History Main / ChristianRock

* Music/{{dctalk}} definitely count as they popularized ChristianRock in TheNineties.

* Music/{{dctalk}} was one of, if not ''the'' most popular Christian Rock in the mid-90's. They actually got their start in Christian ''rap'' and slowly evolved into pop-rock with a little hip-hop mixed in. They broke up in 2000 for what was supposed to be simply an 'intermission,' but they haven't even toured together since 2002. Well, so much for that.
** And they recorded an absolutely fantastic grunge song that just happened to be overtly Christian. Its name? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbB0QrBIs9k "Jesus Freak"]].
** The main reason for their never getting back together is because they got involved in other things. Toby Mac launched a very successful career as a Christian Rapper and studio head (Gotee Records), while Michael Tait started his own band ''Tait'' and later became the new frontman for Music/{{Newsboys}}. Which then did a cover of "Jesus Freak". The third member, Kevin Max, spent several years creating songs independently as well as starting work on writing a graphic novel set in the angelic realms before joining returning band Audio Adrenaline as lead singer (the former lead singer having developed vocal problems).

** Adam Again: An electric 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 [[AuthorExistenceFailure died in 2000]].

** Adam Again: An electric 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 a dead ringer for [[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 [[AuthorExistenceFailure died in 2000]].

** Adam Again: A funk-influenced art rock band who were probably the closest Christian rock got to its own Music/OingoBoingo. The band broke up after leader Gene Eugene [[AuthorExistenceFailure died in 2000]].

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* [[Music/{{dctalk}} dctalk]] definitely count as they popularized ChristianRock in {{TheNineties}}.

* Music/DCTalk: They started as more of a (cheesey) Rap group -- while there are fans, the group itself tends to ignore the early stuff anymore -- and moved more towards Rock for second half of their catalog. And, for a bit of trivia: The group covered one of Larry Norman's songs ("Wish we'd all been ready", see above), and when the group took a break, Michael Tait ended up in Music/{{Newsboys}}.

** They also did a cover of the song "In My Minds Eye," originally done by [=DCTalk=], mentioned above.

* {{Music/dctalk}} was one of, if not ''the'' most popular Christian Rock in the mid-90's. They actually got their start in Christian ''rap'' and slowly evolved into pop-rock with a little hip-hop mixed in. They broke up in 2000 for what was supposed to be simply an 'intermission,' but they haven't even toured together since 2002. Well, so much for that.

For further reading on the history of the genre, John J. Thompson's book ''[[https://www.amazon.com/Raised-Wolves-Story-Christian-Rock-ebook/dp/B003VTXZVS Raised By Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Roll]]'' provides a detailed overview, and also focuses on a few key figures - including Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman, the acclaimed guitarist Phil Keaggy and the [[Music/NewWaveMusic new wave]] band Music/DanielAmos - in depth. Also recommended is the Tumblr blog [[http://jedwardkeyes.tumblr.com/ An Athiest's Guide to Christian Rock]], a blog on Christian AlternativeRock written by music critic J. Edward Keyes, a former Christian who still has fondness for the music he grew up with (Sadly, the blog has been on hiatus since Keyes became the editorial director for Bandcamp's music journalism vertical).

* Music/dctalk was one of, if not ''the'' most popular Christian Rock in the mid-90's. They actually got their start in Christian ''rap'' and slowly evolved into pop-rock with a little hip-hop mixed in. They broke up in 2000 for what was supposed to be simply an 'intermission,' but they haven't even toured together since 2002. Well, so much for that.

* [=dcTalk=] was one of, if not ''the'' most popular Christian Rock in the mid-90's. They actually got their start in Christian ''rap'' and slowly evolved into pop-rock with a little hip-hop mixed in. They broke up in 2000 for what was supposed to be simply an 'intermission,' but they haven't even toured together since 2002. Well, so much for that.

