History Main / ChristianRock

* Day of Fire is a repeatedly stated Christian Rock band, whose songs are so rock that it's hard to notice the christian references, unless they directly throw it in there, and even then it's hard to notice sometimes (Rain Song comes to mind). Having a guitarist tour previously in a non-christian rock band certainly helps with the sound. Unfortunately, they recently went on hiatus.

* Music/DanielAmos[[/index]]: A Christian AlternativeRock artist. Originally a country rock band before a series of [[GenreShift Genre Shifts]] left them as a [[NewWaveMusic new wave]] group similar in style to Music/{{XTC}} or Music/TalkingHeads. Recorded several acclaimed records that critiqued modern, organized religion and televangelism, and made them highly controversial as a result.

* Long-lived performer Music/CliffRichard has managed a bit of this with some of his specifically Christian-themed music.

* It's debatable whether Music/{{Creed}} is Christian Rock or simply PostGrunge.

* Phil Keaggy is another seminal figure in Christian Rock, who is widely admired by secular guitar aficionados for his virtuosity. There's a popular incorrect urban legend about an interviewer asking [[/index]]Music/JimiHendrix how it felt to be the world's greatest guitar player. He responded by saying, "I don't know, you'll have to ask Phil Keaggy." Incorrect because Keaggy was still unknown by the time Hendrix died. The real story is possibly more fantastic: Hendrix actually praised [[Music/ZZTop Billy Gibbons]], then a member of [[http://www.last.fm/music/The+Moving+Sidewalks/+images/39344425 The Moving Sidewalks]].[[index]]

* Music/PhilKeaggy has received acclaim for his guitar virtuosity even from mainstream artists, being listed as one of the world's top two "finger-style" and "finger-picking" guitarists by Guitar Player Magazine. This is even more impressive considering that he's an IronicallyDisabledArtist who lost the middle finger on his right hand in an accident as a child. (There's a persistent UrbanLegend that Music/JimiHendrix was once asked what it was like to be the best guitarist in the world and replied "Ask Phil Keaggy." Sadly, there's no truth to it, as Hendrix died before Keaggy recorded his first album and the two never met.)

* Music/PhilKeaggy has received acclaim for his guitar virtuosity even from mainstream artists, being listed as one of the world's top two "finger-style" and "finger-picking" guitarists by Guitar Player Magazine. This is even more impressive considering that he's an IronicallyDisabledArtist who lost the middle finger on his left hand at a young age. (There's a persistent UrbanLegend that Music/JimiHendrix was once asked what it was like to be the best guitarist in the world and replied "Ask Phil Keaggy." Sadly, there's no truth to it, as Hendrix died before Keaggy recorded his first album and the two never met.)

* Music/ PhilKeaggy has received acclaim for his guitar virtuosity even from mainstream artists, being listed as one of the world's top two "finger-style" and "finger-picking" guitarists by Guitar Player Magazine. This is even more impressive considering that he's an IronicallyDisabledArtist who lost the middle finger on his left hand at a young age. (There's a persistent UrbanLegend that Music/JimiHendrix was once asked what it was like to be the best guitarist in the world and replied "Ask Phil Keaggy." Sadly, there's no truth to it, as Hendrix died before Keaggy recorded his first album and the two never met.)

* Music/{{U2}}: A thoroughly ZigZagged example of a band that's been described as "too spiritual for rock but too strange for church." All the band members are Christian, and many of their songs contain overtly Christian themes or at least go heavy on the LoveIsLikeReligion. On the other hand, they have never restricted themselves to Christian audiences or record labels, and a lot of their songs have a degree of ambivalence about faith, especially organized religion. Nonetheless, Christian fans have been happy to use their songs even in church; several denominations have put on entire services dubbed "[[{{Portmanteau}} U2charist]]". All that said, the band's career has been completely in the secular mainstream rock scene, and they will certainly not be filed under "Christian Rock" in anyone's listings.

* Music/{{U2}}: A thoroughly ZigZagged example of a band that's been described as "too spiritual for rock but too strange for church." All the band members are Christian, and many of their songs contain overtly Christian themes or at least go heavy on the LoveIsLikeReligion. On the other hand, they have never restricted themselves to Christian audiences or record labels, and a lot of their songs have a degree of ambivalence about faith, especially organized religion. Nonetheless, Christian fans have been happy to use their songs even in church; several denominations have put on entire services dubbed "[[{{Portmanteau}} U2charist]]".

