What got you started listening to CCM?

[holyrokker]

YouTube - "Help Me To See" By Paul Clark

 

[holyrokker]

YouTube - Maron- "Get Serious" Live at Cup of Joy

 

[s1mp13m4n]

muzik!!! LOL

 

[holyrokker]

There is a LOT of Christian-themed rock-n-roll. It just can't be found on "Christian" radio stations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th6HPBiP-WM

 

[holyrokker]

YouTube - Resurrection Band - Awaiting Your Reply

 

[holyrokker]

YouTube - Darrell Mansfield - GET READY

 

[s1mp13m4n]

Where do you find out about all this stuff? I have local radio called The Current, KLOVE, and XM32 The Message. I do not pay for or have things like Napster, Pandora, etc.

 

[Zoooma]

I hear what you are saying about stations such as KLOVE, I enjoy it very much, however it is almost like they only have 40 songs to play and play them over and over. That is any top 40 stations that does that no matter what it plays. I would like more variety and to see them open up the playlist and do the 90s on up.

Yeah, WAY-FM plays certain songs several times a day. It's kind of a struggle for me to not get totally sick and tired of some of them. I do grumble (complain) about not having more variety. I don't want them to play older or fluffier Christian music, but instead of the current singles over and over, they oughta play non-single tracks that are often just as good. Even some #1 singles from just a few years ago don't get played that much. Why?! They were great then but they're not worth playing now? Thankfully they do mix some of them in but when you think to yourself, "Haven't I heard this 7 times already today?!" that's a station that needs to wake up a little and think about how to stay awesome without driving people to eventually hate certain songs. And some independent artists they stay away from altogether which I do not understand because their music is often just as good as whoever is on the charts.

But it is what it is and it's not terrible. Even though it can be better, I'm grateful that I can listen to such a good Christian music station.

What got me interested in listening to Christian music was becoming a Christian in 2000. I remember I was still getting music from a CD club then. One day I chose -- Nichole Nordeman: Woven & Spun. I knew absolutely nothing, nada, zip, zilch about Christian music. The concept of it was once something that I never even thought of. Led Zeppelin and Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen and The Cure and so many others were what I listened to. Christian music?!?!?! But I thought I'd give something a try. I liked it. A few songs I really liked a lot. That one CD got me started. I also found a good Christian radio station that I would listen to a lot. And slowly through the years since then I've grown my Christian music collection by leaps and bounds. I'm not someone who enjoys having material possessions but music is an exception. Most is mp3 files but every now and then I shell out a few bucks for a "new" used CD to add to my collection. If I was not a Christian, like in 1999 and before, and all my music suddenly vanished, I'd be devastated. That would be sooo bad. But as a Christian, if all my secular music instantly vanished, I'll be honest, I'd miss a lot of it, but I'd be perfectly okay with my Christian music.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I find that I mainly prefer CCM over lets saw P&W music in general. I do like some of the younger music now and then like rap and the harder rock stuff, but mainly I am a KLOVE listener. I find that XM32 The message will play some stuff from the 90s that was good. Also the Christian music chanel on Music Choice on cable will play some stuff from the 70s 80s 90s and today which is nice. I will listen to music over watching TV....but that is just me.

 

[TheThrill]

I've been listening to christian music since the late 80's/early 90's (with a few intermissions). It started off with a few free cassettes. I think I received them free from Breakaway magazine or something like that. My family had always gone to church, I just never listened to Christian music (not sure why I didn't, but I found Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith to be too mellow for my tastes).

Geoff Moore & The Distance's "Foundations" album was an album that really stood out to me. And I still love to listen to it. In my opinion, it is by far his best album. It rocks in all the right places.

And another album that stands out to me that I love is Force3's "Warrior of Light" album.

In the 90's though, I got into more hard rock music for a long time (Firehouse, Warrant, Slaughter, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, etc). After a while, I just wasn't feeling satisfied listenting to them. I enjoyed the sound, but felt guilty listening to the lyrics and I actually think it affected my lifestyle.

