My latest disgust with CCM
I turned on the radio in my car tonight and thought I was hearing a new song by Avril Lavigne--identical sound (not just similar, identical), and the voice sounded pretty close to Avril's. Then I realized I was listening to the local CCM station, and the DJ told me after the song it was some chic named Krystal Myers.
Whadya know? A mediocre copy cat song by a mediocre copy cat artist, with mediocre vaguely-Christian lyrics to appeal to all and not likely to offend anyone--let alone convict them...
Did I mention I am SICK of Contemporary Christian Music as a whole?
UPDATE: Good gravy! Even her CD cover looks Avril-ish!
Whadya know? A mediocre copy cat song by a mediocre copy cat artist, with mediocre vaguely-Christian lyrics to appeal to all and not likely to offend anyone--let alone convict them...
Did I mention I am SICK of Contemporary Christian Music as a whole?
UPDATE: Good gravy! Even her CD cover looks Avril-ish!
posted by Seth at 11:27 PM
20 Comments:
while I don't completely agree with your general disgust of CCM, here is what's been eating me alive lately: the slew of "Christian" songs on CC radio stations that are well known "mainstream" songs,only sugared up...like "i need you" originally by Leanne Rimes...and "love lift us up where we belong" and so on. are we really THAT desperate for new music? do we HONESTLY think this will "reach the lost?" hardly.
I appreciate your thoughts...nice to have a blog like yours among the sea of horrible and pointless blogs out here.
Amen. Thanks for the comment; I know exactly how you feel. Another song that disgusted me was a remake of Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me."
As Christians, we should be on the forefront of new music and creativity, not the copycats with Christianized lyrics.
What i don't get is how some music is suppoesedly "Christian", though you could never tell by listening to it.
What makes a song "Christian"? No cusswords or sensuality, and a reference to God here and there? Maybe an occasional reference to "praying".
Now, I'm not trying to represent all CCM. There is some totally good stuff out there that you can worship to. Take Casting Crowns. Mercy Me. 4Him. And lots more.
Unfortunately, I think most people/bands are into making Christian music for the money, not to glorify God. It's all a big business, and I have no problem with it, so long as when something's called "Christian", it is.
I heard a speaker one time discuss how difficult it was for the Gospel Music Association to define Christian music. Some even define it according to JPM's, or Jesus Per Minute. How ridiculous!
I am tired of the defining characteristic of Christian music: copycat, unoriginal music with non-offensive lyrics. Obviously there are exceptions--there always are--and I listen to them myself. But I agree with you, Eric, and I'll take it one step further--the CCM industry serves as a world where it's easier to produce and sell music. There's not as much competition in the little CCM world as the mainstream music world, and thus there's more money to be made easier.
I always thought the best thing about religion was the music. But there hasn't even been any good Christian music since Verdi's Requiem.
Avril could kick her a$$ without even batting an eye. heh.
I disagree with all of you. i used to listen to my local secular station 24/7. i love music. music is my life. Well these songs got stuck in my head over and over and over, and i began to cuss, and sing the songs w/ my "friends" i was using this music not only for entertainment, but it also began to make me try and fit a persona. I was trying to be popular, and these secular songs were helping me there, but in the meanwhile taking me farther and farther away from God. My mom caught me in one too many lies, and decided listening 2 this station was going to end. (she had never liked it in the first place) Just around that time a christian music station opened up near us, and we began to listen to it. It played this "contemporary Christian music" you all despise so much, but think of the alternative! If this music wasn't here, wut else would we listen to? "music" with crude lyrics, including cuss words (in practically every line) and songs which go into unecessary detail about sex, and drug abuse, and suicide! This "Contemporary Christian music" you all dislike has helped me, and i love that i can listen to music that isnt a hymn, and still worship my God. My God who i almost turned my back on. So im sorry if i don't agree. Now i can listen to music with my kind of beats, with positive lyrics, which help uplift me, and bring me closer to God. I realize this is just my opinion and wont necessarily faze any of you, but i hope some of you rethink this opinion of yours, and look to how the contemporary Christian music has affected others beside yourself, and your need to rid the world of "copy cats" (think about this. what if theres someone out there who is obsessed w/ avril lavigne, but isnt a believer, and sees krystal myers (your so called "copy cat" who i am listening 2 rite now and happen to like), and realizes theres something different about her lyrics, and looks deeper, and becomes a Christian? would that affect your view on Christian Music? i would hope so.)