Some artists have managed to become crossover hits who appeal to Christian and secular audiences alike, while just as many others are content to be primarily for Christians. (The latter group is often described under the catchall term [=CCM=], Contemporary Christian Music.) What they all have in common is a distinctively rock sound (in any style) and lyrics that are specifically about Christianity. If it's AmbiguouslyChristian, it's probably not Christian Rock.

It's also not unheard of for an artist or group to start in the Christian scene, and then move on from it as they achieve more mainstream success (or experience a CrisisOfFaith). Or, for that matter, an artist from another genre might happen to be a Christian and record an album or two of worship songs for their Christian fans.

It should be noted that this genre can be as diverse as the secular form of rock music. ''Just as diverse.'' Everything from soft rock to the various forms of HeavyMithril will be covered. And it's erroneous to assume what the viewpoint/theology of any Christian band or its members is, because Christian rock's theologies are as diverse and unpredictable as the entire population of Christians, which is pretty diverse. This does sometimes make for a degree of LyricalDissonance, as many of the harder rock genres aren't normally associated with the [[GodIsGood positive and hopeful]] aspects of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}}. Nonetheless, Christian artists have found success in every form of rock music, even BlackMetal (its devotees wryly call the Christian version "Unblack Metal").

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, Christian Rock is {{Rock}} music written and performed from a specifically UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} perspective. Far from being just Rock songs with words about God, or rock stars like Music/ElvisPresley who happen to be Christian and cover the odd Gospel song here and there, Christian Rock is its own distinct category of music, with dedicated Christian Rock record labels, music festivals, bands, radio, and more devoted to the genre.

People who are liable to condemn rock music simply because of its genre (without regards to its lyrical content) often don't listen to Christian rock, either. Some church groups (and [[ComicBook/ChickTracts Jack Chick]]) believe that ''all'' rock music, including Christian rock, is [[TheNewRockAndRoll something to be avoided]]. Also, with the popularity of various Christian Rock/Metal acts such as Music/{{Skillet}}, Music/{{Underoath}}, and Music/AsILayDying outside of the core CCM audience, the "Christian Rock as a PoorMansSubstitute" version of this trope may be becoming at least partially [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]]. At very least, though, there is often a degree of LyricalDissonance, as many of the harder rock genres aren't normally associated with the [[GodIsGood positive and hopeful]] aspects of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}}.

It should be noted that this genre can be as diverse as the secular form of rock music. ''Just as diverse.'' Everything from soft rock to the various forms of HeavyMithril will be covered. And it's erroneous to assume what the viewpoint/theology of any Christian band or its members is, because Christian rock's theologies are as diverse and unpredictable as the entire population of Christians, which is pretty diverse. And compare and contrast GospelMusic, as the two genres are constantly influencing one another.

** {{Industrial metal}} band Circle of Dust is an interesting example. While they became easily one of the most successful bands in the Christian metal scene, they usually received some flak from more conservative Christian listeners for their "music first, faith later" approach. One of the members, Scott Albert (later known as Klayton), expressed dissatisfaction with said criticism and left the Christian metal scene entirely to form Music/{{Celldweller}}. He bought the rights to all the Circle of Dust releases in 2015, and released a new album under its name, ''Machines of Our Disgrace'', in 2016, this time with all the traces of Christian metal being wiped out entirely.

* Music/{{Mutemath}} is a similar example. Their first EP was released under a Christian sub-label, so the band found a different company to sign with. They've since seen much more exposure, but their albums can still be found in Christian music stores. Don't think they qualify as Christian rock? Go listen to "Peculiar People", then read Isaiah 40:31.
** Funnily enough, "Peculiar People" was co-written with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot. Lead singer Paul Meany and drummer Darren King also used to be in the Christian [[GenreBusting rock/rap/reggae/funk/electronic]] band Earthsuit.

** Oh this exchange as Reverend Lovejoy reads the church bulletin:

-->See also: ChristianMetal and GospelMusic

It's also not unheard of for an artist or group to start in the Christian scene, and then move on from it as they achieve more mainstream success (or experience a CrisisOfFaith). Or, for that matter, an artist from another genre might happen to be a Christian and record an album or two of worship songs for their Christian fans-- no less than Music/ElvisPresley and Music/BobDylan recorded albums of Christian songs.

It's also not unheard of for an artist or group to start in the Christian scene, and then move on it as they achieve more mainstream success (or experience a CrisisOfFaith). Or, for that matter, an artist from another genre might happen to be a Christian and record an album or two of worship songs for their Christian fans-- no less than Music/ElvisPresley and Music/BobDylan recorded albums of Christian songs.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28FZ1ijkQBk Impending Doom]] is a straight Death Metal/Deathcore example, with their self-proclaimed "Gorship" style of worship to God through their music. If you look back in their discography, their first EP ("The Sin and Doom of Godless Men") is almost Noise.

