The Quest: Saving Christian Music Radio

Christian Music Radio is dying. As a former DJ I know of what I speak. Hopefully we can save the patient, but if death occurs the coroner will list the cause as suicide, and slow motion suicide at that. I know my opinion isn't popular. After all, isn't K-Love buying up stations left and right? Yes, but they are actually part of the problem.

While the acquisition of over the air radio stations during a shift into web radio looks like a win (former WAAF in my local area), it belies a cancer that threatens to kill Christian Music Radio ( as opposed to Christian Music, which is undergoing a resurgence).

What can be done? I have a plan based on my experience in Christian Music over the space if almost 40 years:

Christian Music is just Music by Christians.

Jesus Wouldn't Listen to Jesus Music.

Embrace (Musical) Diversity.

Bring Back The DJ.

The Playlist is not life.

Each point deserves its own post, and it shall get it. Even without comment these points may lead you in my direction of thought. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The History of CCM: A Tale of Two Amy's

It was the Best of Times, It was The Worst of Times...Sorry, but with all due respect to Charles Dickens, it has become obvious to me that Contemporary Christian Music can be bookended by two women who defined their era. It is A Tale of Two Amy's.

The Modern Era of Christian Music began with the Jesus Music Era which some have pegged as a twenty year era from 1969-1989. I would take one entire decade off because if you're honest, 1979 marked a era change in Christian Music. That was the year that a Tennessee Gal by the name of Amy Grant sang about her fathers eyes. Before then Christian Music toiled in a sort of exclusive obscurity. Yes, we have our Nancy Honeytree, our Larry Norman,  and a host of others, but except for those who experienced them, most of us learned about them long after their era passed, and they became famous by reputation.

Amy Lee Grant (you can't get more political ambivalence in one name, trust me), who was born six years before I was (and is the same age as my brother) was a country girl from Georgia (dare I say a Georgia Peach) who moved to Nashville at a Child. That one song spawned a host of imitators. Suddenly everyone wanted to be Amy (at least the ladies. Guys wanted to Marry Amy and be Smitty). Thanks to Youtube, we have a live performance of My Father's Eyes from 1981.

Like I said, that launched Amy, and along with it, something called Contemporary Christian Music or CCM, and in so doing brought about the Death of The Jesus Music Era. And when you get a Dove Award for breathing (yes, Sarcasm, but when you win just about every year from 1983 on, one wonders about the integrity of the award process). Yes, I know there is Sandi Patti and Darlene Zschech out there for imitators, but it is extremely hard to do Opera. And the Zschechies? They're just creepy.

Either way CCM was in search of another savior before it disappeared into obscurity. And proof that there is a God and he has a sense of humor -- He gave the industry another Amy. This Amy didn't suit them. 

Amy Lynn Lee was a 22 year old girl from Little Rock, Arkansas with a penchant for white makeup, goth clothing, and a lyrical obsession with love and death. And, worst of all, she wasn't a perfect little Christian Girl. Still, the Debut Label Release entitled Fallen (2003), was pre - ordered by Christian Bookstores everywhere. And it did fairly well. And then came the Entertainment Weekly interview, and they (I think it was Amy, but I don't know) that dropped the F-bomb and said "they weren't a Christian Band" (a Statement made by innumerable Christian Artists before and since with no repercussions). The Christian Music Industry went apoplectic and not surprisingly, went on a witch hunt. I had fallen on order with a Christian Music Mail Order Company, and it was delayed an embarrassing long time until it was finally withdrawn. I got it from Target. It was withdrawn from Christian shelves everywhere.

Amy and Evanescence laughed all the way to the bank. Christian Music Fans stayed loyal, even if the industry didn't. The Album is multiple platinum, and they introduced an obscure Christian Band from Arkansas to Mainstream Superstardom. 

Christian Music has its savior, want her or not. If we are to believe Wikipedia one of her first side projects was a song on a Summit Church Worship Album. Plus she has mentored Deena Jakoub of Veridia. And Evanescence has inspired most of the Christian Rock industry today, Eowyn and LEAH immediately come to mind, but the "Evanescence Sound" of as I call it, Machine Gun Guitars, has come into bands like Demon Hunter and Red.

It really is that simple. Christian Music had its solution and missed it. But they way Christian Radio is organized, even if the industry had rallied around Amy Lee, the Radio industry is still stuck in the 80's, and that's a shame. Agree? Disagree? I am Awaiting Your Reply.

