Contemporary Christian music

Contemporary Christian music (CCM), also known as Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music, is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and stylistically rooted in Christian music. Originating in the United States, it was formed by those affected by the 1960s Jesus movement revival who began to express themselves in other styles of popular music, beyond the church music of hymns, gospel and Southern gospel music that was prevalent in the church at the time. Initially referred to as Jesus music, today, the term is typically used to refer to pop, but also includes rock, alternative rock, hip hop, metal, contemporary worship, punk, hardcore punk, Latin, electronic dance music, R&B-influenced gospel, and country styles.
After originating in the US, it has since become a globally recognized style of popular music. It has representation on several music charts, including Billboard's Christian Albums, Christian Songs, Hot Christian AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian CHR, Soft AC/Inspirational, and Christian Digital Songs as well as the UK's Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart. Top-selling CCM artists will also appear on the Billboard 200. In the iTunes Store, the genre is represented as part of the Christian and gospel genre while the Google Play Music system labels it as Christian/Gospel.
The growing popularity of rock and roll music in the 1950s was initially dismissed by the church because it was believed to encourage sinfulness. Yet as evangelical churches adapted to appeal to more people, the musical styles used in worship changed as well by adopting the sounds of this popular style.
The genre became known as contemporary Christian music as a result of the Jesus movement revival in the latter 1960s and early 1970s, and was originally called Jesus music. "About that time, many young people from the sixties' counterculture professed to believe in Jesus. Convinced of the "bareness" of a lifestyle based on drugs, free sex and "radical politics", some of the Jesus 'hippies' became known as 'Jesus people'". It was during the 1970s Jesus movement that Christian music started to become an industry within itself. "Jesus music" started by playing instruments and singing songs about love and peace, which then translated into love of God. Paul Wohlegemuth, who wrote the book Rethinking Church Music, said "[the] 1970s will see a marked acceptance of rock-influenced music in all levels of church music. The rock style will become more familiar to all people, its rhythmic excesses will become refined, and its earlier secular associations will be less remembered."
Evangelical artists made significant contributions to CCM in the 1960s, developing various Christian music styles, from Christian rock to Christian hip-hop passing through the Christian punk or the Christian metal. Those involved were affected by the late 1960s to early 1970s Jesus movement, whose adherents colloquially called themselves the "Jesus Freaks", as an Evangelical Christian response to the counterculture movements such as hippies and flower children who were finding widespread traction. The Calvary Chapel was one such response, which launched Maranatha Music in 1971. They soon began to express themselves in alternative styles of popular music and worship music. The Dove Awards, an annual ceremony which rewards Christian music, was created in Memphis, Tennessee in October 1969 by the Gospel Music Association.
There was some internal critique of CCM at its advent. The Christian college Bob Jones University discourages its dormitory students from listening to CCM.
Larry Norman is often remembered as the "father of Christian rock", because of his early contributions (before the Jesus movement) to the developing new genre that mixed rock rhythms with the Christian messages. Though his style was not initially well received by many in the Christian community of the time, he continued throughout his career to create controversial hard-rock songs such as "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?". He is remembered as the artist "who first combined rock 'n' roll with Christian lyrics" in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Though there were Christian albums in the 1960s that contained contemporary-sounding songs, there were two albums recorded in 1969 that are considered to be the first complete albums of "Jesus rock": Upon This Rock (1969) by Larry Norman initially released on Capitol Records, and Mylon – We Believe by Mylon LeFevre, released by Cotillion, which was LeFevre's attempt at blending gospel music with southern rock. Unlike traditional or southern gospel music, this new Jesus music was birthed out of rock and folk music.
Pioneers of this movement also included Andraé Crouch and the Disciples, the Imperials, Michael Omartian, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy, Love Song, Barry McGuire, Evie, Paul Clark, Randy Matthews, Randy Stonehill and Keith Green among others. The small Jesus music culture had expanded into a multimillion-dollar industry by the 1980s. Many CCM artists such as Benny Hester, Amy Grant, DC Talk, Michael W. Smith, Stryper, and Jars of Clay found crossover success with Top 40 mainstream radio play.
The genre emerged and became prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s. Beginning in July 1978, CCM Magazine began covering "contemporary Christian music" artists and a wide range of spiritual themes until it launched online publications in 2009.