** Music/{{Tourniquet}} is a Christian Progressive ThrashMetal band.

Some artists have managed to become crossover hits who appeal to Christian and secular audiences alike, while just as many others are content to be primarily for Christians. (The latter group is often described under the catchall term [=CCM=], Contemporary Christian Music.) What they all have in common is a distinctively rock sound (in any style) and lyrics that are specifically about Christianity. If it's AmbiguouslyChristian, it's probably not Christian Rock. It's also not unheard of for an artist or group to start in the Christian scene, and then abandon it as they go onto more mainstream success (or experience a CrisisOfFaith).

** Music/The77s: Famously described by Larry Norman as being "Too Christian for the radio, and too radio for the church," The [=77's=] were a new wave-influenced band who were poised to break out of Christian music altogether in the late-80s. The band got secular college radio airplay, earned critical praise for their albums and live performances, and wrote catchy alt-rock songs about explicitly Christian themes. They actually wound up getting a deal with major label Creator/IslandRecords, but unfortunately, their 1987 self-titled third album got lost in the label's promotional shuffle for Music/{{U2}}'s ''The Joshua Tree'' and underperformed. Their followup album, 1990's ''Sticks and Stones'', is widely considered to be one of the best Christian rock albums ever recorded.
** Adam Again: An eclectic band AlternativeRock that mixed folk, blues and new wave and had a string of well-reviewed albums in the 1980s and '90s. The band led by singer Gene Eugene, whose voice was often compared to [[Music/{{REM}} Michael Stipe]]. The band also included his then-wife Riki Michele, who garnered scandal in conservative Christian circles for [[TheNewRockAndRoll dancing onstage]].[[note]]Her dancing was similar to what secular 1980s college rock or new wave artists did at the time, and would be considered [[RuleAbidingRebel extremely tame]] outside of the Christian music scene.[[/note]] The band broke up after Eugene died in 2000.

Some artists have managed to become crossover hits who appeal to Christian and secular audiences alike, while just as many others are content to be primarily for Christians. (The latter group is often described under the catchall term [=CCM=], Contemporary Christian Music.) What they all have in common is a distinctively rock sound (in any style) and lyrics that are specifically about Christianity. If it's AmbiguouslyChristian, it's probably not Christian Rock.

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

* Music/LostDogs

* [[/index]]Special mention needs to go to the band Mortification. They're an Australian death metal band (it's covered above, but these guys ''need'' to be mentioned), probably most famous for doing the song "Livin' Like a Zombie". They're legends within both the Christian Metal and Death Metal scenes -- probably for being a very, very good Christian rock band.

* One of the pioneers of the genre was Music/{{Petra}}, founded in 1974. Their name is Greek for "rock", and that's pretty much the only descriptor of their style that's vague enough to remain accurate throughout their history (in the '80s alone, they went from sounding like Music/{{Kansas}} to being a heavy metal band), with synthesizer-fueled pop-rock somewhere in the middle. They got a ''lot'' of flak early on for daring to play rock music (which many Christians at the time were still uneasy about), and levered a couple {{Take That}}s to their accusers in response. Considered by many to be ''the'' pioneers of Christian Rock... they were the first band inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Not to mention their 4 Grammys and 11 nominations.

* Music/{{POD}} has probably had the most mainstream success of any Christian rock band (unless you count Creed within the genre). If anybody doubts that they're Christian rock, then listen to the lyrics of their hit "Alive", and get back to me. They were popular enough that, when frontman Sonny Sandoval named his daughter Nevaeh ("heaven" [[SdrawkcabName spelled backwards]]), that name quickly shot up from being unheard of to being one of the most popular baby names in the country. It's even on the page for TheRedStapler.
** Their beliefs were considerably more overt in their initial period as an indie band, then they toned it down when they first signed to a major label. Over time, they became disillusioned with the Christian music industry (especially Sonny, who even walked away from music entirely for a time) and in present times, they still certainly make their faith known, but Sonny has stated in at least one interview that they're good with Christ himself, but hate the concept of religion.
* Music/PrefabSprout: while songwriter Paddy [=McAloon=] had often flirted with religious themes before (in particular the closing sequence of ''Jordan: The Comeback'', which among other things includes a VillainSong written from the point of view of Satan), he'd never quite gone into actual Christian Rock... until the release of ''Let's Change The World With Music'' on which several songs are unambiguously advocating for Christianity.
* The band Music/{{Red|Band}} is a Christian rock band (although if you don't pay attention to their lyrics you wouldn't know). If you don't believe it, listen to "Already Over".

