Songs in 1980s -every Man Must Be Born Again

Rock music with lyrics related to Jesus and Christianity

Christian stone
Stylistic origins	Rock music Jesus music Christian music
Cultural origins	Late 1960s, United States
Subgenres
Christian alternative rock Christian metal Christian punk Christian hardcore
Other topics
Christian hip hop Contemporary Christian music Christian electronic dance music

Christian stone is a class of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian religion, frequently with an accent on Jesus, typically performed past self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands. Many bands who perform Christian stone have ties to the contemporary Christian music labels, media outlets, and festivals, while other bands are independent.

History [edit]

Christian response to early on rock music (1950s–1960s) [edit]

Nigh traditional and fundamentalist Christians did not view stone music favorably when it became popular with young people from the 1950s, even though country and gospel music frequently influenced early stone music. In 1952 Archibald Davison, a Harvard professor, summed up the sound of traditional Christian music and why its supporters might non like rock music when he wrote of "... a rhythm that avoids strong pulses; a melody whose physiognomy is neither and then characteristic nor so engaging as to make an entreatment in its ain behalf; counterpoint, which cultivates long-breathed eloquence rather than instant and dramatic effect; a chromaticism which is at all times restricted in amount and defective in emotionalism; and modality which creates an temper unmistakably ecclesiastical".^[one] In the light of Archibald Davison'south characterisation it is easy to run into how different these two genres of music are. Christians in many^{[ which? ]} regions of the U.s.a. did non want their children exposed to music with unruly, impassioned vocals, loud guitar-riffs and jarring, hypnotic rhythms. Rock and roll differed from the norm, and thus it was seen by them as a threat.^[2] Often the music was overtly sexual in nature, as in the example of Elvis Presley, who became controversial and massively popular partly for his suggestive stage antics and dancing. However, "Elvis" was a religious person who released a gospel album: Peace in the Valley ^[3] in 1957. Individual Christians may^{[ original research? ]} have listened to or fifty-fifty performed rock music in many cases, but conservative church building establishments - specially in the American S - regarded it every bit anathema.

He Touched Me, a 1972 gospel-music album by Elvis Presley, sold over one million copies in the US alone and earned Presley his second of three Grammy Awards. Not counting compilations, it was his third and final album devoted exclusively to gospel music. The song "He Touched Me" was written in 1963 past Bill Gaither, an American singer and songwriter of southern gospel and Contemporary Christian music.

In the 1960s rock music developed artistically, attained worldwide popularity and became associated with the radical counterculture, firmly alienating many^{[ quantify ]} Christians. In 1966 The Beatles, one of the nigh popular and influential rock-bands of their era, ran into problem with many of their American fans when John Lennon jokingly offered his stance that Christianity was dying and that the Beatles were "more than pop than Jesus now".^{[four] [5]} The romantic, melodic rock songs of the band's early on career had formerly been viewed as relatively inoffensive past Christians, just after the remark, churches nationwide organized Beatles-record burnings and Lennon was forced to apologize.^{[half dozen]} Afterward, the Beatles and most rock musicians experimented with a more complex, psychedelic fashion of music that frequently used anti-establishment, drug-related, or sexual lyrics, while The Rolling Stones sang "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968), a song openly written from the point of view of Satan. Allegations of Satanic intent also arose from the Beatles and others of the controversial backmasking recording-technique. This further increased Christian opposition to rock music.

Later in the 1960s the escalating Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Paris student riots of 1968 and other events served equally catalysts for youth activism and political withdrawal or protestation, which became associated with rock bands, whether or non they were openly political. Moreover, many^{[ quantify ]} saw the music as promoting a lifestyle of promiscuous "sex activity, drugs and stone and whorl", also reflected in the behavior of many rock stars. All the same, there was growing recognition of the diverse musical and ideological potential of rock.^{[ citation needed ]} Countless new bands sprang up in the mid-to-late 1960s, as rock displaced older, smoother pop styles to get the dominant form of pop music, a position it would enjoy about continuously until the end of the 20th century.

