Christian Music Sucks!
It doesn’t make me happy to say that. And yes, I do consider myself a Christian, even though in todays culture that word carries a lot of negative connotation with it. And any long time viewers of this blog will know that I am a music lover, from all genres. There’s currently over 4,000 songs on my iPod; some rock, punk, country, rap, blues, jazz and everything else.
Just about all music genres will have ‘some’ good artist. Christian music is no exception, there ARE talented musicians within the Christian music genre; Shawn McDonald is one of the most played artist on my iPod and Mat Kearney is also way talented. But, the problem with 99% of Christian music is – I’m not buying it. Do these people really know what it means to follow Jesus? It’s not happy go lucky. In fact, anyone that has taken even a brief look at the Bible will conclude that people who follow Jesus do not end up with their life on easy street with all their problems solved. Most of the people that followed Jesus were ridiculed, martyred, imprisoned, or exiled.
So Christian musicians need to get real.
May 7th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
some christian bands i’ve really been digging lately:
the danielson family
bishop allen
sufjan stevens
May 9th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Dude, you are proving your point. Singing about following Christ invariably means that you will not be listenened to by those that don’t want to hear people singing about following Christ.
I’m not sure what that means, actually.
I agree with you, though. My problem with most of it is that as soon as you slap the label “Christian” on it the quality slinks down a notch or two. I have no real idea why, though. Why can’t some band come along that rocks the house and still serves the Lord with their music?
Anyone?
Ben O.
May 10th, 2007 at 2:56 am
Try listening to some Underoath. Their produce Christian stuff with a bit of a difference.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:27 am
@hubs: cool, thanks for sharing, I take a look at those bands.
@Ben: I don’t get it either…
@Will: Underoath you say? I’ll chech’em out, thanks.
June 29th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I totally agree, I think one of the main problems of Christian rock music is that rock isn’t about being happy with Christ. If you wanna sing about God, make your own genre, leave rock ‘n’ roll alone!
July 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Why not listen to Rockers that happen to be Christian? Like Nick Cave is an excellent rocker / story teller, and yes, he is a christian, but his music doesn’t suck like Chirstian Rock does.
p.s. This came from an Atheist.
July 25th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Hey Dirk, I do listen to all kinds of music, Christian or not…
November 4th, 2007 at 3:03 am
you are absolutely right! about ten years ago in my teenage years, i decided that i would stop listening to secular music, b/c there’s nothing good in it for me. now, i can’t say that mainstream christian music does any good for me, either. i can’t stand christian music stations that are playing the same music they’ve been playing for over a decade!! the christian music industry has sadly followed the trend of marketing (come on, how many more worship songs need to be re-done?!), where singers are recruited for the quality of their voice, but not for their depth or heartfelt lyrics…. so these talented musicians sing someone else’s lyrics. so i’m always on a constant search for some real and authentic music, but sadly, you’ve got to dig and dig to find it.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Lately, i have been on the quest for christian music that doesn’t suck. Flyleaf has made 1.
I found out they were christian after the fact.
The problem as I see it is progression is frowned upon by the older generations. (see this as old people hate metal)
There are exceptions, but not many in our world.
Consider flyleaf: songs about depression, death, and suicide among other things. But somehow, they still praise God.
The quest will continue.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I’ve got to agree with what Sam just said.
Most Christain radio stations play the same material every day.
As great as Relient k is, one of the stations here in NY played their newer song “Forgiven” three times in the same day…But I do enjoy that song. It’s when someone takes “God of Wonders” or “All in All” and sings it again. I need to hear more music about following Christ, living for Him, sticking up for the faith, or the temptations of the world putting pressure on our righteousness. Fighting off temptation is something that hits hard in music. Let’s see some more of that!
We’ve set out to make music better, with more variety. I hope we’re doing a good job.
http://www.myspace.com/onelessstar
August 18th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Christian music sucks because its more about “serving the lord” rather than producing good music.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Try listening to Casting Crowns or maybe Fireflight.
October 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Christian music sucks because of one thing: Trying to sit on the fence and please the world and God. JUST BE YOURSELF, people can pick up on your heart if you show it… Look at U2, they are the biggest band in the world… And get some imagineation…Then you will stop sucking…..
November 21st, 2008 at 9:14 am
have you guys ever been to a christian concert??? try out jeremy camp or third day. I think jeremy camp will definitely surprise you. You guys seem to like rock and idk if you have heard skillet. He is awesome. you guys hate to much. I do think that some of these people do, do it for the money and are not real christians but not the people i listed. Jeremy camp preached from the word for half the concert i went to and i think it knocked everyone off their feet. But yes the chrisitan stations need to play some more up to date songs, and some artist do come across as fake
August 24th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
It is so frustrating how derivative and flimsy Christian music seems to be….however, being cynical about it certainly isn’t going to foster a new movement in Christian music….scratch that, actually.
Music, made by those who seek the Lord, is a better starting point for this search. I have discovered that the music made by folks like these is authentic, cathartic, inspired, creative, and hopeful.
Perhaps:
1. Foy Vance (folksy)
2. As Cities Burn (post-hardcore)
3. mewithoutYou (hardcore then alternative then indie rock)
4. Over the Rhine
5. Bill Malonee/V.O.L.
6. The Frames
7. Bruce Cockburn
8. Mat Kearney
9. Jars of Clay (the two most recent LPs are surprisingly wonderful!)
yup.
October 11th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I love Christian music especially rock. Not because its good or original but because its so horrible and uncreative. Its like those old B movies, like a barbarian nymphoid in dinosaur hell, they are just so horrible and out right ridiculous you can’t help but laugh hysterically while listening to it. I mean take a look at Petra, one of my all time favorites, not only were the first albums such as the 1979 washes whiter than album so obviously a copy of the good bands of that era such as rainbow and deep purple, but they were full of informatics errors. I can’t help but hit the floor laughing when they say “I want to be were you are Jesus bright morning star” the morning star is actually a name for Lucifer. Or the song angel of light in which the singer says the angel of light only brings darkness to his soul, I swear they had to of smoked something before writing this stuff. If you want some good rock listen to the 69 eyes songs like dead girls are easy or Gothic girl. If you want to listen to metal listen to bands that actually knows what metal is about like merciful fate or acheron, not some guys that are playing a imitation of the real thing to promote an agenda.
August 25th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Music is not a sermon; it shouldn’t be treated as such. The best Christian music can hope for is to inspire people with the sublime beauty and intense passion that the vast majority of Christians have experienced in their intimacy with God.
A musician who experiences God should be inspired and try to put that feeling into their music so people who don’t know God can get an indirect whiff of that emotion. The words aren’t important except in inspiring emotions in the audience – it doesn’t matter what topic. All Christian music that doesn’t suck has stumbled upon this fact.
But let me add, the vast majority of all music produced by every artist throughout history sucks. Few songs are hits. The problem is that so many Christian “hits” actually suck.