I think you've made a mistake in your characterization of "secular" music. It's not all sex, drugs and profanity, you know. There's plenty of good clean secular music. In fact, much of the non-Christian stuff I listen to is clean as a whistle.
Most of the good things in life are found in a mean between two extremes (thanks, Aristotle). You described yourself as 100% submerged into secular pop radio music. The problem you had was not the music itself (necessarily), but the apparent lack of balance. Don't villify any music that doesn't specifically uplift your relationship with God; rather, be willing to have a proper balance, a tempered diet of music. And not just a tempered musical life, but in all life as well. If you're finding your identity and source for your daily thought life in Christ, you'll be more equipped against the assault on your mind that crude pop music launches.
You know what, I am often driven to worship God when I listen to "secular" music--the sweet guitar riffs, beautifully tight harmonies and creative poetry in lyrics often bring a smile to my face and a word of priase to my lips. Don't be so closeminded, Anonymous, as to dismiss non-CCM music because it may cause you to stumble.
While there's certainly enough CCM "cheese" out there, you've missed the boat entirely on this one. Does she sound quite a bit like Avril? Yup. Is her cover artwork like Avril's? Yup. Is she trying to reach the same demographic? Yup. And...while I'm admittedly not a big fan of Christian bands trying to "copy" their mainstream (I don't care for the word "secular,") counterparts, my ears actually pricked up when I first heard this song. It's well produced (something not so common in the CCM world) -- as a matter of fact, Avril Lavigne and Liz Phair had a hand in the production, so obviously THEY thought there was something there worth "producing." And... contrary to you, I don't happen to find this song cheesy (I haven't heard the whole disc yet). One other VERY IMPORTANT POINT HERE....Christian teens need GOOD Christian AND mainstream stuff to listen to. For those who haven't enough discernment to listen to mainstream stuff, I think Meyers is a GREAT alternative -- and I think that's what she's aiming at here. You can disagree all you want. While I agree that all lot of stuff in the CCM world is seriously lacking, I don't agree on this song.
OK, couple of thoughts here. I'm glad we agree that there's enough cheese in CCM to keep an army of mice fed for a year. I do concede that in light of the many less-discerning listeners out there, it's probably appropriate to have the "copy" bands that appeal to a specific demographic--hoping to draw in people to cleaner content. For me, I have absolutely no problems choosing music or falling into sin or negativism through mainstream tunes, thus it's easier for me to completely miss that when it relates to others and to simply focus on the quality of the music/lyrics.
This song is new enough that a quick google on Meyers for lyrics turned up nada. I actually don't remember anything about the song lyrically. But, from a couple of reviews I skimmed it seems she's got some pretty good lyrics. So perhaps I was wrong--about Meyers. The reason I didn't give her the benefit of the doubt was for two reasons: 1) most of the songs played on the station I was listening to at the time fit into the CCM mold I can't stand, and 2) I was excited to hear a new Avril song, and when it not only was not Avril, but some copycat CCM chic (picture a double-whammy on annoyance), I--quite naturally--reacted with the automatic disgust that I usually reserve for common CCM tripe. Apparently Meyers isn't common CCM tripe.
Don't take me wrong here, anon; I don't "despise" CCM. As a matter of fact, I enjoy listening to the vast majority of it. My original comment was to the effect that I think it is mis-labeled. Most of the CCM I hear doesn't imply anything spiritual or Christian like. So why is it called "Christian"?
