Our local digital news stations, News 8, just did a segment on HM Magazine and the Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time list. Good times. I love how they put their news segments online once it airs. You can view it here.
Stuff like this is fun. I had some good quotes at the ready for this. One was going to be something like this (if I was asked about the validity, value or uniqueness of Christian rock):
If we start off with the high standard of quality and consider mediocrity and average to be pretty good (meaning that what’s played on the radio is mediocre and average), then the genre called “contemporary Christian music” has done really well at being mediocre. Like their Country music counterpart, the cCm singer songwriter artist has gotten really good at forcing that soccer mom to pull over on the side of the road for a good cry. Some would say it’s formulaic and they’d be accurate, but they’ve certainly honed that craft well. The thing about that genre is that it’s safe. The demographic or “masses”/audience to please has been well defined and, as long as you give them something that fits that format, you’re good.
Christian rock – and specifically metal and alternative rock – bands have actually been innovators and have pushed the envelope of creativity. Bands like Zao, mewithoutYou, As I Lay Dying and even Underoath have set creative standards that other musicians in their field have been inspired by creatively. They have set the standard in many ways.
I wanted to say that, because I believe it to be true and a fantastic piece of praise to heap onto the genres we cover. What we’ve prayed for a long time (that Christian artists would rise to the top and bring quality and great art to the world and get noticed) is now happening on a regular basis. I am so happy to see that happen.
Of course, with that success comes some old criticism of “not being Christian enough” and other such flack. But the only critics that matter are God the Father and the conscience of the artists. If they are hearing, “Well done” in those quiet places, who are we to criticize? I mean, our negative words can be fun for discussion and entertaining, but sometimes quite worthless and destructive.
I have a sensitivity to misguided criticism. Don’t be afraid to criticize, but we should just learn from our mistakes and quit making them (so much). If some artist named Biscuit Buddy McGillicutti starts getting successful and “preaching at his shows” a little less in the wake of his success, do we judge him as a sell-out? What if we’re wrong? Would a false accusation have any consequences? I think they do. But I digress. I’m just rambling now. I’m like a trumpet that’s way out of tune.
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