Christian rock

Christian rock is a form of rock music played by bands where the musicians are openly Christian. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands.

In the 1970s, Larry Norman was a popular Christian rock musician who challenged a view held by some conservative Christians (predominantly fundamentalists) that rock music was anti-Christian. One of his songs, "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?", summarized his attitude and his quest to pioneer Christian rock music.

"Christian rock" band definitions
There are multiple definitions of what qualifies as a "Christian Rock" band. Christian rock bands that explicitly state their beliefs and use Christian imagery in their lyrics tend to be considered a part of the contemporary Christian music (CCM) industry and play for a predominantly Christian market. Other bands perform music influenced by their faith but see their audience as the general public. They may generally avoid specific mention of God or Jesus. Such bands are sometimes rejected by the CCM rock scene and may specifically reject the CCM label. Possibly the very first documented appearance of a Christian Rock band is Mind Garage in 1967, whose Electric Liturgy, finally recorded on RCA in 1970, gives them credibility as a cornerstone in the creation of the Christian Rock genre. Some bands such as U2, Letterkills, Anberlin, Project 86, Lifehouse, 12 Stones, Creed, King's X, Thrice, Evanescence, Switchfoot, Kevin Max, Mute Math, Flyleaf, Coldplay, Blessid Union of Souls, One Step Back and MxPx do not claim to be "Christian bands", but include members who openly profess to be Christians and feature Christian thought, imagery, scripture or other influences in their music. There is a tendency among some Christian rock music fans to label rock music bands as Christian where their lyrics are seen as consistent with the fans' understanding of Christian belief, but this is generally not accepted by the contemporary Christian music industry. Related subgenres are Christian alternative rock, Christian metal, Christian industrial and Christian punk.

Critiques of Christian rock
Some critics of Christian rock complain that Christian music trends are clichéd derivative of rock music and pop music in that they copy these styles and trends without creating original sounds of their own. The critics' stereotype of Christian rock is a censored or plagiarised version of whatever is popular on the radio. Others respond that all music is in some way derived from previous works, as the concepts inspired by work, and not the work itself is within the public domain. Another common response is that Christian music is the only major genre to be grouped by its content rather than its style- for example, on the online music store iTunes, Christian performers as diverse as worship artists like Steven Curtis Chapman, hip-hop groups such as Grits, pop-rockers such as Superchick and hardcore groups such as Project 86 are all grouped under the 'Inspirational' section of the store, despite the diversity of their sounds. Many of those critiques are also levied against indie music.

Another critique of Christian Rock is that some critics also feel that in reaching out to the main stream listeners, Christian Rock waters down the Christian message and content into amorphous love songs. Amy Grant, for example, received criticism for her song, "Baby, Baby" because it was not clear whether she was singing to God or to a good looking man in the music video. Richard Rossi was criticized for performing his gospel rock in bars and secular nightclubs. Steve Camp, Christian music critic, complains that Christian music has become "yodels of a Christ-less, watered-down, pabulum-based, positive alternative, aura-fluff, cream of wheat, mush-kind-of-syrupy, God-as-my-girlfriend kind of thing." . Others respond that expressions of unconditional love reminiscent of romantic love are consistent with God's agape love and the tradition of the biblical book, Song of Solomon.

Some critics feel bands market themselves to the Christian audience because the market is easier to enter. The competition in the Christian market is not as fierce, so they can gain huge success quickly. Some bands are accused of using the CCM industry to springboard into the "mainstream" as they prove to the record labels they can sell albums. Often times these accused bands will quickly reject the Christian label they once embraced, causing controversy.

Evangelical Goals of Christian Rock
Christian Rock can be used to attract both non-Christian and Christian listeners. Some rock bands try to incorporate this type of viewpoint and try to be evangelical by drawing in non-Christian listeners to their under-the-surface Christian lyrics. Among these bands include Switchfoot and Relient K. Many critics claim that these bands are only doing so in order to build fans, fame, and fortune. However, the true aims vary among different artists.

Other Christian artists such as Chris Tomlin and Kutless sing more explicit worship songs, incorporating lyrics that directly worship the Lord. Many of these songs are played at more contemporary churches and used to lead congregations in worship. These artists receive less criticism, however they also receive less praise from non-Christian listeners.

Christian rock festivals
There are many Christian rock festivals held worldwide every year, including the Cornerstone Festival, Ichthus, Spirit West Coast, Purple Door, Parachute and Shout Fest. They range from single day events to four day festivals that provide camping and other activities. Christian rock can also be heard at other Christian festivals that are not exclusive to rock, such as the Creation Festival.

Musicians and bands
These are alphabetically sorted by first name. Note: Gospel, hip hop, and rap artists are not included in this list.