Roots (mid 1960s–1980s) [edit]

Amidst the outset bands that played Christian rock was the Crusaders, a Southern Californian garage rock band, whose Nov 1966 Tower Records album Make a Blithesome Noise with Drums and Guitars is considered one of the first gospel stone releases,^[vii] or even "the offset record of Christian rock",^[8] and Mind Garage, "arguably the first ring of its kind",^[nine] whose 1967 Electric Liturgy was recorded in 1969 at RCA'southward "Nashville Sound" studio.^[10] Both of these recordings were preceded by the rockabilly praise LP I Like God's Style, written and performed by 1 16-yr-old Isabel Baker and released on the private Wichita, Kansas Romco label in 1965, which no i published on until the 2000s.^[eleven]

Larry Norman, often described as the "father of Christian rock music",^[12] and in his subsequently years "the Grandfather of Christian stone",^[13] who, in 1969 recorded and released Upon This Rock, "the first commercially released Jesus rock album",^[14] challenged a view held by some conservative Christians (predominantly fundamentalists) that rock music was anti-Christian. One of his songs, "Why Should the Devil Take All the Good Music?" summarized his mental attitude and his quest to pioneer Christian rock music.^[fifteen] A comprehend version of Larry Norman'due south Rapture-themed "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" appears in the Evangelical Christian characteristic movie A Thief in the Nighttime and appeared on Cliff Richard's Christian album Small-scale Corners along with "Why Should the Devil Have All the Proficient Music?". Another Christian stone pioneer, Randy Stonehill, released his kickoff album in 1971, the Larry Norman-produced Born Twice.^{[sixteen] [17]} In the most common pressing of the album, side ane is entirely a live functioning.^[18]

Randy Stonehill's "Welcome To Paradise" (1976)

Another early Christian rock album was Mylon (We Believe) past Mylon LeFevre, son of members of the southern gospel grouping The LeFevres. He recorded the anthology with members of Classics Iv and released it through Cotillion Records in 1970.^{[xix] [20]}

In the late 1970s Christian rock received exposure through more mainstream rock and folk stone musicians. Bob Dylan became a born-again Christian and released iii albums between 1979 and 1981. This period would yield the Grammy winning unmarried "Gotta Serve Somebody" and iii successful concert tours that would later on see release as The Homemade Series Vol. 13. Dylan's influence was also felt in other members of the folk revival; Arlo Guthrie, for case, converted in 1979 (in office over his concerns over whether he faced a Huntington's affliction diagnosis like others in his family) and released his ain Christian folk-rock album Outlasting the Blues; Outlasting the Blues received the biggest record label promotion of Guthrie'south career.^[21]

Christian rock was often viewed as a marginal part of the nascent contemporary Christian music (CCM) and gimmicky gospel manufacture in the 1970s and 1980s,^[22] though Christian folk rock artists similar Bruce Cockburn and rock fusion artists like Phil Keaggy had some cross-over success. Petra and Resurrection Band, ii of the bands who brought harder rock into the early CCM community, had their origins in the early to mid-1970s. They reached their elevation in popularity in the late eighties aslope other Christian-identifying difficult rock acts such as Stryper. The latter had videos played on MTV, such as "Calling on You" and "To Hell with the Devil", and even saw some airtime on mainstream radio stations with their hit song "Honestly". Christian rock has proved less successful in the Great britain and Europe, although such artists as Bryn Haworth have plant commercial success by combining blues and mainstream rock music with Christian themes.

1990s–present [edit]

The 1990s saw an explosion of Christian rock.

Many of the popular 1990s Christian bands were initially identified every bit "Christian alternative stone", including Jars of Clay, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline and the later on albums of DC Talk. Outside Anglophone countries, bands like Oficina G3 (Brazil) and The Kry (Quebec, Canada) have achieved moderate success. To date Febrile? has been ane of the most successful bands from the UK.

By the belatedly 1990s and early 2000s, the success of Christian-inspired acts similar Skillet, Thousand Human foot Krutch, Decyfer Down, Underoath, Kutless, Disciple, P.O.D., Switchfoot, and Relient K saw a shift toward mainstream exposure in the Christian rock scene.

Among popular Christian stone bands of the first decade of the 21st century that exemplified this trend were RED and Fireflight.

In that location are also some Roman Catholic bands such as Critical Mass. Some Eastern Orthodox Christian stone groups, generally from Russian federation and the Soviet Marriage, started performing in the late 1980s and 1990s. Alisa^[23] and Black Coffee^[24] are credited as the most prominent examples. The Orthodox Christian lyrics of these bands often overlap with historical and patriotic songs about Kievan Rus'.