It has certain themes and messages behind the songs and their lyrics, including praise and worship, faith, encouragement, and prayer. These songs also focus on themes of devotion, inspiration, redemption, reconciliation, and renewal. Many people listen to contemporary Christian music for comfort through tough times. The lyrics and messages conveyed in CCM songs have had varied, positive Christian messages over the decades. For instance, some of the songs have been aimed to evangelize and some of the lyrics are meant to praise and worship Jesus. One of the earliest goals of CCM was to spread the news of Jesus to non-Christians. In addition, contemporary Christian music also strengthens the faith of Christians.
Various evangelical record labels have supported the movement. In Christian rock, there is Sparrow Records founded in 1976 in the United States by Billy Ray Hearn, a Christian music graduate from the Baylor University. The songs of Hillsong Music, founded in 1991 by Hillsong Church, in Sydney, Australia, have been translated into various languages and have had an influence considerable in evangelical churches worldwide.
In Christian hip-hop, TobyMac, Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood founded the first specialized label Gotee Records in 1994. The founding of the label Reach Records in 2004 by Lecrae and Ben Washer also had a significant impact in the development of Christian hip-hop.
Contemporary Christian musicians and listeners have sought to extend their music into settings where religious music traditionally might not be heard. For instance, MercyMe's song "I Can Only Imagine" was a crossover success in 1999 despite having a clear Christian message. In 2018, Lauren Daigle's 'You Say' was a similar hit.
According to a 2009 study published by Faith Communities Today, 64% of churches that adopted contemporary Christian music in the past five years saw an increase in service attendance of 2% or more.
Contemporary Christian music has influences from folk, gospel, pop and rock music. Genres of music such as soft rock, folk rock, alternative, hip-hop, etc. have played a large influence on CCM.
Charismatic churches have had a large influence on contemporary Christian music and are one of the largest producers of CCM. Contemporary Christian music has also expanded into many subgenres. Christian punk, Christian hardcore, Christian metal, and Christian hip hop, although not normally considered CCM, can also come under the genre's umbrella. Contemporary worship music is also incorporated in modern CCM. Contemporary worship is both recorded and performed during church services.
In the 2000s, contemporary worship music with a distinctly theological focus has emerged, primarily in the Baptist, Reformed and more traditional non-denominational branches of Protestant Christianity. Artists include well-known groups such as Shane & Shane and modern hymn-writers, Keith & Kristyn Getty as well as others like Sovereign Grace Music, Matt Boswell and Aaron Keyes. The format is gaining traction in many churches and other areas in culture as well as being heard in CCM collections & musical algorithms on several Internet streaming services.
According to a 2023 study by Worship Leader Research, of the top 25 most popular song licenses used by churches between 2010 and 2020, nearly 100% came from 3 megachurch music groups; Hillsong Worship (Hillsong Church), Bethel Music (Bethel Church), and Elevation Worship (Elevation Church).
Brian Schwertley of the Reformed Presbyterian tradition wrote in 2001 that the inclusion of CCM in a worship service 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.
"The responsibility of the church is not to provide escape from reality", according to Donald Ellsworth, the author of Christian Music in Contemporary Witness, "but to give answers to contemporary problems through legitimate, biblical means".
According to Vice magazine, CCM "has often functioned as a propaganda wing of the Christian right", presenting views on topics such as the war on drugs, Christian nationalism, mission trips, school prayer, and the LGBT community.
Several high-profile bands have rejected the label "Christian music", such as Needtobreathe and Mutemath, with the latter suing their record label over being marketed as such. Of the categorization, Needtobreathe said to Rolling Stone: "Any label is limiting. That one in particular is especially limiting. To me, I think people pass over the band all the time because they read that....I hate the idea that they somehow feel like I didn't make the music for them, that we didn't play music for everyone. Christian record deals came and we said no to all of them. Waited a couple years until the right record deal came, which was Atlantic, which we've been on ever since. But we just said to them in passing when we first started, we want the records to be available to everyone."
Contemporary Christian album sales had increased from 31 million in 1996 to 44 million sales in 2000. Since EMI's purchase of Sparrow Records in 1996, sales had increased 100 percent. Overall, CCM sales in 2014 had dropped to 17 million in sales.