#

 * 12 Stones
 * 2 Tim. 2,3
 * 2nd Chapter of Acts
 * 38th Parallel
 * 4-4-1
 * 4Him
 * 4th Avenue Jones
 * The 77s
 * 7th Element
 * 88 Miles Per Hour

A

 * A band called David
 * Aaron Jeffrey
 * Ace Troubleshooter
 * Across The Sky
 * Adam Again
 * Adelaide
 * After the Fire
 * The Afters
 * All Saved Freak Band
 * Allies
 * Altar Boys
 * Amy Grant
 * Amos
 * Anathallo
 * Anberlin
 * Andrew Schwab
 * Anointed
 * Antestor
 * ApologetiX
 * April Sixth
 * As Cities Burn
 * As I Lay Dying
 * Ashley Cleveland
 * Audio Adrenaline
 * August Burns Red
 * Anadivine

B

 * Backyard Galaxy
 * Bad News, Bring Faith
 * BarlowGirl
 * Barnabas
 * Beanbag
 * Bebo Norman
 * Becky Fender
 * Becoming The Archetype
 * Believer
 * Beloved
 * The Benjamin Gate
 * Bethany Dillon
 * Big Daddy Weave
 * Big Dismal
 * Big Tent Revival
 * Bleach
 * Blessed By A Broken Heart
 * Blessid Union of Souls
 * Blindside
 * Bob Carlisle
 * Boxtree
 * Brave Saint Saturn
 * Bride
 * Bryan Duncan
 * Bunch of Believers
 * Building 429
 * Burlap To Cashmere
 * The Burning Season
 * By the Tree

C

 * Cadet
 * Caedmon's Call
 * Calibretto (13)
 * Carman
 * Carolyn Arends
 * Casting Crowns
 * CeCe Winans
 * The Chariot
 * Charlie Hall
 * Charlie Peacock
 * Chasing Furies
 * Children 18:3
 * The Choir
 * Chris Rice
 * Christafari
 * Church of Rhythm
 * Cindy Morgan
 * Circle of Dust
 * Circleslide
 * The Classic Crime
 * Clay Crosse
 * Cliff Richard
 * Code of Ethics
 * Comeback Kid
 * Complex Zero
 * Copeland
 * Crashdog
 * Crimson Moonlight
 * Cross Movement
 * The Crucified
 * Crystal Lewis
 * Crystavox
 * Curtis Turley And The Preachers

D

 * Daniel Band
 * Danielson Famile
 * Darrell Mansfield (Band)
 * David Crowder Band
 * David Hurley and the Soul Seekers
 * Day of Fire
 * DC Talk
 * Dead Poetic
 * Decyfer Down
 * Degarmo and Key
 * Delirious?
 * Demon Hunter
 * Denny Correll
 * Denison Marrs
 * Derek Webb
 * Detour 180
 * Deven Berryhill
 * Disciple
 * Discover America
 * Dismissed
 * Dizmas
 * Dogwood
 * Downhere
 * Dryve

E

 * Eager Seas
 * Earthsuit
 * The Echoing Green
 * Edison Glass
 * Eli
 * The Elms
 * Embodyment
 * Emery
 * Eric Champion
 * Ester Drang
 * Ethan Durelle
 * The Evan Anthem
 * EverybodyDuck
 * Everyday Sunday
 * Every New Day
 * Exit the Ordinary
 * Extol

F

 * Factor seven
 * Faith + 1
 * Falling Up
 * Far-Less
 * Farrell & Farrell
 * FFH
 * Fernando Ortega
 * Fireflight
 * Five Iron Frenzy
 * Florez
 * Flyleaf
 * FM Static
 * The Fold
 * Further Seems Forever

G

 * Gary Chapman
 * Geoff Moore
 * Ghoti Hook
 * Ginny Owens
 * Glowin Moses
 * Grits
 * Guardian
 * Guerilla Rodeo

H

 * Hammertown
 * Haste the Day
 * Hawk Nelson
 * He Is Legend
 * Hello Kelly
 * Hillsong including United and London
 * Hokus Pick
 * Holy Soldier
 * Horde
 * House of Heroes

I

 * Imagine This
 * The Innocence Mission
 * The Insyderz
 * Iona
 * Inflight (Australia)

J

 * Jaci Velasquez
 * Jacob's Trouble
 * Jake
 * Jamie Rowe
 * Jars of Clay
 * Jeff Deyo
 * Jennifer Knapp
 * Jeremy Camp
 * Jerusalem
 * Johnny Cash
 * John Michael Talbot
 * Joel Weldon
 * John Reuben
 * John Warne
 * Jonah33
 * Jonezetta
 * Joy Electric
 * Joy Williams
 * The Juliana Theory

K

 * Kathy Triccoli
 * The Katinas
 * Keith Green
 * Kevin Max
 * Kids in the Way
 * King's X
 * Kirk Franklin
 * KJ-52
 * The Kry
 * Krystal Meyers
 * Kutless