About 5 or 6 years ago, for whatever reason, I was flipping through radio stations and FM Static's, "Something (To Believe In)" was on and I was hooked. And have been hooked ever since.

I'm long past my Warrant and Slaughter days (though I do still listen to Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Tool or Rush from time to time -- and by time to time I mean, once every 6 months or so).

Crazy that an FM Static song is what got me hooked again. They're kind of my style. But kind of not. I enjoy TFK quite a bit (so maybe that's where the FM Static connection fits) and also enjoy Pillar, POD, Kutless, Red, As I Lay Dying, Neal Morse, Manafest, Day of Fire and a lot of others. Since about 2004 or so, my CD collection (or Christian music) went from like one album (DC Talk's Free At Last) to about 500 (including picking up Geoff Moore's "Foundations" again). So, I'm pretty hooked at this point and rockin' every minute of it.

Still need to find me a reasonably priced Force3 "Warrior of Light" though. Donated the cassette years ago. Now I wish I had it back!

 

[Navarone]

The year was 1976. I'd been a Christian for about 6 months, and went to work at a Christian camp for the summer.

While there, I met people who were listening to music by Larry Norman, Phil Keaggy, 2nd Chapter of Acts, etc.

I was surprised to hear good music with Christian content.

When I got home, I went to a Christian bookstore and bought as much as I could.

I agree Holyrokker, back in the 70s the Christian music business barely existed. When the band ARK first tried to put out their album 'Ark the Angels Come, none of the Christian labels were willing to release it, because they thought it was too worldly sounding, and that in included people like Sparrow, Word, Benson and Myrrh. This is despite the fact that the lyrics included such lines as "Jesus is the only way" -a line that RCA Records asked them to remove in return for a main stream record contract. Needless to say they passed. Instead they had to settle on a tiny new label that only managed to stay in business a year. So things were tough for Christian musicians who wanted to express their faith in a more rock music format. Today their are hundreds of labels and bands to choose from. In fact we may now be spoiled for choice. Hallelujah for that. Anyway, if none of you know about the band I was talking about, check them out. They're music is available on facebook.com/thechristianbadfinger

 

[Ceta_cea]

I listen to a variety of music styles and just wanted to have christian versions of it. For example I like hip hop, RnB, Rock, Pop, Country ect.

Therefore I started looking around and came up with quite a lot great bands and singers. Now in my free time 3/4 of all music I listen to are christian Songs.

 

[MercyGrace]

I've been listening to KLOVE radio for the past several months. I find it encouraging and uplifting, but it can be repetitive. I also wish they would play songs from 10 or 12 years ago instead of just the same ones over and over. For example, "My Deliverer" is incredible but I haven't heard it in quite a while on the radio.

And when did I start listening to CCM? I was raised in a very strict Christian home that considered all CCM to be rock music and unacceptable. The lyrics didn't matter; what mattered was the sound and drums were forbidden! We listened to hymns, conservative songs from publishers like Majesty Music, classical music, some show tunes, and older popular music (like pre-Elvis stuff).

In college, my boyfriend shared a Steve Green tape with me. I loved his voice as well as the deeply Biblical message of his songs. My parents refused to let me play his music in the house, but it was my first introduction to CCM. It's taken me a long time to venture further into CCM because for so long I was taught that it was worldly, but now I rejoice as I belt out "Lift up your face!!! Salvation is calling!" along with Third Day!

 

[s1mp13m4n]

wow, that is a fantastic story. ((hugs)). I am so glad that you shared that with me. I agree that KLOVE is wonderful and yes they seem to only play 40 songs over and over. On our cable system is Music Choice and I like their Christian station as they will play things back in the 80s, 90s, and today.

 

[Zoooma]

I've been listening to KLOVE radio for the past several months. I find it encouraging and uplifting, but it can be repetitive. I also wish they would play songs from 10 or 12 years ago instead of just the same ones over and over. For example, "My Deliverer" is incredible but I haven't heard it in quite a while on the radio.