** Steven Curtis Chapman is almost as popular, having received airplay on adult contemporary stations with songs like "Cinderella."
** Another Christian music star who made a pop crossover in the early '90s was Kathy Troccoli, who landed a Top 20 hit in 1992 with the dance hit "Everything Changes." She's had several other AC hits as well.

* Music/{{Switchfoot}} is somewhat on the fence, as most of their music does not explicitly reference Christianity, but some of it makes no sense until a Christian perspective is taken on the lyrics. "Dare You To Move" from ''The Beautiful Letdown'' is a good example. Jon Foreman (the group's lead singer and usual writer) is a Christian and his work does tend to reflect that fact.
** Switchfoot was a little more obviously Christian with their first few albums; "The Beautiful Letdown" actually wasn't their first release, it was their fourth. Granted, their success since going mainstream would seem to prove that the "Christian rock" label narrows down your audience by a huge degree.
** It's worth noting that the band rejects the label specifically because they feel that it excludes people who aren't Christians but would still enjoy the music. Their official stance is "The band members are Christians, it is reflected in the music, but the music is not written to be explicitly Christian in nature. We want to make music that everyone can relate to."

* Music/ThousandFootKrutch is a band that many people don't realize that they are Christian rock. Granted their song style is either rap, alternative rock, or metal (or some combination of the three) so not exactly what most people think Christian rock is. They tend to be more subtle than most bands as well.
** Although their song ''Look Away'' specifically mentions Jesus and songs like ''Breathe You In'', ''Already Home'', ''Falls Apart'', ''Inhuman'', and ''Watching Over Me'' can easily be thought of as Christian songs.
** For anyone familiar with Christian theology, the meaning of ''The End is Where We Begin'' is pretty obvious.

