{"id":255,"date":"2024-01-09T10:35:46","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T15:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/messagemediummessenger\/?p=255"},"modified":"2024-01-11T15:13:11","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T20:13:11","slug":"6-albums-that-transformed-contemporary-christian-music-ccm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/messagemediummessenger\/2024\/01\/6-albums-that-transformed-contemporary-christian-music-ccm\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Albums that Transformed Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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God used Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) early in my faith journey to help me memorize scripture, discover spiritual truth, learn hymns, and, most importantly, find a community among other fans. I quickly became a fan and student of the genre. I loved to read liner notes. I subscribed to CCM Magazine<\/em><\/a> and hung out with the music buyer at my local Christian bookstore<\/a>, which was the only place to buy the music. I collected swag and marketing materials wallpapering my walls with album flats, posters, and memorabilia.<\/span><\/p>\n
I came to Christ at age 14, a little more than a decade after Jesus Music hit the cover of Time Magazine<\/a>. The first Christian music I heard, outside of choral and sacred music, was on a homemade cassette. Mike Dyer brought Amy Grant<\/a>\u2018s \u201cAge to Age<\/a>\u201d on one side and her \u201cA Christmas Album<\/a>\u201d on the other. On our annual ski retreat to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, our leaders allowed us to take turns listening to music we brought from home. After a steady diet of, I\u2019m not kidding you, Madonna, Duran Duran, Culture Club, and Ted Nugent<\/a>, my turn was next. I had left my beloved Journey<\/a> and Foreigner<\/a> at home. Mike offered me his cassette and I gladly accepted. Within 100 minutes, I was moved and inspired. And I had a new favorite artist.<\/span><\/p>\n
Recently, a friend and fellow CCM lover asked me which albums I thought were the most transformative creating the genre. I instantly thought of the excellent movie, <\/span>Jesus Revolution <\/span><\/i>[stream<\/a> | article<\/a>]. <\/span>A new generation and audience is learning the story of the early days of rock and roll going biblical.<\/span><\/p>\n
My friend knows that even after 40 years, I\u2019m still a fan. The albums I put forth as the most transformative in the genre are this fan\u2019s opinion. You might ask artists who worked in the industry, radio professionals who spun 45s, or professionals who booked concert venues and get a completely different list.<\/span><\/p>\n
My lone assertion is this: without these six albums, we don\u2019t have a genre. Without these six albums, there is no industry, there are no national radio networks playing CCM, and today\u2019s artists don\u2019t have the influence and platform they have. Like them or hate them, consider them \u201cin genre\u201d or not, without these six albums, we don\u2019t have CCM.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d love to hear your list. Please comment below.<\/strong><\/p>\n