What does it take to be a legend?

A legend in Christian Music (or perhaps Music in General) shouldn't be easy to attain. It should be more than a Rock God. Of course that doesn't mean that it is an unattainable goal. All it means is it can't be attained by just starting a band, though that is the first step in the process. I think there are three main ingredients.

• Longevity: Time to the 10 cent dictionary crowd. You can't be a legend if you quit after a few years. Still, even if you are around for 5o years, that doesn't automatically guarantee legendary status.
• Popularity: To be a legend, people have to know you. That is a cruel fact but such is the case. A band can go on forever in obscurity and they will never become legendary except for the few fans that love them. So Much for ArkAngel.
• Influence: Plainly put, the music scene had to change after their arrival. Perceptibly. It goes beyond we would miss them if they weren't here. You can tell they are a legend either through the number of their "disciples" (copycats) or the fact that they changed or introduced a sound into the scene

Well that pretty much sums it up.  I have selected a baker`s dozen of bands which I consider to be legendary. 2nd Chapter of Acts, AD, The Choir, DC Talk, Iona, Jars of Clay, Phil Keaggy, Petra, REZ, Servant, Randy Stonehill, Stryper, and WWMT (aka The Tribe or World Wide Message Tribe). I have omitted what I would call Legends in the making. If you can think of any more let me know by commenting here, or at Twitter, Facebook, Or Google+, and give me your nominee. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

What is Christian Contemporary Music?

Don't ask me. Shocked you with that answer, didn't I. Despite the fact that I have been involved with Christian Music in some fashion for 40 years, I have no problem with admitting that I don't have a clue, and the truth is, neither does anyone else.

As a person who rates and makes criticism on the Christian Music Industry, let me tell you that of the three most useless descriptions on iTunes, two of them belong to Christian Music. They are CCM and Christian/Gospel. They appear so frequently that they give absolutely no clue as to how an artist or band will sound. Unless you're in the know, you wont. The other useless label is that of Singer/Songwriter. You would think that the title would scream folk music, you know the ubiquitous "Girl with Guitar" (Think early Amy Grant), but the title really could be placed on anyone. If Michael Sweet, lead singer of Stryper, writes his own songs, isn't he a singer/songwriter as well? Bands tend to get excluded from the label, however. (Now if we had Girl with Guitar and Glockenspiel, that changes everything).

Seriously though, the name now is applied to everything except Rock, Metal and Rap, and that is a shame. There are so many descriptive terms than CCM. And Christian/Gospel? Is it Urban Gospel?, Southern Gospel?, Just somebody who happens to be Christian and plays music? I think the 40th Anniversary of Christian Contemporary Music is the right time to retire the label. Instead of "Moving Beyond Genre" we should be moving towards them. Embrace labels such as Folk, Folk Rock, Dance, EDM, Industrial, Alternative, Rap, Hip Hop, Heavy Metal and many many more. We can finally ditch silly categories such as Pop/Contemporary at the Dove Awards. Maybe then we can get on to tackling the serious problems that plague the industry, like the recurring purges and witch hunts that happen every time someone gets caught in a "major sin". Newsflash, we all sin. We are to "Restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted." We are not supposed to remove all trace of them from shelves and pretend they never existed, which is putting it mildly.

And while I'm at it, maybe we can retire the old "We're not a Christian Band, we're a band whose members happen to be Christians" argument. The past 40 years have showed the industry that people are happy enough to have "clean" music. They don't need to have Jesus name uttered every other line. So bands like U2, Evanescence and others could be very happy with their Christian Audiences. We've been blessed by the Music, why can't the industry recognize them properly?

That's my rant for today. I'll try not to have one a day. I've got a lot to do otherwise. Picking winners for my sweepstakes, getting the 4th Quarter Out. Starting Judging, and commenting on the recently completed Dove Awards. But still, it needed to be said. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

40 Years of CCM: A Testimony

This Summer I came across an old Gospel of John with my writing in it. The writing marked my Decision to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. That day was March 10, 1975. At the time making an annual celebration of your "Spiritual Birthday" wasn't really a big deal, so it was forgotten, though I never forgot that I was born again. I was eight years old at the time, and the person responsible for my Salvation was Royal Ranger Commander Walter Monroe of Southern New England Troop 66 at the New Testament Church of Cedarville, MA. I would have turned 9 in a little over a month, so I was held out of the Buckaroos Division until my Birthday and then I was admitted as a Pioneer.