Even though it is in several cases mis-labeled, CCM is still good music and an awesome alternative to secular as anonymous mentioned. I'm just nit-picking the label.
~Eric
Check out my newest blog, guys: The Truth ABout Macroevolution
Very interesting conversation going on here. I agree with both sides. There is some cheesy christian music out there..most definately..but isn't it like when celebirties say their a christian, thank God at an awards show, then go shoot a sex scene the next day?...Just because its labeled "christian" doesn't mean it is going to be completely uplifting and glorifying to God. For example there is this one christian song, by an awesome band that says "lets make love in the sunday afternoon sunlight"--now we can automatically assume all their albums are like that or..sift deeper and find that some songs aren't so great - so avoid them. Because this band really has A LOT of good songs about God. Not everything/everyones perfect. Now it sounds bad to "ignore" those songs, but what can you do other than to protect yourself? Especially in this day and age. Its impossible to find "perfect bands" so take the good songs and run with them. Now about the topic of "copy cats". How the heck do people expect for God's love to spread if your so closed minded? I used to hate screamo-heavy rock music and now I can stand it..by patience, because i know a lot of people who listen to it- granted I listen to christian emo/screamo (blindside, everstaysred etc..which is awesome by the way, because i can pop it in and they are totally cool with it, and can't tell its christian by the music, but by the lyrics, their heart is being nourished.)How are we supposed to reach people if we just stay stuck on hymns and soul gospel? The world is changing and we need to adapt to reach people. I love Krystal Meyers because i used to love Avril Lavinge. I love Disciple because I used to love Linkin' Park. Its a postitive & safe way to continue to listen to our favorite genre of music. I say spread God's love in any way we can. And about those songs like by celine dion and such, there are two ways to look at (some) of those songs. Oh and hey! That song by MercyMe was playing on secular radio stations so obviously someone liked it (or started out as a joke as i understand) but it caught on, because people need hope and it helped someone. So praise God!
oh and hey seth, leave annoyous alone dude! if she believes that she should stay away from secular music completely then thats her deal! Some people need a little time to get stronger in the spirit before their ready to decipher the good and the bad in secular music, because sometimes, you don't see it first hand, but then after awhile it can wear on you. (yeah, sounds cheesy, but its the truth, happened to a good friend of mine who just wasn't ready for the secular music after his relationship with God started (got into eminem, 50 cent etc.) but now he's in full recovery in the Lord!) But anyways props to whoever the other annoymous person was! I'm proud of you for your efforts to jump back into God. God bless you ALL!
Anonymous, don't create a straw man and insinuate that the only option against copy-cat bands is hymns and gospel, therefore we should stick to copy-cats. And how is disliking the quality of copycat bands being closeminded? I personally get turned off by "Christian" artists making music that sounds exactly like what was popular the year before. My stance is that in a perfect world, Christians would be leading the world of art (musical or otherwise) because believers should be more fully developed and better tuned to what they were created to be in--fellowship with God. It wasn't all that long ago (a few hundred years) that Christians led in art, music, philosophy, writing, etc...Now we're consistently behind the times.
Secondly, I don't knock all of Christian music--just the poor stuff. There are plenty of bands that have made it big in both realms for good reasons--they wrote quality music with quality lyrics: Jars of Clay, Third Day, dcTalk, Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Creed (Scott Stapp at least), Michael W. Smith (in the old days), Steven Curtis Chapman (ditto), Keith Green, to name a few. Have you ever taken a look at the lyrics of Jars or dcTalk and compared them to what's on much of Christian radio today? Mainstream Christian music lacks theology, depth, and creativity. I still like and listen to some of it, but it's still true.
(One perfect example: compare "modern worship" albums by various CCM artists with Jars of Clay's "Redemption Songs." The difference is amazing.)