 * LA Symphony
 * Larry Norman
 * Legend Seven
 * Leslie Phillips
 * Liberation Suite
 * Lifehouse
 * Lightning War
 * Lincoln Brewster
 * The Listening
 * Living Corban
 * Living Sacrifice
 * Love Song
 * Lucerin Blue
 * Luna Halo
 * Luti-Kriss
 * LaKtorc]

M

 * Mae
 * Mainstay
 * Mali
 * Margaret Becker
 * Mark Heard
 * Mark Salomon
 * Mark Schultz
 * Matthew West
 * Megalithic
 * Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
 * MercyMe
 * mewithoutYou
 * Michael English
 * Michael Omartian
 * Michael W. Smith
 * Michelle Tumes
 * Mike Knott
 * Mile7
 * Mind Garage
 * Monday Morning
 * Mortal Treason
 * Mourning September
 * Mumsdollar
 * MxPx
 * Mylon Lefevre (aka) Mylon & Broken Heart

N

 * Narnia
 * Natalie Grant
 * needtobreathe
 * Newsboys
 * Neon Cross
 * NewSong
 * Nichole Nordeman
 * Nicole C. Mullen
 * Ninety Pound Wuss
 * Noise Union
 * Norma Jean
 * Number One Gun

O

 * Ocean
 * OC Supertones
 * Of Crystalline Structure
 * One Day Less
 * One Foot Forward
 * One Step Back
 * Oil
 * Out of Eden
 * Out of the Grey
 * Overflow

P

 * P.O.D.
 * PAX 217
 * Pedro the Lion
 * People
 * Pete Stewart
 * Petra
 * Phatfish
 * Phaseless
 * Phil Keaggy
 * Phillips, Craig, and Dean
 * Pillar
 * Philmore
 * Pivitplex
 * Plankeye
 * Play on Words
 * Plumb
 * Plus One
 * Point of Grace
 * Poor Man's Riches
 * Pray For Rain
 * Project 86
 * psalters

Q

 * Quickflight

R

 * Rachael Lampa
 * Radial Angel
 * A Ragamuffin Band
 * Randy Stonehill
 * Randy Travis
 * Ray Boltz
 * Reality Check
 * The Reception
 * Rebecca St. James
 * Red Rain
 * Reiman,Nathaniel&Trinity Band
 * Relient K
 * Resurrection Band
 * Richard Rossi
 * Rich Mullins
 * Riley Armstrong
 * Roadside Monument
 * Rob Rock
 * Rock Prophets
 * The Rocket Summer
 * Roper
 * Russ Taff

S

 * The Sabians
 * Saint
 * Salvador
 * Sanctus Real
 * Sandi Patty
 * Sarah Masen
 * Satellite Soul
 * Scaterd Few
 * Selah
 * Semper-Fi
 * Servant
 * Seven Day Jesus
 * Seventh Day Slumber
 * Seven Places
 * Showbread
 * The Showdown
 * Sierra
 * Sixpence None the Richer
 * Skillet
 * Sky Harbor
 * Slick Shoes
 * Slingshot 57
 * Slow Coming Day
 * Smalltown Poets
 * Something Like Silas
 * Sonicflood
 * SoulNoiz
 * Sounds like chicken
 * Split Level
 * Spoken
 * Staple
 * Starfield
 * Starflyer 59
 * Stavesacre
 * Stellar Kart
 * Stereo Motion
 * Steve Camp
 * Steve Mills
 * Steve Taylor
 * Steven Curtis Chapman
 * Still Breathing
 * Still Remains
 * Strange Celebrity
 * Stretch Arm Strong
 * Stryper
 * Subseven
 * Sufjan Stevens
 * Supertones
 * Superchic[k]
 * Susan Ashton
 * Switchfoot

T

 * Tait
 * Steve Taylor
 * Terminal
 * Ten Shekel Shirt
 * Third Day
 * Three Crosses
 * Toby Mac
 * Todd Agnew
 * Tommy Walker
 * Tourniquet
 * Thousand Foot Krutch
 * Training For Utopia
 * Travail
 * Tree63
 * Twila Paris
 * Twothirtyeight
 * The Wedding Rock

U

 * Undercover
 * Underoath
 * Undying Anthem

V

 * Value Pac
 * Vector
 * The Violet Burning
 * Visual Cliff
 * Voice

W

 * The W's
 * Waking Ashland
 * The Waiting
 * Wayne Kirkpatrick
 * Wayne Watson
 * The Wedding
 * Wes King
 * Whitecross
 * White Heart
 * Winter Solstice

X

 * X-Sinner

Y

 * Yellow Second
 * YFriday

Z

 * Zao
 * ZOEGirl

Magazines and Websites

 * HM Magazine
 * Firestream.net
 * Godcore.com Christian rock band database
 * CCM Magazine
 * Suite101.com's Christian Rock
 * Christian Music News