One small regret. Soon after I got saved I had a yard sale and sold my and my brothers collection of Secular Music. The Beatles, Chicago, Paul McCartney and Wings, Bad Company. I know. There was a lot of other stuff, not all so good. Still, with what I have deemed GRAC (Generally Regarded As Christian) and the Fringe a lot of these artists could have been considered (if They were active) for a Platinum Vinyl Award.

I recently discovered another 40 year birthday to celebrate. It seems that Christian Contemporary Music had its birth in 1975 as well. Yes, I know, but we're talking CCM. Christian Rock and Metal were first, but the Industry has always been uneasy about their existence. Soon after my conversion I was introduced to Christian Music via the Christian Coffeehouse. Most of the artists would soon be forgotten by the Church. They were not forgotten by me, however.

Which brings me to the recent compilation from CCM United entitled We Will Stand. The Album is subtitled 30 Artists, 45 Songs Celebrating 40 Years of Christian Contemporary Music. While the music is good, the Industry is a bit Nostalgic, so the "History" is a bit back heavy. We have Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Michael W. Smith, The Imperials (when they were rockin thank God), Love Song, you get the idea. The only "Contemporary" CCM artists are the Newsboys, Nicole C. Mullen and Francesca Battistelli. So it is more like CCM 40 years ago rather than 40 years of CCM. I would like have liked it to have included a bit more volume as well.

I am going to give We Will Stand (Live)4.75 Emeralds based on the nostalgic value alone. It is a good, though incomplete look at mostly the Adult Contemporary Genre of Christian Music. Of course I have a problem with the CCM Title anyway, but that is the subject of another rant. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

A Tale of Two Amy's or When Grant Met Lee

I am convinced that God has a sense of humor, the great majority of Christendom however otherwise convinced. For proof one need look no further than the Christian Music Industry. Fortunately for me, that is where I spend my career.

During the Jesus Music Era (the 1970's to the rest of humanity) a star arose on the landscape. While this teenage girl barely merited notice at seventeen when she debuted, two years later EVERYONE knew about Her Fathers eyes. Amy Grant was suddenly into Christian Music Deity (one thing Christians have down pat is Idolatry). She Was "OUR AMY", and pretty much was if you said Amy, your mind filled in Grant. Not that she didn't deserve some of that Idol Worship, 

Christian Music proceeded to settle into the Amy and Smitty Rut, where any release by Amy Grant or Michael W. Smith was deemed Award Worthy based on name recognition alone. While the 80's may have been the golden age for releases, in the award venues we were pretty much tin.

When God got tired of Amy this and Amy that, he decided that Christian Music needed a little rebellion, and He introduced the Christian Music World to an Arkansas girl by the name of AMY LEE. No Baby Baby for this girl. She looked like a Vampire and sang of death. Even In Death our love goes on were lyrics that got short lived Christian Magazine 7 Ball to say "somebody sign these guys". When Wind Up Records did release Fallen in 2003 by a band fronted by miss Lee, a revelation that these goth rockers were less than totally sanctified forced an instant purge from Christian Bookstores, and a guaranteed ride to 7x Platinum in the United States and 17 Million Sales Worldwide. Heart in Motion was waving a surrender flag. 

Things settled down for a while and then another Christian Singer Songwriter by the name of (no, not Amy, look at the title) Joy Williams, with 11 Dove Nominations under her belt, decided to form a Folk Band she called The Civil Wars. Barton Hollow received Christian Music Promotion, but with the Sophomore self titled effort, Crickets are all that was heard from the CCM industry at large. I guess they weren't Spiritual enough.

Amy Grant, Amy Lee, The Civil Wars. You can't make this stuff up. It's better than six degrees of Larry Norman. I guess this Christian Civil War wont be settled until the Rapture. Time for one more joke from The Almighty. The Rapture. A Sudden Vanishing Away of The Church. There's a word for that, it's called EVANESCENCE.

I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Why should the devil have all the good music?

Welcome to the latest edition of Flashback Friday. By way of introduction to my new readers, Flashback Friday is where I introduce my readers to the pioneers of Contemporary Christian Music, beginning with the Jesus Music Era of the Late 1960's and the 1970's. As we progress each week we shall move into the Seventies, and Eighties and perhaps beyond. Not exactly sure where I should end a flashback. Maybe with the year 1999/2000.