Lastly, I recognize the right (and necessity) that Anonymous has to refrain from "secular" music while she's growing stronger spiritually. That's fine and dandy; I won't knock that. But for Anonymous to throw out the baby with the bathwater I cannot allow. It's a weaker faith thing. I won't knock her for choosing not to listen to it, but she shouldn't knock me (or my music) because I do choose to listen.
Lastly #2: There's this insinuation by you anonymous-ers that "secular" music is inherently bad. You allow grace for Christian bands because "not everything/everyones perfect" Are you willing to admit that not every secular band is imperfect? If you get deep into 50 Cent or Marilyn Manson or Beyonce, get out of those bands! Just because Eminem is trashy doesn't mean Sister Hazel or Vertical Horizon is.
Thanks for a great discussion!
I can agree with you seth on a lot of points you've said. I agree that SOME of the new music that is put out lacks a certain something my pastor likes to call "backbone". (Favorite Quote: "Get some stinkin' backbone!!"- Pastor W) Some music is flaky in its lyrics lately...but honestly some old music was so confusing with all its "theology,depth,and creativity" can you really decifer what it was really talking about? Or even if they were really even talking about God at all? Now creativity, I'm all for. But sometimes, people don't need a theology lesson, they just need something they can chill with and understand easily, especially those new comers. :)theres my two cents.
Anonymous, what "old music" was confusing? If there was a theologically-rich song that was hard to understand, I'd probably dislike it because it was poorly-written, not because it contained theology.
Theology and understanding are not mutually exclusive. Theology is meant to be understood, or else we wouldn't be commanded to know our beliefs.
So, I understand many of the concerns, but I don't think that bashing Krystal Myers is a very productive, or may I say, Christian thing to do. I think this girl definitely has a heart for God that is evident in her Lyrics. Sure, maybe she sounds like Avril... but the entire music business is made of copycats. Just look at the boy band craze...the Britney/Jessica/Christina phase, etc. etc. That is how it works. Christian or Secular. I do agree that it would be better if people were more creative, and some are. But big deal if someone has a similar sound. The real difference is that one person is trying to glorify God...the other is trying to glorify themself. And as far as secular music in my area, at least on the radio stations, I would say a vast majority of it is vulgar and disgusting. I do listen to some secular bands, but usually secular bands have a harmful message for Christians, especially. What we put into ourselves affects our thoughts and our world-view. I would much rather listen to "copycat music" that encourages my walk, than something that makes me think about sex, hoes and drugs. Don't even get me started about the sex in our society, and how we as Christians don't take a stand against what we know is wrong. We blend in and put entertainment before values, and that is why the world has gotten this far.
One unfortunate mistake people often make is to look at the garbage that's on secular radio today and apply that judgement to all secular music. That's just plain wrong: On the negative side, there is a ton of music out there that's far more vulgar, crude and evil than what you hear over the public airwaves. But positively, there are tons of "secular" bands with fairly clean, innocuous lyrics. And the music can be freakin' awesome! This summer I got reaquainted with one of my favorite CDs in high scool--"Fortress" by Sister Hazel. Phenomenal music; very well done. The lyrics are mostly about the ins-and-outs of love. No graphic sex descriptions, no language, no angry ravings, no discussions of raping and killing your mother (Eminem). There's a song about divorce, but it shows the pain of it; it doesn't glory in it. I could go on, but the point is that we can't generalize music with broad sweeping terms. "All secular music is bad." "All Christian music is cheesy and unoriginal." Apparently I appear to fall into the latter hole (although it's not true, because I love tons of Christian music). You, anonymous, seem to fall into the former hole.
Let's compromise. I'll agree to make it clear that I think much of what's on CCM radio is cheesy and unoriginal, but CCM as a whole isn't necessarily like that. You should agree that most of what's played on secular radio is smut, but secular music as a whole isn't necessarily like that.
Amen. :)
By the way, Anonymous, was Los Alamos hot yesterday? Ahh, I see you use Internet Explorer; you really should switch to Firefox.
Hear, hear.
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