Survival Manual. Lulu. ISBN 1-4116-0117-3. http://www.cyshift.com/jarc/ccmsm.html. 
• Romanowski, William D. Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture. Brazos Press, 2001.
• Young, Shawn David, M.A., Hippies, Jesus Freaks, and Music (Ann Arbor: Xanedu/Copley Original Works, 2005. ISBN 1-59399-201-7.

External links

• NBC's Huntley Brinkley News August 8, 1969 Article on first nationally televised rock and roll worship service. Trinity Church at Wall Street and Broadway. Record World August 16, 1969
• Christian Contemporary Music and Lyrics
• Christian Music Monthly
• Christian Music Central - Christian Music Videos - Music Video Source
• Christian Music Today
• Christian Music Review Reviews of contemporary Christian albums, artists discographies, biographical information, music videos and etc.
• Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) Magazine
• lightvox | Christian Music Magazine Collaborative Christian Music Magazine powered by the Christian music community.
• Most Requested Most Requested - the ultimate music video show for Christians
• STREETBRAND Magazine Christian youth magazine with significant Christian music input.

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