If any one person could be labeled the "First Father" or "Adam" of Christian Rock, that person would be, by almost unanimous choice (dare I say consensus), Larry David Norman (April 8, 1947 -February 24, 2008). He certainly was recognized by Servant.

S: No, No, Doctor, you've got it all wrong. Oh Well. Now then, I've also brought you some Servant.

L: Oh, what a stroke of luck, why two of my servants ran away last week, Larry and Normany. They ran into the shallow water and the crocks got them. I suppose they're in another land now.

That was the closing line of the Jungle Music Skit, and two artists were referenced here, Larry Norman and Servant. We shall get to Servant next week, and we will get to still more bands as we move into the eighties, which is known as Christian Music's Golden Age. If you didn't get the reference, Livingstone had two servants Larry and Normany (Larry Norman). Referenced also was In Another Land (1976), which was Normans sixth release as a Christian artist. He had actually been in the music industry since 1965 with the bands Back Country Seven (1964-65) and People (1965-68). He had a hit single "I Love You", with People, which reached #14 on Billboard's Hot 100. After a brief musical hiatus he returned to lead the nascent Christian Rock scene with Upon This Rock (1969).

With the rise of Christian Rock as a major force, a reactionary movement arose among the mainstream Christian community. A reaction in itself wasn't surprising, in fact Newton's Third Law of Motion required it (For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction). What was always surprising was where the reaction came from. It would be easy to slough off an attack from "the world". It really hurt when the bullets were fired by your fellow brothers and sisters. Christianity has always been plagued with friendly fire casualties.

1 Corinthians 9:19-22 lays out the principle of "All things to all men" or "every available method" to getting out the Gospel. Paul would have been on TV, Radio, the Internet, etc. (He would have also booked passage on The Titanic, but that's another story). Organized Christianity (aka Christen-dumb) has opposed just about every major technological innovation of the 20th Century as being of "the devil", with the result that, with a few rare exceptions, the Christian Church has always been seen as a bunch of Luddites.

Norman struck back with one of the most well known "defense songs" ever released entitled Why should the devil have all the good music. Even though a live video of this exists, the quality is poor. Here is an audio only version for your enjoyment.

One of the best things about this song is it's biting sarcasm, with the parts like "I grew it out long to make room for my brain". Boldness like this was a rarity, and paved the way for CCM's Caustic Clone Prince Steve Taylor, but we shall deal with him at another time.

Six Degrees of Larry Norman

Larry Norman isn't only one of the most influential and respected people in CCM History, his is also one of the most "well-connected" people in CCM history. His Street Level Artists Agency represented legends such as Randy Stonehill, Daniel Amos and Mark Heard, but the connections go much further, and include artists as diverse as DC Talk, Switchfoot and Rebecca St. James. Even more surprising, he is also one of the founders of a Protestant Denomination of sorts. Not surprising, they don't have a problem with Rock and Roll. For more information on these connections, check out my Six Degrees Page.

That concludes this edition of Flashback Friday. We shall return next Friday with Servant, the last band listed in the Jungle Music Skit. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

p.s. - Check out the Larry Norman page to purchase music on Amazon and support The Night Beat at the same time. Thanks.

Gospel Grammy: The Night Beat Prediction, Part Two

Continuing with my picks in the anemic Gospel Grammy Awards category. This time we shall move on to the Contemporary Christian Music side of the aisle, having taken the Urban/R&B/Gospel side last time.

This is where things really suffer. On the CCM side of the aisle, the Platinum Vinyl Awards has a section for Children's Music, Dance, Alternative, Modern Worship, Folk, Hard Rock, Hip Hop, Rock and Pop. All these categories fight it out for the one category of Contemporary Christian Music. With only six nominees for Album and 5 for Song, how can you not snub anyone?

Contemporary Christian Music Grammy Nominees

CCM Album of The Year

• Gungor - Ghosts Upon the Earth
• Brandon Heath - Leaving Eden
• Leeland - The Great Awakening
• Mandisa - What if We Were Real
• Royal Tailor - Black and White
• Chris Tomlin - And if Our God is For Us

Who will win: Again, going with the peculiar quirks of Christian Music judging out there. There seems to be a lot of idol worship, and the current idol is Brandon Heath.

