Jars of Clay

Alternative Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is musically similar to adult alternative pop/rock -- namely, it is a pleasantly mellow variation on '80s jangle pop -- but lyrically, it often concerns religious matters. Alternative CCM appeared in the mid-'90s, after alternative music entered the mainstream following the success of R.E.M., Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. In 1995, Jars of Clay were the first alternative CCM group to make significant inroads in the secular charts.

Alternative Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is musically similar to adult alternative pop/rock -- namely, it is a pleasantly mellow variation on '80s jangle pop -- but lyrically, it often concerns religious matters. Alternative CCM appeared in the mid-'90s, after alternative music entered the mainstream following the success of R.E.M., Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. In 1995, Jars of Clay were the first alternative CCM group to make significant inroads in the secular charts. [-] Hide

Steven Curtis Chapman

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is pop music with inspirational and religious lyrics. Musically, much CCM is indistinguishable from mainstream pop/rock, featuring the same melodic and production techniques. CCM developed in the '70s and '80s, as gospel artists found a new, more contemporary way to market their music. Using electric guitars and synthesizers, the religious music industry created a viable new form of gospel music that sounded like pop music -- with their slick, professional...

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is pop music with inspirational and religious lyrics. Musically, much CCM is indistinguishable from mainstream pop/rock, featuring the same melodic and production techniques. CCM developed in the '70s and '80s, as gospel artists found a new, more contemporary way to market their music. Using electric guitars and synthesizers, the religious music industry created a viable new form of gospel music that sounded like pop music -- with their slick, professional productions, many CCM records could fit comfortably on adult contemporary radio stations. [-] Hide

Bloodgood

Christian Metal is gospel music's hard rock. Not as hard as most heavy metal, it still has many of its trademarks, particularly loud guitars, bombastic riffs, long solos, and pseudo-operatic vocals. Christian metal falls between arena rock and pop-metal, though there are the occasional bands that are heavier. What ties them all together is their lyrical themes -- every band has inspirational and religious lyrics.

Christian Metal is gospel music's hard rock. Not as hard as most heavy metal, it still has many of its trademarks, particularly loud guitars, bombastic riffs, long solos, and pseudo-operatic vocals. Christian metal falls between arena rock and pop-metal, though there are the occasional bands that are heavier. What ties them all together is their lyrical themes -- every band has inspirational and religious lyrics. [-] Hide

These Five Down

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dc Talk

Christian Rap is hip-hop with religious and inspirational themes. Most Christian rap doesn't show the sonic innovation of secular rap, simply because the groups don't have such strong competition. Frequently, Christian rap falls somewhere between old school hip-hop and the rap of the late '80s. Though it was unusual for Christian rap to be as hard as gangsta rap or as groove-oriented as G-funk, variations on both styles -- led, respectively, by Gospel Gangstas and Kirk Franklin -- began to...

Christian Rap is hip-hop with religious and inspirational themes. Most Christian rap doesn't show the sonic innovation of secular rap, simply because the groups don't have such strong competition. Frequently, Christian rap falls somewhere between old school hip-hop and the rap of the late '80s. Though it was unusual for Christian rap to be as hard as gangsta rap or as groove-oriented as G-funk, variations on both styles -- led, respectively, by Gospel Gangstas and Kirk Franklin -- began to appear during the late '90s. [-] Hide

WhiteHeart

Most of the time, Christian Rock essentially follows the sonic blueprint of mainstream AOR and arena rock, except of course for its Christian-themed lyrics. It was initially a somewhat controversial style in Christian circles, as more conservative elements believed all rock & roll to be inherently evil by nature, and gospel radio programmers were accordingly reluctant to program the music when it appeared during the mid-'70s. But others began to see Christian rock as an effective way to reach... [+] Read More

