Christian music moves against current to go mainstream

Amy Grant is one of Christian music's biggest stars, but has also found crossover success in the pop world

In this story: 'Lyric soul food' Does labeling hurt or help? Money versus message RELATED STORIES, SITES

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- As Americans began to explore their spiritual roots in the '70s, Christian music experienced a revival.

It went from just church settings to coffee houses, communes and street-corner concerts. Traditional hymns gave way to rock 'n' roll songs -- considered "devil's music" by strict adherents -- as a vehicle for artists to express their devotion to Jesus. What evolved was a Christian counterculture of sorts.

And as the prefix "counter" implies, there was opposition to the sound. Critics from the church and music industry accused Christian rockers of lacking both theological and artistic merit.

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Musicians on today's contemporary Christian music scene still hear those accusations -- but to a lesser degree. The movement has become more mainstream ... and lucrative.

Contemporary Christian music is a $450 million industry in the United States, and one of the fastest-growing areas of the music business, according to CCM Magazine, which follows the Christian music industry.

"According to SoundScan, we're 50 million units (sold) in 1999," says Frank Breeden, president-CEO of the Gospel Music Association.

"To put that in perspective, that's twice the size of Latin music that was sold. ... It's also larger than jazz, classical, and new age combined," he said. "It is the fifth largest category of music in the music industry."

'Lyric soul food'

Big-name artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Sixpence None the Richer are credited with bringing Christian music to a more global audience.

The attraction is in the message, Grant says.

"Everybody wants to be re-inspired about life, hope and faith, whether it's contemporary Christian music, whether it's Southern gospel, or just hearing robust singing in a church setting," she says. "That is soul food. That is the real deal.

"The great thing about contemporary Christian music is that you can get that kind of lyric soul food in just about any kind of genre that you like."

What defines contemporary Christian music?

"Many people will tell you its the lyrical content, ... what the songs say," says April Hefner, editor of CCM Magazine. "Others will tell you it's who the artist is (or) what the artist personally believes that helps define if they are creating Christian music."

Does labeling hurt or help?

Labels are unfair, says Michael W. Smith, who won song of the year ("This Is Your Time") and songwriter of the year at the 2000 Dove Awards, sponsored by the Gospel Music Association.

"We are the only industry that's labeled by lyrical content," he says. "You have country, and then you have bluegrass, and you have heavy metal. We have all those in Christian music."

BeBe Winans latest is "Love & Freedom," an album "full of the love of God and the love toward friends and spouses," he says

Falling under the Christian-music label can be confining for artists who wish to go mainstream, Breeden acknowledges. For one thing, the music's inherent evangelism may make many potential listeners uncomfortable.

"If they are constantly pushing their religion in people's faces, they're going to limit the amount of people who hear their music," he says.

Singer BeBe Winans, who recently earned a nomination for an NAACP Image Award for the song "Love and Freedom," finds labels a hindrance.

"I think there's always a challenge when ... people are very comfortable in characterizing you," he says. "When you try to break that mold, people become uncomfortable because that's who they know you as. "

Randy Travis says he's not concerned about being labeled either a country artist and/or Christian artist.

"I'm not worried about a label being put on me period," he says. "I don't see any negative as far as being a country artist doing a gospel album, either."

Money versus message

Many Christian artists struggle with the business side of their craft, Hefner adds.

"Artists want to make a lot of money. There is nothing inherently wrong with that," she says. "At the same time, they want their music to really have an impact on people -- to minister to them, to make a difference in their lives.

Randy Travis released religious-themed "Inspirational Journey" this year

"So they struggle with what are the right decisions to make. You can't give away the records for free."

Members of Avalon say they find themselves in that very dilemma, a conflict that dates back to biblical times.

"It was a real challenge going from 'Hey, I'm a singer. I want to use my gifts for God and touch people's lives, too' to 'OK, this is our marketing plan. This is our five-year goal,'" Janna Potter says.

"You have to watch your business, and you have to make careful decisions and run it like a business in that way," adds Denise Jones, a member of Point of Grace. "But yet ... we want to make the best music out there and spend whatever we have to do, marketing-wise, so that people can hear the message.

"That's the most important part, ... for them to understand the message that Jesus Christ changes lives. But you have to do the right things business-wise to help that."

Contemporary Christian Music Magazine
Gospel Music Association
Sixpence None the Richer
BeBe Winans

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