Who Should Win: Don't think I'm going too far out on a limb. A 5 Emerald Release, Knock your socks off songs ranging from Dance to R&B to Dance: Mandisa.

 

CCM Song of The Year

• Blessings - Laura Story
• Hold Me - Jamie Grace Harper
• I Lift My Hands - Chris Tomlin
• Strong Enough - Matthew West
• Your Love - Brandon Heath

Who Will Win: This one is tough, because there are no knock your socks off anthems or stirring ballads among them, but I think it is going to be a two-fer for Brandon Heath

Who Should Win: Also a tough call for the same reasons, but based on the available choices, I am going to go with Strong Enough by Matthew West, it is the best overall orchestrated song, though as a side bet I would also pick Hold Me by Jamie Grace Harper (feat TobyMac). You really can't go wrong with anyone discovered by TobyMac and the Gotee bunch. He has and knows talent.

That's it for the Grammy's. I don't think I even broke a sweat. I intentionally disregarded the Performance award and stuck to the two major ones. I will have a bigger job picking winners when the Dove Nominees are announced on February 22. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Second Coming of Amy Lee

"A Sudden Vanishing Away", that is one possible definition of the word EVANESCENCE. A possible synonym is Rapture. And for a moment, the fans of the band by that name may have thought is what happened to the band. Well all except for those in the "official" CCM circles. They kicked Amy out of the Kingdom a long time ago.

A few days ago Christian Music Zine posted a question on their twitter account as to what Album you were looking forward to. Since I heard of it, this was it.

Evanescence came to everyone's attention through the movie Daredevil (2003). Now as a movie, well, it pretty well stunk up the joint, now the soundtrack was pretty good. Evanescence contributed two songs to the movie. Bring Me To Life and My Immortal had me hooked on the new band, and I eagerly awaited the debut album, and put in an pre-order at Christian Book Distributors. In full disclosure, this is the only time I have ever made a pre-order.

Release day arrived and my order didn't. I checked. The album was on back order for weeks and then finally the product was dropped from the website. Wondering what was up, I decided to do some research. As part of their promotion for the album, Amy and band did an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Among the shocking things they said in the interview was that "They weren't a Christian Band". I know, can you believe it. It's not like it was never heard before. I believe DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, Creed, U2, Skillet, Paramore, Evolett and just about every band not in the modern worship genre has said that they are not a Christian Band at least once. It's all about the restrictiveness and boneheadedness of the CCM Industry at large. I think they also said damn. Once. Such filth could not be tolerated. And the purge from Christian Outlets began. I bought my copy of Fallen from the local Target.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Tar and Feathering. Fallen went platinum, and then double platinum. As is usually the case, Christian Protests usually are a great source of cash for those getting protested. Everybody wants to know what the kerfuffle is about. Fallen is now listed at Septuple-Platinum (7x) in the United States and 17x Platinum in the World. Amy laughed all the way to the bank. Good for her. Their success prompted me to name one of my Platinum Vinyl Awards the Fallen Award.

Fallen was followed up by Anywhere but Home (2004), the bands first live album, and then The Open Door (2006). Neither album was as good, but it is hard to attain those heights on a regular basis. Soon after the Open Door, like their name implies, they vanished. I can hear the industry laughing, "I knew they wouldn't last."

"Hello, Hello, Remember Me. I'm everything you can't control...." So says Amy on What You Want, the opening song on Evanescence, their self titled release. The break has done them good. This is an awesome album. Amy's vocals have never been more haunting or spine chilling. The band has responded to their rush of copycats by upping their game. The use of strings on this album has exploded.



Did I ever tell you I am a sucker for strings. This is no exception. The layers are just gorgeous. As is Amy herself. Some shallow individuals on youtube were commenting that they think she's fat. Well, they're blind. Just watch the video. She's fit as a fiddle. There isn't a bad song on this album, and not a bad word in sight. Note to the mainstream. You can put out awesome music without a parental advisory.

October 1 Started the nominations for the Thrid Platinum Vinyl Awards and we already have our first shoo-in for Best Rock Album. I am giving Evanescence a perfect 5 Emerald Rating. I am not just a fan. This has the potential to go as far as Fallen, though that may be quite a stretch. I have Fallen as #1 on my list of the top CCM Albums of all time, and with songs like What You Want, Lost in Paradise, Sick, Oceans, and Swimming Home, I think this is a fair lock for number two. That's my vote and I'm sticking with it. Agree? Disagree? Comment Below. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The 10 Greatest Christian Albums Ever?