* Bible Rap, or as its aficionados call it, "Holy Hip-Hop":
-->The Bible is the holy book
-->So let's open it up and take a look
-->You got Genesis/Exodus/Leviticus/Deuteronomy...
** Bible Rap may be the most theologically-focused genre of Christian music. Witness Flame's "Who Can Pluck Us," a rap song about ''predestination'', of all things: "For all those the Father chose in eternity past/ To be redeemed that simply means to be bought back".
*** Many people, on hearing Shai Linne for the first time, say that they got more solid doctrine from one album than an entire year of Sunday School.
** On the other hand, some "Christian rappers" are basically the early days of Creator/WillSmith, remixed, with an occasional positive Christian vibe just because of their personal background. So basically if you like Will Smith you'll think these guys are OK and if you don't then you won't.
** Gospel group Mary Mary is known for creating gospel songs that are different from the usual (a full choir with a preacher leading a la Kirk Franklin) and that are more like R&B songs with Christian lyrics, that actually are played on non-gospel R&B stations.
** Gospel rap would be considered not a form of christian rock, but GospelMusic, a genre unto itself.
* "Christcore", a Christian subgenre mixing HardcorePunk with {{Metalcore}}, got huge in the late 00s/early 10s. They appealed to religious and non-religious listeners and became popular to the point that Norma Jean played at Mayhem 2010 with, for example, the decidedly non-Christian Music/LambOfGod and many of these bands are fixtures on festivals like the Vans Warped Tour. Its fans are still just as likely to try to break your face in the pit as any other hardcore fans, though. Bands often included in it, officially or unofficially, include:[[index]]
** Music/AsILayDying
** Attack Attack!
** August Burns Red
** Music/TheDevilWearsPrada, and Haste the Day
** Mychildren Mybride
** Norma Jean
** Oh Sleeper
** Music/{{Underoath}}
** Music/{{Zao}}[[/index]]
* In the 1980s, the Christian AlternativeRock genre largely grew out of a network of hippie-founded Southern California churches with liberal leanings. The four main acts of this genre were:
** [[index]]Music/DanielAmos[[/index]]: The most famous of the quartet. Originally a country rock band before a series of [[GenreShift Genre Shifts]] left them as a [[NewWaveMusic new wave]] group similar in style to Music/{{XTC}} or Music/TalkingHeads. Recorded several acclaimed records that critiqued modern, organized religion and televangelism, and made them highly controversial as a result.
** The Choir: This band seemed to be the most accessible to secular audiences of the four, owing to their jangle pop-rooted sound and less overtly religious lyrics. They typically didn't write songs that revolved around God or Jesus, instead focusing on humorous Creator/FlanneryOConnor-influenced SouthernGothic narratives or lyrics about ghosts and spirits. Basically, think of them as a Christian version of Music/{{REM}}. Were poised to break out of Christian rock entirely with their heavily promoted 1989 album ''Wild Eyed Wonder'', but it underperformed nationally and they went back to their cult following.
** Adam Again: An eclectic band that mixed folk, blues and new wave and had a string of well-reviewed albums in the 1980s and '90s. The band led by singer Gene Eugene, whose voice was often compared to [[Music/{{REM}} Michael Stipe]]. The band also included his then-wife Riki Michele, who garnered scandal in conservative Christian circles for [[TheNewRockAndRoll dancing onstage]].[[note]]Her dancing was similar to what secular 1980s college rock or new wave artists did at the time, and would be considered [[RuleAbidingRebel extremely tame]] outside of the Christian music scene.[[/note]] The band broke up after Eugene died in 2000.
** Music/The77s: Famously described by Larry Norman as being "Too Christian for the radio, and too radio for the church," The [=77's=] were another new wave-influenced band who were poised to break out of Christian music altogether in the late-80s. The band got secular college radio airplay, earned critical praise for their albums and live performances, and wrote catchy alt-rock songs about explicitly Christian themes. They actually wound up getting a deal with major label Creator/IslandRecords, but unfortunately, their 1987 self-titled third album got lost in the label's promotional shuffle for Music/{{U2}}'s ''The Joshua Tree'' and underperformed. Their followup album, 1990's ''Sticks and Stones'', is widely considered to be one of the best Christian rock albums ever recorded.
** The lead singers for all four of these bands (plus The Choir's drummer[=/=]main songwriter) formed a supergroup together called The Lost Dogs, which is more folk-influenced than any of their main groups. The Lost Dogs recorded three albums before Gene Eugene's death, and decided to kept going as a quartet. They recorded five more albums after that.
* Christian ElectronicMusic has [[http://edm.com/articles/2014/9/27/edm-restoring-faith-in-christian-youth become increasingly popular]] with the general rise of the genre in TheNewTens, [[https://www.insomniac.com/media/gods-djs-bringing-love-jesus-dancefloor with producers and DJs]] holding festivals and raves for a more spiritual audience that eschews certain themes prevalent in the more mainstream EDM scene (especially its drug association).
* ChristianMetal.
** Christian [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBjWwzemnyE Death Metal]].
*** For a straight Death Metal/Deathcore example, check out [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28FZ1ijkQBk Impending Doom]] and their self-proclaimed "Gorship" style of worship to God through their music. If you look back in their discography, their first EP ("The Sin and Doom of Godless Men") is almost Noise.
** Christian BlackMetal. But since Satanic themes are practically part of the definition of the genre, this is called [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unblack_metal Unblack Metal]]. Black Metal fans are less than pleased with this, even when these bands otherwise have the same sound.
*** It doesn't help that the musical tone of black metal makes it pretty much impossible to talk about anything and not portray it in a completely twisted and evil light.
*** Really most Unblack Metal is mostly about what will happen to you in Hell if you aren't a good Christian. Basically a LogicBomb for [[ComicBook/ChickTracts Jack Chick]]
*** Although Antestor manages to pull it off rather well. Having just as many songs about despair, helplessness and suicide as they do about Jesus and God helps. And musically, they're regarded by many secular BM fans as one of the best Black Metal bands out there (by many of those who aren't part of the church-burning SeriousBusiness portion of BM fandom, anyway). Funny enough, the drummer on their 2012 album ''Omen'' is from, of all bands, Mayhem (yes, ''that'' Mayhem).
*** Hardly surprising. Hellhammer (of "yes, that Mayhem") is about as prolific a drummer as you're likely to find anywhere. Wheel him in behind a kit and he'll keep hitting the thing until you make him stop. Seriously, go look up how many albums the guy's actually played on.
** Rackets and Drapes, called the Christian version of Marilyn Manson, they definitely live up to that title. Also, the lead singer Kandy Kane admits to being a cross-dresser.
** In a strange twist, the metal band Vengeance Rising started as a Christian band, but the frontman and remaining member, Roger Martinez, later renounced Christianity and now seeks to make anti-Christian music. The other members have since reunited under the name Once Dead.
** {{Industrial metal}} band Circle of Dust is an interesting example. While they became easily one of the most successful bands in the Christian metal scene, they usually received some flak from more conservative Christian listeners for their "music first, faith later" approach. One of the members, Scott Albert (later known as Klayton), expressed dissatisfaction with said criticism and left the Christian metal scene entirely to form Music/{{Celldweller}}. He bought the rights to all the Circle of Dust releases in 2015, and released a new album under its name, ''Machines of Our Disgrace'', in 2016, this time with all the traces of Christian metal being wiped out entirely.
** ''Music/{{Theocracy}}'' is a Christian Progressive Power Metal band.
** Music/BlackSabbath. No, really, just listen to the lyrics for their classic "After Forever":
-->'Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say if they knew you believe in God above? They should realize before they criticize that God is the only way to love.'
** Music/{{Tourniquet}} is a Christian Progressive ThrashMetal band.