The musical genre that was one time rejected by mainstream Christian churches is now considered by some as one of the most-important evangelism tool of their successor congregations. According to Terri McLean, author of New Harmonies, old-guard churches (United Methodist is given as an example) of the late 1990s were experiencing a rapid turn down in membership and were under threat of disbandment inside the next decade, a trend that has been going on since the 1980s.^[25] McLean, using numerous quotes from theologians, Christian apologists and professors, goes on to offering gimmicky Christian music as the reason for the falling popularity of more traditionalist churches.^[26] The definition of contemporary Christian, as offered past New Harmonies, is of a genre not far removed from traditional hymns; it is simply more accessible. The reality is that while a form of modernized hymns practice be in today'south churches and do affect church building evangelism and growth, at that place also exists both inside and exterior these churches a form of music (Christian rock) that has only 1 element in common with previous religious genres: its worship of God.

This element, the worship of God, is what was originally removed from or subconscious within the lyrics of early, secular stone due north' ringlet. Santino described one method of changing Christian lyrics every bit a procedure that transformed "lyrics that sang of the mystical love of God into lyrics that celebrated the earthly love of woman".^[27] Howard & Streck offering examples of this, comparing Ray Charles' "This Little Girl of Mine" to "This Little Low-cal of Mine" and "Talking Almost You" to "Talking About Jesus". They claim that because of actions such as this, despite the liberal editing of the original hymns, "gospel 'showed rock how to sing'".^[28] Howard & Streck become on to describe how the conflict between music and faith, spearheaded by southern fundamentalists, was originally racially based, simply how in the sixties this moved on to a clash over the perceived lifestyle of rock musicians.^[29]

Definitions [edit]

There are multiple definitions of what qualifies as a "Christian stone" band. Christian rock bands that explicitly state their behavior and use religious imagery in their lyrics, like Retainer, Third Day, and Petra, tend to be considered a part of the contemporary Christian music (CCM) manufacture.^[30]

Other bands perform music influenced by their organized religion or containing Christian imagery, merely come across their audience as the general public. For example, Bono of U2 combines many elements of spirituality and organized religion into his lyrics, but the band is not directly labeled as a "Christian rock" ring.^[31]

Such bands are sometimes rejected by the CCM stone scene and may specifically reject the CCM label. Other bands may experiment with more abrasive musical styles. Showtime in the 1990s and 2000s there was much wider acceptance even past religious purists of Christian metallic, Christian industrial and Christian punk. Many of these bands are on predominantly Christian record labels, such as Tooth and Smash Records and Facedown Records.

Rock artists, such as Switchfoot,^{[32] [33]} do not merits to be "Christian bands", but include members who openly profess to be Christians or at times may feature Christian thought, imagery, scripture or other influences in their music.

I'm an artist who's a Christian, because I don't write music to exist evangelical. Now, if that happens, information technology happens.

Scott Stapp, lead vocalist for Creed^[34]

Some of these bands, similar Creed played upward the spiritual content of their music and were widely considered a "Christian band" by the popular media. Some bands refuse the label because they do not wish to exclusively attract Christian fans, or because they have been identified with another particular music genre, such as heavy metallic or indie rock.

Evangelism [edit]

The aims for making Christian music vary among different artists and bands. Oftentimes, the music makes evangelistic calls for Christian forms of praise and worship. Accompanying such music, street outreach, local festivities, church building functions, and many alternative forms of internal or (soulful) expression may occur.

Some Christian artists equally 3rd Twenty-four hours, Kutless, Grand Foot Krutch and Disciple accept sung songs that bear overtly Christian letters. Bands such as Underoath, Blessthefall and Haste the Day incorporate symbolism and Christian messages more than indirectly.^{[35] [36]} Bands such as Flyleaf practise non call themselves Christian bands, though they state that their Christian faith affects their lyrics.^{[37] [38]} Bands such as Switchfoot take said they try to write music for both Christians and non-Christians alike.^{[39] [40] [41]}

Festivals [edit]

Festivals range from single day events to multiple-day festivals that provide camping and other activities.

I of the offset in the U.s. was the half-dozen-day Explo '72 held in Dallas, Texas in June 1972 that was attended past around eighty,000 people with around 100,000 – 150,000 at the final concert and which featured acts such as Larry Norman, The Archers, Love Song, Randy Matthews, Children of the Day, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.

Meaning festivals in the Us are Cosmos Festival, Ichthus Festival, and Cornerstone Festival. There is as well a festival in Orlando, Florida chosen Rock the Universe, a two-twenty-four hours festival at Universal Orlando Resort that overlaps with the Nighttime of Joy event at Walt Disney World. Ichthus, currently held in Kentucky, is a three-day festival that involves over 65 bands.

