Christian Music - Contemporary Christian Music

Contemporary Christian Music

From the latter half of the 20th century to the present day in Western Christendom—especially in the United States and in other countries with evangelical churches—various genres of music, originally often related to pop rock, have been created under the label of Contemporary Christian Music for home-listening and concert use. It can be divided into several genres and sub-genres, although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to individual interpretation, and occasionally controversial. These genres (sometimes referred to as 'style') like other forms of music may be distinguished by the techniques, the styles, the context and the themes, or geographical origin. Specific sub-genres of CCM may include (but are not limited to): Christian country music, Christian pop, Christian rock, Christian metal, Christian hardcore, Christian punk, Christian alternative rock and Christian hip hop. Called Christian pop or gospel a generalized form, is a musical movement almost new and was now evolved into a day, a large number of musical genres by region that comes in a Christian context This movement appeared as a form of evangelization for the young but this genre is best known and seen in the Evangelical or Protestant proselytizing movements, often using rhythms similar to those in secular music.

Contemporary Christian music is not a musical genre like the other genres. When a song is identified as "Christian" it is done taking into account the lyrics, the song-writers and performers, rather than musical style. Therefore, one can say that contemporary Christian music is diverse, and there are Christian songs that are sung to the rhythm of salsa, reggae, rock, folk, hip-hop or rap, ballads, pop, singer-songwriters and even extreme music such as punk or heavy metal.

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Famous quotes containing the words contemporary, christian and/or music:

    Every American poet feels that the whole responsibility for contemporary poetry has fallen upon his shoulders, that he is a literary aristocracy of one.
    —W.H. (Wystan Hugh)

    If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    A woman drew her long black hair out tight
    And fiddled whisper music on those strings
    And bats with baby faces in the violet light
    Whistled, and beat their wings
    And crawled head downward down a blackened wall....
    —T.S. (Thomas Stearns)