* In the ''Literature/GoodOmens'' fic ''All The Best Tunes?'' by Creator/AAPessimal, the demon Crowley and the angel Azaraphile have a go at pop and rock music promotion. On a visit to CBGB's in New York, circa 1974, they witness a young Music/PattiSmith. Angel and Demon both find much to appreciate in her lyrics. Azaraphile realises the anger and the intensity of her performance of the 23rd Psalm (''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRsGdP5LgWE Set Me Free]]!") is one of the most heartfelt, intense, prayers he has heard in a long time. He approves. It causes Crowley to flee and vomit in the bathroom, for exactly the same reason.

** 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. 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.

** The only Christian alternative band to really break into the mainstream during the late 80s and early 90s was The Ocean Blue, and they did so in such a way that their secular fanbase would have never guessed that they were ever anything other than another Music/{{REM}}-influenced college rock band. The band got signed to Creator/SireRecords, then still one of the top alternative labels in the country, and were fairly popular in the pre-Music/{{Nirvana}} days of alternative radio.

** The Seventy Sevens: Another new wave-influenced band who were poised to break out of Christian music altogether in the late-80s. They actually wound up getting a deal with major label Island Records, 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.

* Music/ChristianMetal.

* Eddie [=DeGarmo=] and Bob Farrell: ''[[Music/{{Hero}} !HERO: The Rock Opera]]'' (2003)

** 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.

* 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ) are mainly a mainstream pop duo, but have had success on Christian music charts as well.

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. 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 (Contemporary Christian Music) 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}}.

* Music/PattiSmith can't easily be called a Christian artiste, but she has explored explicitly Christian themes, most notably in ''Easter'' and in her take on the 23rd Psalm (''Privilege - Set Me Free'''), which uses the psalm to throw down a challenge to God - to make Himself worthy of her worship. ''Dancin' Barefoot'' can also be read as a take on the ''Hail Mary'' devotional prayer - rewritten the Patti Smith way but still with a certain reverence.

* In the ''Literature/GoodOmens'' fic ''All The Best Tunes?'' by Creator/AAPessimal, the demon Crowley and the angel Azaraphile have a go at pop and rock music promotion. On a visit to CBGB's in New York, circa 1974, they witness a young Music/PattiSmith. Angel and Demon both find much to appreciate in her lyrics. Azaraphile realises the anger and the intensity of her performance of the 23rd Psalm (''Set Me Free!") is one of the most heartfelt, intense, prayers he has heard in a long time. He approves. It causes Crowley to flee and vomit in the bathroom, for exactly the same reason.

The genre of rock and popular music that explicitly incorporates or mentions Christian themes.

*** 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 most recent album 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.

** 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/BlackSabbath. No, really, just listen to the lyrics for their classic After Forever:

* Christan rock band Music/{{Skillet}} started out with songs that were not at all subtle about worshipping Jesus, but eventually turned their sound more mainstream, switching to lyrics that were ''kind of'' about Jesus. Lead singer John Cooper has stated in interviews that it is the band's desire to be relevant to Christians and non-Christians alike, but they're still very much a Christian band. Given that they still (as of 2009, at least) read from the Bible during concerts, that seems to indeed be the case and John does preach too.
* Andy Hunter and his contribution to the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground'' soundtrack, "The Wonders Of You". It is, in fact, Christian Techno.

* Long-lived performer'Music/CliffRichard has managed a bit of this with some of his specifically Christian-themed music.
* Music/{{Stryper}} was a Christian hair metal band that hit near mainstream success in the 80s with their single "Honestly".
** Occasionally used by hairband fans as proof that theirs is the Greatest Genre EVER: because Stryper is Christian rock, but are comparable in quality to most bands in the genre. The argument being, "Even ''Christian'' hairband is good, because we're just ''that'' awesome."

* Music/AmyGrant started out making explicitly Christian pop music -- Her catalog spanning from her self-titled album, ''My Father's Eyes,'' ''Never Alone,'' ''In Concert Vol. 1 and 2'', ''Age to Age,'' ''Straight Ahead,'' ''Unguarded.'' At the end of TheEighties and the beginning of TheNineties, she left that genre for mainstream music. ''Lead Me On'' and ''Heart in Motion'' were the transitional albums with ''Heart in Motion'' containing the pop smash "Baby, Baby". She hasn't renounced the Christian music, but she's no longer specifically in that genre.