[[AC:Subversions/Ambiguous]]

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, Christian Rock is {{Rock}} music written and performed from a specifically UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} perspective. The genre began in TheSixties with Christian musicians who, contrary to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the attitude of many churches at the time]], thought that Rock could be a good vehicle for expressing their faith. If the older generation didn't get it, well, that's what makes it Rock 'n Roll.

The genre became popular with Christian audiences in TheSeventies, and took on a life of its own as musicians experimented in the many emerging forms of rock. It exploded in popularity in TheNineties, as many mainstream churches began to embrace the success of the style in appealing to a wide audience. Some artists have managed to become crossover hits who appeal to Christian and secular audiences alike, while just as many others are content to be primarily for Christians. (The latter group is often described under the catchall term [=CCM=], Contemporary Christian Music.) What they all have in common is a distinctively rock sound (in any style) and lyrics that are specifically about Christianity. If it's AmbiguouslyChristian, it's probably not Christian Rock.

* A pioneering group was 2nd Chapter of Acts. Brother/sisters trio Annie Herring, Nelly Ward, and Matthew Ward released their first singles in 1972 and their first album 2 years later. Known for their amazing vocal harmonies, they are probably the originators of the Christian concept album with ''Music/TheRoarOfLove,'' based on Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'' .
* [[/index]]In case you think that Neal Morse is the only example of Christian prog rock, you'd be wrong- there's also Ajalon, who take their name from Joshua 10:12 in Literature/TheBible. [[Music/{{Yes}} Rick Wakeman]] has collaborated with them before. (Wakeman is himself a professing Christian, and has released some Christian stuff, but it's not most of his output.)[[index]]
* Music/{{Apologetix}} is a Christian parody band, a la Music/WeirdAlYankovic. Al's drummer even played on one of their albums.
** Their song "We're in a Parody Band" labels themselves as part Weird Al and part Billy Graham.

* Music/BobDylan embraced the genre in the late '70s and early '80s, with his albums ''Music/SlowTrainComing'', ''Saved'', and ''Shot of Love''. These three records aren't well liked by secular Dylan fans, but ''Slow Train Coming'' received some retroactive acclaim, and [[Music/{{U2}} Bono]] has named ''Shot of Love'' as one of his favorite Dylan albums.
** During that period, Dylan was good friends with the aforementioned Keith Green and played a harmonica solo on Green's 1980 album ''So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt''.
* [[/index]]The three founding members of Music/KingsX were all fans of Petra and started their own band – then called The Edge – in 1980. In 1987 they changed their name and sound but stayed true to Christian and other spiritual topics, getting quite some recognition from the Christian Rock scene although they never openly aligned themselves to it. Their association with the genre got subverted when lead singer/bassist Doug Pinnick publically declared his loss of faith (as well as coming out as gay) and sang about it on the band's albums "Dogman" and "Ear Candy" among others.
* Family Force 5 deserves mention. "It's better than drugs/in fact it's sent from above" (from Love Addict") is a reference to God, if indirect/vague; they've played at Christian concerts, and they even mention God directly in "Peachy".
** They also did a cover of the song "In My Minds Eye," originally done by [[Music/{{dctalk}} DCTalk]], mentioned above.[[index]]

* Music/FiveIronFrenzy were a Christian ska band that gained a following in the mid-90's with secular audiences.
** They also eased back on the explicitly Christian references and titled one of their albums ''Cheeses of Nazareth''. At least one of the members has publicly stated that he is now an atheist.