All Good Things must come to an end, our journey through CCM Magazine's 100 Greatest Christian Albums in Christian Music finally comes to its conclusion, with the Top 10. These are the albums agreed to be THE GREATEST, the "definition" of Christian Music. Are they correct? or more appropriately, still correct? It has been a decade.

The Top 10 Christian Albums, 2001

• 10 - Different Lifestyles, BeBe & Cece Winans, Sparrow, 1991
• 9   - Free at Last, DC Talk, ForeFront, 1992
• 8   - The Turning, Leslie Phillips, Myrrh, 1987
• 7   - The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1, Rich Mullins, Reunion, 1991.
• 6   - The Joshua Tree, U2, Island Records, 1987
• 5   - For Him Who Has Ears To Hear, Keith Green, Sparrow, 1977
• 4   - Second Hand, Mark Heard, Fingerprint, 1991
• 3   - A Liturgy, A Legacy, and A Ragamuffin Band, Rich Mullins, Reunion, 1993
• 2   - Only Visiting This Planet, Lary Norman, Verve, 1972
• 1   - Lead Me On, Amy Grant, Myrrh, 1991

Well, for the last time, here I go with my commentary. If I haven't done so already, and from the comments it appears that I haven't, I think that I shall dive into the hornest nest this time, or at least tip over some sacred cows.

If I were a cynic, I would say that one of the requirements for entry on this list is to have a premature death. Of course, even using flawed biblical interpretation one should consider any death short of 80 premature, but especially if illness or an accident is involved. A full 10 of 100 entries fit that Category. (Larry Norman, Gene Eugene(as Adam Again), DeGarmo & Key (Dana Key), Keith Green, Mark Heard, and Rich Mullins). Actually, BOTH Larry Norman and DeGarmo and Key don't fit the list perfectly, since they died after the list was published. Dana Key died unexpectedly Last June, and Norman in 2008. Of course on talent and influence alone there should have been more than one D&K entry on the list. As to Larry Norman, his influence in CCM is immense. I started playing around with a Six Degrees of Larry Norman a few days ago, and believe me he can be connected with virtually everyone in Christian Music today in 6 links or less. He belongs.

A cynic would also point out that a seeming requirement for entry to a list of Christian Albums is to not technically be a Christian Artist. Bruce Cockburn and U2 both contribute a pair of albums to the list. (Now in full disclosure, I think U2 belongs, but based on CCM Mags own description, I am not sure about Cockburn.) When those two items are combined with the usual Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith Bias (another 9 off the list), that means the Top 100 is really the top 76. There could be a lot of room in that list for some really deserving albums, and that is our wiggle room.



Number Nine?

 Most of my complaints on the 10 Greatest deal mostly with position, we'll start with DC Talk. Straight upfront, I love the album. There's no doubt that it belongs on the list. Actually I think they should swap positions with Jesus Freak at Number 14 and I would be fine with that. Personally I never did get the mini skits (Greer, WDCT, Willpower, and the cringeworthy 2 Honks).  This may be one of those Chicken and Egg questions though. While Jesus Freak may be superior to Free at Last, would DC Talk have been able to make Jesus Freak if it had not first made Free at Last. For Your Consideration.

On to the one of the greatest crossover acts among CCM fans, U2. The Joshua Tree was an awesome album, at least to me. Personally, if it was up to me, they may be a number one or two. Sorry Amy. I have always detected a little too much of "Amy Bias" in CCM. All she has to do is put out any album to be guaranteed it proclaimed the "Best Album Ever". On the other Hand, U2 consistently put out deep spiritual music all under the radar of the Christian Music Industry. Now even late recognition is better than no recognition at all, but I'm just saying. Would be number one on this list if I made it. (Now, would it still be number one? That remains to be seen. Stay Tuned).

That concludes my look back at the 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, as determined by CCM Magazine in 2001. Now the fun begins. A lot of music came out since 1999, the last release year for an album on the list. I think we could, at a minimum, sweep off about 20 of these. While that is not my intention, facts are facts. I hope you will help me in the undertaking. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

P.S.- A personal Night Beat Shoutout to Alexandra from Sweden, Thanks for following. Don't know if you have heard of them, but I would encourage you to check out Blindside, a rock band from Sweden signed to CCM's Midas, Tooth and Nail Records, I think that With Shivering Hearts We Wait, which has a listening party at Jesus Freak Hideout, is a Solid 4.25 Emeralds, and should make next years Platinum Vinyl Awards. As to Alexandra herself, check out her blog.