There are as well many in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, including Greenbelt Festival, Soul Survivor, BigChurchDayOut, 'Ultimate Events' at Alton Towers, Frenzy in Edinburgh and Creation Fest, Woolacombe, Devon, which is not related to Creationfest in the United States.

The Flevo Festival of Kingdom of the netherlands, which offers seminars, theater, stand-upwards one-act, sports and movies every bit well as Christian music from a wide variety of genres, is considered to be one of the biggest Christian festivals in Europe.^{[42] [43] [44]} Information technology was discontinued in 2013, due to fiscal issues.^{[ commendation needed ]} It has been unofficially restarted past a collection of Christian organizations who previously collaborated on Flevo Festival under the new proper noun of Flavor Festival.^{[ commendation needed ]}

Skjærgårdsfestivalen is an almanac music festival held in Kingdom of norway, which headlines Christian stone bands.^{[ citation needed ]}

Many events are held in Australia called, Easterfest (in Toowoomba) Encounterfest, Jam United, Black Stump and Big Exo Day.^{[ commendation needed ]} Bogotá, Colombia hosts the summer festival Gospel al Parque.^{[ citation needed ]}

The near "underground" expression of Christian rock was the annual Cornerstone Festival sponsored by the Jesus People Us, a community which formed during the Jesus Movement of the 1970s. The festival ceased operations in 2012.^[45]

See also [edit]

• List of Christian stone bands

References [edit]