Most of the time, Christian Rock essentially follows the sonic blueprint of mainstream AOR and arena rock, except of course for its Christian-themed lyrics. It was initially a somewhat controversial style in Christian circles, as more conservative elements believed all rock & roll to be inherently evil by nature, and gospel radio programmers were accordingly reluctant to program the music when it appeared during the mid-'70s. But others began to see Christian rock as an effective way to reach the unconverted, wrapping spiritual messages in an attractive package that strongly resembled a highly popular mainstream musical style. Petra's two Dove Award nominations in 1984 effectively signaled the gospel music community's acceptance of Christian rock as a viable and legitimate form, and helped pave the way for the heavier, flashier Christian style known as heaven's metal (itself an attempt to hook secular fans with an already established sound and spiritual lyrics). Harder, more uptempo Christian rock songs often try to project a firm, tough-minded, unshakable religious attitude, in keeping with the aggressive sound of the music, although many Christian rock bands have a fondness for majestic, sweeping power ballads; in both cases, the polished, squeaky-clean production is often just as close to the sheen of CCM pop as to the already slick sound of much AOR. Although some Christian rock bands experimented with rawer, more biting sounds in the late '80s and early '90s, the associations between the established conventions of big, anthemic hooks, loud yet smoothed-out guitars, and intense (yet fundamentally safe) spiritual emotion never completely died down. That time period also witnessed the unique phenomenon of King's X, a band with roots in Christian rock which garnered a devoted cult following among secular listeners and critics, thanks to its willingness to deviate from established musical formulas and address spirituality in more general terms. As alternative CCM began to capture larger portions of the Christian rock audience during the mid- to late '90s, many Christian rock heavyweights conceded the impact of mainstream alternative rock and shifted their brands of hard rock accordingly, although Petra soldiered on into the new millennium with their sound virtually unchanged. [-] Hide

Kirk Franklin

Contemporary Gospel is an updated, polished version of traditional gospel. Most of the material in contemporary gospel is newly written and the gospel choir has absorbed many innovations in soul music, both vocally and musically. On record, contemporary gospel often sounds similar to urban music.

Contemporary Gospel is an updated, polished version of traditional gospel. Most of the material in contemporary gospel is newly written and the gospel choir has absorbed many innovations in soul music, both vocally and musically. On record, contemporary gospel often sounds similar to urban music. [-] Hide

Gospel essentially breaks down into three separate categories. For many listeners, the word "gospel" conjures the sound of large African-American Southern gospel choirs, singing joyous songs of celebration. These grew out of traditional spirituals and would later evolve into close-knit, small combos that were the blueprint for doo-wop groups. Another style of gospel was country gospel, which sounded like traditional country with lyrics about God. These two forms -- along with blues gospel,... [+] Read More

Gospel essentially breaks down into three separate categories. For many listeners, the word "gospel" conjures the sound of large African-American Southern gospel choirs, singing joyous songs of celebration. These grew out of traditional spirituals and would later evolve into close-knit, small combos that were the blueprint for doo-wop groups. Another style of gospel was country gospel, which sounded like traditional country with lyrics about God. These two forms -- along with blues gospel, which was never quite as widespread as country gospel -- provided part of the foundation of contemporary gospel and CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), which came into existence in the late '70s. The other part of CCM was soft rock and mainstream pop, which provided the sound of the genre. Throughout the '80s and '90s, CCM was the most popular style of gospel, since it sounded like mainstream pop, only with religious lyrics. [-] Hide

Sandi Patti

Not unlike middle of the road (MOR) music in the pop, easy listening, or adult contemporary spheres, Inspirational music is heavy on strings and grandiose orchestrations. Sandi Patti, Dallas Holm, and Dino fall into this category.

Not unlike middle of the road (MOR) music in the pop, easy listening, or adult contemporary spheres, Inspirational music is heavy on strings and grandiose orchestrations. Sandi Patti, Dallas Holm, and Dino fall into this category. [-] Hide

Norman Greenbaum

Jesus Rock was a phenomenon of the early '70s, when a lot of hippies turned to Christianity and started singing about Jesus. Usually, the music was melodic mainstream pop, with hints of country-rock, folk-rock, and blues-rock. Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" is perhaps the best and best-known of the genre.

Jesus Rock was a phenomenon of the early '70s, when a lot of hippies turned to Christianity and started singing about Jesus. Usually, the music was melodic mainstream pop, with hints of country-rock, folk-rock, and blues-rock. Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" is perhaps the best and best-known of the genre. [-] Hide

Roberto Carlos

Latin CCM is contemporary Christian music -- which is often a mirror of American mainstream pop -- performed in Spanish.

Latin CCM is contemporary Christian music -- which is often a mirror of American mainstream pop -- performed in Spanish. [-] Hide

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