Related Posts:

• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Two
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Three
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Four
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Five
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Six
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Seven
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Eight
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Nine

The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Nine

The Top 20 await. This is where things really get heated.



The 100 Greatest Christian Albums Ever, 2001

• 20 - Crimson and Blue, Phil Keaggy, Word, 1993
• 19 - Sixpence None The Richer, Sixpence None The Richer, Squint, 1997
• 18 - Meltdown, Steve Taylor, Sparrow, 1984
• 17 - White Horse, Michael Omartian, ABC/Dunhill, 1974
• 16 - Slow Train Coming, Bob Dylan, Columbia, 1979
• 15 - Love Life, Charlie Peacock, Sparrow, 1991
• 14 - Jesus Freak, DC Talk, ForeFront, 1995
• 13 - Welcome to Paradise, Randy Stonehill, Solid Rock, 1976
• 12 - Romeo Unchained, Tonio K, What?, 1986
• 11 - The Way Home, Russ Taff, Myrrh, 1989

Only two question marks this time around. I played Romeo Unchained Plenty of times (especially Romeo and Jane) during my time at WENC, but I'm a little rusty on the album, and Russ Taff, I don't know if it was the Pop or Country Taff. The Legends are all here: Omartian, Stonehill, Taylor, Peacock, Keaggy, Sixpence, Dylan (Dylan? you exclaim. Yes even Bob Dylan made his mark in Christian Music at one time, putting out three Christian Albums, the others being Saved(1980)andShot of Love(1981).


"Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's, the Queen is losing face. Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's, a national disgrace."

It was a simple rhyme scheme and catchy beats, but it signalled a sea change for Christian Music's King of all Media and one time? Clown Prince. His debut EP I want to be a clone was a hastilly put together afair, and it showed, but rather than have a sophmore slump that would forever plunge him into obscurity Meltdown was a scathing social commentary on fame (Meltdown), The Media (Meat The Press), Infanticide (Baby Doe) and Racism (We Don't need no Colour Code). Though officially "retired" from Christian Music, Taylor is founder and President of Squint Entertainment, the label that signed co-listees Sixpence None The Richer. The man knows Talent."

The Album that launched a phenomenon. A simple chorus. "What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak. What will people do when they find that it's true. I don't really care if they label me a Jesus Freak. There ain't no disguising the truth."
Simple Lyrics sometime bring a profound truth. If Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Then there should be no apologies for our beliefs, whether in the religious or political arenas. Rock on Guys.

The Top 10 Await. It has been quite a ride through history, and we are about to embark on our own adventure as we attempt to construct a new list for a new century and a new millennium. Until tomorrow, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Related Posts:

• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Two
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Three
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Four
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Five
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Six
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Seven
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Eight
• The Top 10 Christian Albums Ever?

The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Eight

The Greatest Christian Albums Ever. That surely is a mouthful. Over the past seven posts we have looked at CCM Magazine's attempt back in 2001 to attempt to create a list that would accomplish that grand aim. On the whole I think they did a good job, but, ten years later, I think it is time that we tried again.

The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, 2001

• 30 - Heart in Motion, Amy Grant, A&M/Myrrh, 1991
• 29 - Dry Bones Dance, Mark Heard, Fingerprint, 1990
• 28 - Humans, Bruce Cockburn, True North/Columbia, 1980
• 27 - Big Town, Ashley Cleveland, Atlantic, 1991
• 26 - Secret of Time, Charlie Peacock, Sparrow, 1990
• 25 - Orphans of God, Various Artists, Fingerprint, 1996
• 24 - This is Another Day, Andrae Crouch & The Disciples, Light, 1976
• 23 - Love Song, Love Song, Good News, 1972
• 22 - Jars of Clay (aka Frail), Jars of Clay, Essential, 1995
• 21 - The Big Picture, Michael W. Smith, Reunion, 1986

A good selection this time around, though I have a small gripe with Number 22, (more on that later). Amazon pulled a no-go on Ashley Cleveland and Love Song. Cleveland's link directs to Google Shopping.