* Keith Green should get a mention, since he (along with 2nd Chapter of Acts) practically invented Christian rock back in the 70s. He was notable for taking DoingItForTheArt to an extreme: he concluded it was immoral to make money from music praising Jesus, so he stopped charging money for concert tickets or albums. His death in a 1982 plane crash at age 28 was a big blow to the genre. And he ''really'' could play the piano...[[index]]

* Another seminal figure in Christian Rock is guitarist Phil Keaggy, who is widely admired by secular guitar aficionados for his virtuosity. There's a popular incorrect urban legend about an interviewer asking [[/index]]Music/JimiHendrix how it felt to be the world's greatest guitar player. He responded by saying, "I don't know, you'll have to ask Phil Keaggy." Incorrect because Keaggy was still unknown by the time Hendrix died. The real story is possibly more fantastic: Hendrix actually praised [[Music/ZZTop Billy Gibbons]], then a member of [[http://www.last.fm/music/The+Moving+Sidewalks/+images/39344425 The Moving Sidewalks]].[[index]]

* During the 1990s punk resurgence, one of the bigger marquee names was a band called Music/MxPx. They were on MTV's ''120Minutes'' and everything. What hardly anyone in the secular world knew was that they were a Christian punk band. Yet they managed to fit in just fine in the same genre as Music/{{Rancid}} and Music/TheOffspring.[[index]]

* [[/index]]The UrExample: Larry Norman's 1972 album ''Only Visiting This Planet''. Norman is generally viewed as the godfather of Christian rock, and ''Visiting'' is widely considered to be one of the best Christian records ever made, even earning a spot in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. A song from the album, "I Wish We'd All Been Ready", was on the soundtrack for the Christian film ''A Thief in the Night'', which is basically a [[TheSeventies Seventies]] version of ''Literature/LeftBehind''.
** Later on, Norman would grow disenchanted with the Christian music scene, claiming that it had become about "sloppy thinking, dishonest metaphors, and bad poetry," and joking that you could write a Christian pop song by taking a secular [[SillyLoveSongs love song]] and [[GodIsLoveSongs replacing "baby" with "Jesus"]]. Unlike later artists, Norman regularly preached in concert and was often seen as confrontational in his lyrics and interviews; He's quoted as saying "My primary emphasis is not to entertain. But if your art is boring, people will reject your message as well as your art."
** In 1969, Norman released his debut album ''Upon This Rock'' for Capitol Records. It's now widely considered to be the first Christian rock album, but at the time, it was something of a flop. Secular audiences and critics were bemused by its content and didn't really know what to do with it. Christian leaders lambasted it and Norman was denounced on air by the era's top televangelists. To wit, they believed ''Upon This Rock'' was ''even more'' harmful to Christian youth because [[WindmillCrusader it lured them into listening to that evil rock & roll through a Christian message]]. By the time the CCM market was in full force, Norman was widely considered a legend within it, but he kept the industry at an arm's length.[[index]]
* Just because the OC Supertones are overtly Christian, it doesn't mean that they can't have an awesome surfer infused ska music.

The genre became popular with Christian audiences in TheSeventies, and took on a life of its own as musicians experimented in the many emerging forms of rock. It really took off in popularity in TheNineties, as many mainstream churches began to embrace the success of the style in appealing to a wide audience. Some artists have managed to become crossover hits who appeal to Christian and secular audiences alike, while just as many others are content to be primarily for Christians. (The latter group is often described under the catchall term [=CCM=], Contemporary Christian Music.) What they all have in common is a distinctively rock sound (in any style) and lyrics that are specifically about Christianity. If it's AmbiguouslyChristian, it's probably not Christian Rock.

ChristianMetal is the even more controversial subgenre. See also the sister genre GospelMusic, which has similar messages, but pulls from a different musical tradition.

It should also be remembered that an artist's personal religious affiliation can have absolutely nothing to do with what genre they sing in. Christian rock refers exclusively to music that is about Christianity. Christians may (and often do) sing in other genres as well. Non-Christians making Christian Rock would be rarer, but not entirely unheard of. And of course other religions may have their own musical genres as well[[note]]Many Jews and Buddhists have similarly been incorporating overt religious themes into pop-music acts over the past decade; Islamic pop groups, although not unheard of, are quite rare, largely because the strictest sects of Islam forbid ''all'' music. Quite a few rappers, however, are Muslims.[[/note]]. Conversely, rock bands such as Music/{{U2}} may have Christian members and address Christian concepts in their lyrics, but see their audience as the mainstream public rather than just the Christian crowd, so most people would not consider them to be Christian Rock as such. The definition of the genre is not "rock musicians who happen to be Christians" or "rock songs that happen to be about God or religion" but "the subset of rock acts that specifically focus their output on Christian themes and/or Christian audiences."

