The Christian Music Genre: There's a Lot You Don't Know!
This Isn't Your Great-Grandpa's Gospel Stuff
One day, I had "Dive Off" by Disciple, a hard rock Christian band, blasting through my stereo system. Instantly, everybody asked "I thought you only listened to Christian music?"
I'll admit; I couldn't help but laugh.
The stereotype rampant at the term Christian music is the good 'ol gospel, with hand raised and people singing at the top of the their voices. And while that genre is very much alive, it's nothing near mainstream. However, there is so much unknown music that anyone could listen to, even kids, and nobody would be complaining.
Ever heard of Audio Adrenaline? How about the Newsboys? Jeremy Camp? Todd Agnew? They're all rock artists, leaning toward the softer side. And I guarantee you won't fall asleep to 'em.
Looking for something edgier and much louder? Disciple and Pillar are the leading artists, and they will definitely keep you rocking. With songs like "Shine Down" and "Dive Off", Disciple can fill the air with rip-roaring chords and lyrics that'll keep you wanting more. With "Stay Up" and "Frontline", Pillar shows they combine rap with rock or stay on the leading edge of the the rock genre.
Rap more of your thing? Check out TobyMac, an artist who combines elements of electronica, hip-hop, and rapcore to make CDs that can fit any mood. His main hit "The Slam" has been played at Braves games and will blow any stereotype you can think of. Artists such as KJ-52 (who has been said to sound a lot like Eminem), Grits, and 4th Avenue Jones all have different methods to their mixes, but all can and will satisfy your desire for a solid beat with great lyrics.
Diggin' techno/electronic stuff? Then big-shot Andy Hunter should be on your radar. With songs featured in movies such as The Italian Job, The Matrix, and the hit TV show Alias, he's proven he has what it takes to impress. It's not patterned like many other artists, either; he mixes every track up to keep it sounding fresh and innovative, something often lacking when it comes to music nowadays. And if you find a track you don't like, just wait; chances are it changes a minute or two later, with a whole 'nother style, tempo, and boom.
So the next time you find yourself craving something new, check out the Christian music tab on your iTunes store. They're not preachy and won't abuse you with religious monotones if you're anti-religion, but for those church-goers seeking a positive message with great and new music it fits just as well. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Published by Caleb Rule
Having graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Mass Communication from Georgia College & State University, Caleb hopes to do video production and editing for a professional Atlanta sports team one day. He is curr... View profile
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3 Comments
Post a CommentGood read!!
Great article! Jeremy Camp and Audio Adrenaline and in my top ten favs :-)
Christian musicians would be a lot more interesting if their goal wasn't to sound like secular bands. In perpetuating this goal, it only sets the music back. If more Christian artists made an effort to experiment the way new artists (who become popular for that reason) do, or the way "classic" artists have previously done, then I couldn't complain, regardless of whether I enjoyed the end result or not. Revolutionary bands/artists are revolutionary for their revision of stale ideas, not their repetition of them. Christian music has a built in audience of Christians, which allows many of them to be successful. However, as Fred Durst, Jet and countless others have proved, success sometimes has little to do with good art.