And when did I start listening to CCM? I was raised in a very strict Christian home that considered all CCM to be rock music and unacceptable. The lyrics didn't matter; what mattered was the sound and drums were forbidden! We listened to hymns, conservative songs from publishers like Majesty Music, classical music, some show tunes, and older popular music (like pre-Elvis stuff).

In college, my boyfriend shared a Steve Green tape with me. I loved his voice as well as the deeply Biblical message of his songs. My parents refused to let me play his music in the house, but it was my first introduction to CCM. It's taken me a long time to venture further into CCM because for so long I was taught that it was worldly, but now I rejoice as I belt out "Lift up your face!!! Salvation is calling!" along with Third Day!

Wow. I couldn't imagine growing up like that, being so sheltered from the world. I'm a million percent glad I'm a Christian now but all that I experienced and soaked up while growing up Godless, I wouldn't trade that for anything as I love having that knowledge. But that's just me and my comment isn't saying growing up sheltered is wrong, it's just something I can't imagine.

Anyway, I know what you mean about KLOVE being repetitive. Actually I don't, well, I do but I don't listen to KLOVE, I listen to WAY-FM which I think, I'm guessing, is a bit more rocking than KLOVE. I would totally recommend anyone wanting to hear some good Christian radio to check it out. Even with the repetition, it is the one and only radio station I've listened to for a couple years now. You can steam online at WAY-FM. It's a network of stations around the country so pick a station and there you go! The morning show and afternoon/evening show guys are particularly really good and just really real. They don't sit and preach pretend to be high and mighty. They don't talk in only a calm soothing voice without laughing and cracking jokes. They're real, flawed people like you and me who have fun while loving Jesus! (They even indulge in real world stuff like movies and garbage on television.)

The music selection of WAY-FM is awesome but unfortunately they tend to stick to the same songs for weeks, even months on end. Every now and then they play something that isn't heard every 4 or 5 hours so that's always a treat. I think going back 9 or 10 years for Christian songs is kinda pushing it when it comes to appealing radio. At least that's my opinion. At a certain point in time, (Christian) music 7-8-9 yrs ago is blahhh. Early Newsboys, early Audio Adrenaline, early Jars Of Clay, dc Talk, Selah, Steve Green, yada yada yada, it just doesn't have the kick that new music often does. WAY-FM goes on the lighter side a little bit but mostly they rock. Right now is Robbie Seay Band -- Song Of Hope (Heaven Come Down.) This makes me want to turn IT UP LOUD!!!!!!!!!!! (In fact, I just did!) Quieter, mellower Christian music would be boring to me which is one of the reasons I love WAY-FM and also why I couldn't imagine growing up enjoying hymns without any Led Zeppelin! Yikes!!!

But anyway . . . while I still dig Led Zeppelin and The Cure and INXS and the Grateful Dead and so, so, so much non-Christian music, it's right now maybe only 2 or 3% of my musical diet. Great modern (past 6-7 years) Christian music is mostly what I listen to thanks to WAY-FM.

 

[MercyGrace]

I'll have to check out WAY-FM! It's fun to be free in Christ and not having to follow man-made legalistic rules.

 

[lightninboy]

I started listening to holy roller preachers on KCRO Omaha in 1982 and they also played CCM. Back then, holy roller preachers and CCM/christian rock were mostly unheard of or considered sinful/taboo, so it was kind of a rebel thing to listen to.

It was fun while it lasted.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

LOL too funny.

 

[holyrokker]

I started listening to holy roller preachers on KCRO Omaha in 1982 and they also played CCM. Back then, holy roller preachers and CCM/christian rock were mostly unheard of or considered sinful/taboo, so it was kind of a rebel thing to listen to.

It was fun while it lasted.

I used to listen to that station from time to time back then, too. I didn't care for the preaching, but the music was OK. It wasn't as "rock-n-roll" as I prefered, but it was enjoyable.

 

[bookit]

M88.org is a great place sample great christian music!
I have also searched the Internet for other bands to try, there are a lot of great bands out there to discover! I started with DC Talk, Skillet, Pillar, and POD!
Now I have 96 albums by 59 artists and counting!