ChristianMetal is the even more controversial subgenre. Compare GospelMusic, which has similar messages, but pulls from a different musical tradition.

There's often a perception that Christian variations are watered-down imitations of popular genres, typically with low production values, and sometimes bands just shoehorn Christianity into the lyrics to get played on gospel stations. The reality is quite different. As with any genre, production values and talent vary greatly between bands, but they're on average no more derivative than any group playing on mainstream radio. Additionally, Christian Rock is less TheMoralSubstitute than is popularly believed. Most often, it is simply a chosen way for its performers to entertain, enjoy themselves, and/or express their faith.

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, Christian Rock is a form of {{Rock}} music written and performed from a specifically UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} perspective. The genre began in TheSixties with Christian musicians who, contrary to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the attitude of many churches at the time]], thought that Rock could be a good vehicle for expressing their faith. If the older generation didn't get it, well, that's what makes it Rock 'n Roll.

It should also be remembered that an artist's personal religious affiliation can have absolutely nothing to do with what genre they sing in. Christian rock refers exclusively to music that is about Christianity. Christians may (and often do) sing in other genres as well. Non-Christians making Christian Rock would be rarer, but not entirely unheard of. And of course other religions may have their own musical genres as well[[note]]Many Jews and Buddhists have similarly been incorporating overt religious themes into pop-music acts over the past decade; Islamic pop groups, although not unheard of, are quite rare, largely because the strictest sects of Islam forbid ''all'' music. Quite a few rappers, however, are Muslims.[[/note]]. Conversely, rock bands such as Music/{{U2}} may have Christian members and address Christian concepts in their lyrics, but see their audience as the mainstream public rather than just the Christian crowd, so most people would not consider them to be Christian Rock as such. The definition of the genre is not "rock musicians who happen to be Christians" or "rock songs that happen to be about God or religion" but "the subset of rock music that specifically focuses on Christianity as a whole."

It should also be remembered that an artist's personal religious affiliation can have absolutely nothing to do with what genre they sing in. Christian rock refers exclusively to music that is about Christianity. Christians may (and often do) sing in other genres as well. Non-Christians making Christian Rock would be rarer, but not entirely unheard of. And of course other religions may have their own musical genres as well[[note]]Many Jews and Buddhists have similarly been incorporating overt religious themes into pop-music acts over the past decade; Islamic pop groups, although not unheard of, are quite rare, largely because the strictest sects of Islam forbid ''all'' music. Quite a few rappers, however, are Muslims.[[/note]]. Conversely, rock bands such as Music/{{U2}} may have Christian members and address Christian concepts in their lyrics, but see their audience as the mainstream public rather than just the Christian crowd, so most people would not consider them to be Christian Rock as such. The definition of the genre is not "rock musicians who happen to be Christians" or "rock songs that happen to be about God or religion" but "the type of rock music that specifically focuses on Christianity as a whole."

Contrast with TheMoralSubstitute. Compare GospelMusic, which has similar messages, but pulls from a different musical tradition.

Compare SongOfPrayer, which addresses God in the lyrics and GodIsLoveSongs (in which the Christian elements are understated). The opposite is ReligionRantSong, for music that takes a negative view of faith.

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, Christian Rock is a form of {{Rock}} music written and performed from a specifically UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} perspective. The genre began in TheSixties with Christian musicians who, contrary to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the attitude of many churches at the time]], thought that Rock could be a good vehicle for expressing their faith. If the older generation doesn't get it, well, that's what makes it Rock 'n Roll.

It should also be remembered that an artist's personal religious affiliation can have absolutely nothing to do with what genre they sing in. Christian rock refers exclusively to music that is about Christianity. Christians may (and often do) sing in other genres as well. Non-Christians making Christian Rock would be rarer, but not entirely unheard of. And of course other religions may have their own musical genres as well[[note]]Many Jews and Buddhists have similarly been incorporating overt religious themes into pop-music acts over the past decade; Islamic pop groups, although not unheard of, are quite rare, largely because the strictest sects of Islam forbid ''all'' music. Quite a few rappers, however, are Muslims.[[/note]]. Conversely, rock bands such as Music/{{U2}} may have Christian members and address Christian concepts in their lyrics, but see their audience as the mainstream public rather than just the Christian crowd, so most people would not consider them to be Christian Rock as such. The definition of the genre is not "rock musicians who happen to be Christians" but "the type of rock music that specifically focuses on Christianity."