* Similarly, it's debatable whether Music/{{Creed}} is Christian rock or simply post-grunge. If they're the former, then they're by far the most successful band the genre has ever seen.
* [[Music/{{POD}} P.O.D.]] 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" 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.

* Music/TheRedJumpsuitApparatus are another group which is on the fence; their first album, ''Don't You Fake It,'' emphasizes the general theme of being a good person (see their breakout single and anti-abuse song "Face Down"), but ''Lonely Road'' and ''Am I The Enemy?'' have more heavily Christian themes in the lyrics. For example, "Believe," from ''Lonely Road,''talks about needing "a little help from above" to change the world. "Wake Me Up," from ''Am I The Enemy?'', more outrightly discusses Christian redemption:
---> Wake me up, I don't want to live without your love.
---> Life me up - take me to a place not far above.
* 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 {{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.

* Christian pop musician Carman ('''not''' Cartman, though [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark he and his friends dabbled in this trope as well]] ... sort of). He is probably one of the biggest stars that the Christian music scene has ever produced, having sold over ten million albums and holding the records for the largest Christian concerts in history.

* Former ''Series/AmericanIdol'' contestant Music/ColtonDixon has taken this direction after Idol ended, and is currently touring with Christian rock band Third Day. However, he has been criticized for his lyrics "not being religious enough". Figure that one out

** 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 publically stated that he is now an atheist.

** They also did a cover of the song "In My Minds Eye," originally done by DCTalk, mentioned above.

* Christcore, a subgenre of HardCorePunk or {{Metalcore}}, is pretty huge right now. Bands often included in it, officially or unofficially, include Music/TheDevilWearsPrada, August Burns Red, Mychildren Mybride, Music/AsILayDying, Oh Sleeper, Music/{{Underoath}}, Music/{{Zao}}, Norma Jean, Attack Attack!, and Haste the Day, among others. It's becoming so mainstream that Norma Jean is playing at Mayhem 2010 with, for example, the decidedly non-Christian Music/LambOfGod. Its fans are still just as likely to try to break your face in the pit as any other hardcore fans, though.

** And they recorded an absolutely fantastic grunge song that just happened to be overtly Christian. Its name? "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbB0QrBIs9k Jesus Freak".]]
** The main reason for their never getting back together is because they got involved in other things. Toby Mac launched a very successful career as a Christian Rapper and studio head (Gotee Records), while Michael Tait started his own band ''Tait,'' and recently became the new frontman for Music/{{Newsboys}}. Which then did a cover of Jesus Freak. The third member, Kevin Max, spent several years creating songs independently as well as starting work on writing a graphic novel set in the angelic realms before recently joining returning band Audio Adrenaline as lead singer (the former lead singer having developed vocal problems).

* In 2000, right smack in the middle of the boy-band craze, Christian teenage girls got Plus One. They zoomed to the top of the CCM charts, and had one or two mainstream hits. It didn't hurt that they fulfilled the number-one boy-band priority, namely, being ridiculously good looking.

* Music/ThousandFootKrutch is a band that many people don't realize that they are Christan 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 Christan rock is. They tend to be more subtle than most bands as well.

---> '''Lovejoy''': "This Saturday you'll have a chance to 'party down' in the church basement to the Jesus rock stylings of Testament."
---> '''Bart''': [Dismissively] "Everyone already knows all the best bands are affiliated with {{Satan}}."

* The ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode, "Christian Rock Hard", took this concept to the next level. In the episode Cartman decides to form a Christian Rock band to win a bet with Kyle. But to avoid doing any actual song writing, he resorts to mostly copying off lyrics from pop love ballads and changing certain words, like "baby" to "Jesus", and because he didn't change anything else, most of his band's songs ends up being about [[IntercourseWithYou having sex with Jesus]].

--->'''Hank:''' You're not making Christianity better, you're making rock-and-roll ''worse!''

* Eddie [=DeGarmo=] and Bob Farrell: ''[[Music/{{Hero}} !HERO: The Rock Opera'' (2003)