Love Song was one of the first Christian Rock bands out there, preceding Petra by just a couple of years. They grew out of Calvary Chapel's Jesus Music era of the Late 1960's and Early 70's, which grew into the CCM industry we now have. Founding Member Chuck Girard, who went on to a moderately successful solo career in the Late 70's and Early 80's, has a link to a bit more modern CCM in that he is the father of Alisa Childers, one of the members of the Christian Dance Outfit Zoegirl.

Jars of Clay. Maybe they are not the most successful Christian Band out there, but they certainly are the most well known. When their debut came out on Essential Records back in 1995, it created quite the Buzz in Christian Circles, for all the right reasons. To put it quite simply, "these guys were good." It was a kind of Folk-Rock that had not been heard before, and presaged great things for the band. Though the Band got more polished as time went on and they hit a few road bumps along the way (personally, I feel that If I Left The Zoo is an album that should have been left unmade. Whenever a producer throws out all your songs and substitutes his own, you should fire the producer. But that's just me. They righted themselves with The Eleventh Hour and really hit their stride with The Long Fall Back to Earth. Their latest release Jars of Clay Presents: The Shelter (aka Shelter Project) is a Folk-Rock masterpiece that should remind listeners of everything that caused them to fall in love with Jars in the first place. This is where you belong.

Two posts remain, and then we begin the task of a new list for a new millennium. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Related Posts:

• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Two
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Three
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Four
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Five
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Six
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Seven
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Nine
• The 10 Greatest Christian Albums Ever?

The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Seven

Now that the weekend is over, and a much needed break for your favorite blogger, we continue with our look back at The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. We begin this time with number 40, which happens to be a Christmas Album. I am not sure how I feel about this. Seasonal Albums and Greatest. Those things never really seem to mix for me. If you disagree on that, feel free to comment below. On to the list.

The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, 2001

• 40 - A Christmas Album, Amy Grant, Myrrh, 1983
• 39 - The Nu Nation Project, Kirk Franklin, GospoCentric, 1998
• 38 - In Another Land, Larry Norman, Solid Rock, 1976
• 37 - Heaven, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Sparrow/Capitol, 1988
• 36 - Medals, Russ Taff, Myrrh, 1985
• 35 - My Utmost for His Highest, Various Artists, Word, 1995
• 34 - Michael W. Smith Project, Michael W. Smith, Reunion, 1983
• 33 - The Great Adventure, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sparrow, 1992
• 32 - Victims of the Age, Mark Heard, Home Sweet Home, 1982
• 31 - Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth, Rich Mullins, Reunion, 1988

I guess I should start at the top. I like Christmas Music, at Christmas Time. I'm not really one of those people who could listen to Christmas Music all year long...with a couple of major exceptions. Two actually. Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Of course, for the most part, they are also instrumental. Now this album was on the shelves to be pulled out during the appropriate time of year when I was a DJ, and it is an excellent "Holiday" album (That should provoke a few comments).

We'll move on down the list. Larry Norman. His position as the father of Christian Rock is enough to put him on the list multiple times. Without Larry, there would be no CCM, or at least none anyone would like to listen to. Randy Stonehill was discovered by Norman. I can only imagine how many people could be connected in a Six Degrees of Larry Norman Game. Anybody want to try? Then the album is referenced in the famed Jungle Music skit by Servant (you may have to highlight the text to read it. The Color Scheme played havoc with the monitor I am using.

I'll make one more album highlight. The Michael W. Smith Project,  which came out in 1983, was groundbreaking. Just like Larry Norman could best be called the father of Christian Rock (or Grandfather, if we want to give fatherhood to Petra). I think it is fairly safe to call Smitty the father of Christian Techno. The album was not simply synthesizer based pop, it was almost totally synthesized music. Later he did put together a band for touring, but like Leon Patillo, he could have done everything as a one man band. While gaining mainstream fame, I think he also lost his way with some of the albums. Though with Wonder, his latest release, I think he finally captured the magic that I recognized as a DJ with this release.

Just three more posts remain, and then it's your turn and mine. What CD's will we include in a new list. I think some of these CD's could be supplanted with a few that have come out in 2001 and beyond. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Related Posts:

• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Two
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Three
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Four
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Five
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Six
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Eight
• The Greatest Christian Albums Ever?, Part Nine
• The 10 Greatest Christian Albums Ever?