1. ^ Faulkner, Q. 2006, "Straight Talk Virtually Traditional Versus Contemporary Christian Music", The American Organist, vol. forty, no. half-dozen, pp. 79-81.
2. ^ Haines, John (October 27, 2011). "The Emergence of Jesus Rock: On Taming the 'African Beat'". Blackness Music Research Journal. 31 (2): 229–60. doi:10.5406/blacmusiresej.31.2.0229. S2CID 194012423.
3. ^ Wilson, Charles R. (2006). ""Just a Little Talk with Jesus": Elvis Presley, Religious Music, and Southern Spirituality". Southern Cultures. 12 (4): 74–91. doi:x.1353/scu.2006.0059. S2CID 159657945.
4. ^ "Rock 'north' Roll: According to John Friday". Time. August 12, 1966. Archived from the original on July sixteen, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
5. ^ Cleave, Maureen (October 5, 2005). "The John Lennon I Knew". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on December 14, 2005. Retrieved December twenty, 2007.
6. ^ Bielen, Kenneth (May 11, 2000). The Lyrics of Civility. Garland Publishing. ISBN9780815331933 . Retrieved March 3, 2008.
7. ^ David Di Sabatino, in Mark Allan Powell, Encyclopedia of Christian Music (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002):217.
8. ^ John J. Thompson, Raised past Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Scroll (ECW Printing, 2000):43,
9. ^ Brian Collins, Sightings, Martin Marty Eye University of Chicago Divinity School, "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2008. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as championship (link); Bluefield Daily Telegraph (Apr 24, 2009), "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved September xviii, 2011. {{cite spider web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as championship (link).
10. ^ Jo Renee Formicola, The Politics of Values: Games Political Strategists Play (Rowman & Littlefield 2008):64. Formicola argues that "Christian Stone Music began...when a group known equally the Mind Garage recorded "Electric Liturgy".
11. ^ Anthony Martinez, "June xviii–19, 1965: Isabel Bakery Recorded 'I Like God's Style'" Classic Christian Stone (June 18, 2017): https://world wide web.classicchristianrockzine.com/2017/06/june-18-19-1965-isabel-baker-recorded-i.html
12. ^ Sanford, David. "Bye, Larry Norman." Christianity Today. June 27, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2007. "The human known equally the Father of Christian Rock, whose health has been failing in recent years, played his last U.Due south. concert Friday nighttime in his hometown of Salem, Oregon."
13. ^ Mike Adkins, "Contemporary Christian Music: The Real Bargain in Quallity & Passion" (January 3, 2010).
14. ^ Don Cusic, The Sound of Lite: A History of Gospel Music (Popular Press, 1990):127. See as well John J. Thompson, Raised by Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Roll (ECW Press, 2000):49.
15. ^ In Another Land (Album liner notes). Larry Norman. Solid Stone Records: Solid Stone Records. 1976. {{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 879. ISBNone-56563-679-1.
17. ^ While it is claimed that Norman borrowed $iii,000 from Pat Boone to beginning One Manner Records (encounter Randy Stonehill in Chris Willman, "RANDY STONEHILL: TURNING Xx", CCM, August 1990), Norman denied this explicitly. (See Larry Norman, linear notes, Homemade (2005 CDR Release-"Cerise Letter of the alphabet Edition"):2.
18. ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Gimmicky Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 880. ISBNane-56563-679-1.
19. ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 520. ISBN1-56563-679-1.
20. ^ "Mylon (Nosotros Believe)". Christian Music Archive. Retrieved October five, 2011.
21. ^ Reineke, Hank (2012). Arlo Guthrie: The Warner/Reprise Years. Lanham: Scrarecrow Printing. pp. 209–14. ISBN978-0810883314.
22. ^ Baker, Paul (1985). Contemporary Christian Music. Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books. pp. 74, lxxx, 105–108. ISBN0-89107-343-4.
23. ^ Newsweek. A Russian Woodstock.
    One time an anti-establishment insubordinate, Kinchev's most recent work includes Orthodox Christian rock and Russian patriotic songs.
24. ^ Encyclopaedia Metallum. Black Coffee
25. ^ McLean, Terri (1998). New Harmonies. n.p.: Alban Establish. p. 109. ISBNone-56699-206-0.
26. ^ McLean, Terri (1998). New Harmonies. north.p.: Alban Institute. p. 110. ISBNone-56699-206-0.
27. ^ Howard, Jay; John M. Streck (1999). Apostles of Stone: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. pp. qtd. 27. ISBN0-8131-2105-1.
28. ^ Howard, Jay; John M. Streck (1999). Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. p. 27. ISBN0-8131-2105-i.
29. ^ Howard, Jay; John Chiliad. Streck (1999). Apostles of Rock: The Splintered Globe of Contemporary Christian Music. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. pp. 27, 28. ISBN0-8131-2105-ane.
30. ^ "Christian Rock Music Genre Overview | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
31. ^ Heim, David (March 21, 2006). "Breakfast with Bono". The Christian Century.
32. ^ Hansen, Collin (November 27, 2006). "Audition of One". Retrieved December 27, 2006.
33. ^ Morse, Steve (Jan 9, 2004). "Switchfoot steps toward distinction". Boston Earth. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved August 9, 2006.
34. ^ Moring, Mark (August ix, 2004). "Stapp: I Am a Christian". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved April 1, 2008.
35. ^ Chamberlain, Spencer; Gillespie, Aaron (July 17, 2006). "Interview With Underoath" (Interview). Europunk.net. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved December ix, 2011.
36. ^ Chamberlain, Spencer (October eighteen, 2005). "underOATH Interview October 18th, 2005" (Interview). drivenfaroff.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
37. ^ "Lions and tigers and Christian bands, oh my!". MySpace. Feb ix, 2008. Archived from the original on July viii, 2012. Retrieved Dec 9, 2011.
38. ^ Schwachter, Jeff (May 19, 2010). "Flyleaf Is Mindful of Decease". Atlantic City Weekly. Archived from the original on September 9, 2010. Retrieved December nine, 2011.
39. ^ Morse, Steve (Jan 9, 2004). "Switchfoot steps toward distinction". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
40. ^ Hansen, Collin (Nov 27, 2006). "Audience of Ane". Retrieved December ix, 2011.
41. ^ Tianen, Dave (June thirty, 2006). "Rocking for Jesus". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July half dozen, 2006. Retrieved December nine, 2011.
42. ^ Lauren says (November 11, 2009). "Europe… once more! | Breezy'south Weblog". Blog.breezybaldwin.com. Archived from the original on Nov 12, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
43. ^ "Rebecca St. James Heads to Europe This Week for Lightning Round of Major Concerts". jesusfreakhideout.com. August 19, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
44. ^ "Artist Updates". Christian Activities. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
45. ^ "Cornerstone Festival 2012 :: Special Announcement". Cornerstonefestival.com. June thirty, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2012.

Further reading [edit]

• Stowe, David Westward. (2013). No Sympathy for the Devil: Christian Pop Music and the Transformation of American Evangelicalism. University of Due north Carolina Press. ISBN978-1469606873.
• Young, Shawn David (December 7, 2011). "Jesus Freaks and Countercultural Music: From Niche to Mainstream". In Batchelor, Bob (ed.). Cult Pop Civilization: How the Fringe Became Mainstream. Praeger. ISBN978-0313357800.
• Young, Shawn David (2015). Gray Sabbath: Jesus People U.s., the Evangelical Left, and the Evolution of Christian Stone. Columbia Academy Press. ISBN978-0231172394.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_rock

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