I was doing a little surfing tonight when I came across this article from the Washington Times. Much of it is about something, I'm sure, but the most interesting part to me was a quote from Christa Farris, editor at CCM Magazine: "Christian music should set the bar for other music, but right now it's in a rut."
I've heard it said that a rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out, which of course implies that being in a rut is kind of like being dead. We don't have to go that far, but clearly being in a rut is a bad thing.
Now I don't know what the date of that article in the Washington Times was, but I'm thinking it was late August, somewhere around a month ago. But in my experience it might have been any time in the last, oh, 15 years and had some grain of truth to it. And "contemporary Christian music" is only about 35 years old.
That doesn't mean I think all Christian music is bad, much as it may sound like it, but it does mean that I think a lot of Christian music lacks that je ne sais quoi which makes it stand out from the crowd. In fact, back in the '90's (and that was clear last century) a friend of mine who is an excellent musician claimed he could spin the radio dial, come across some music, and tell you in less than 10 seconds if it was Christian music -- even without any lyrics being sung.
So what do you think? Is Christian music in a rut?
I've heard it said that a rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out, which of course implies that being in a rut is kind of like being dead. We don't have to go that far, but clearly being in a rut is a bad thing.
Now I don't know what the date of that article in the Washington Times was, but I'm thinking it was late August, somewhere around a month ago. But in my experience it might have been any time in the last, oh, 15 years and had some grain of truth to it. And "contemporary Christian music" is only about 35 years old.
That doesn't mean I think all Christian music is bad, much as it may sound like it, but it does mean that I think a lot of Christian music lacks that je ne sais quoi which makes it stand out from the crowd. In fact, back in the '90's (and that was clear last century) a friend of mine who is an excellent musician claimed he could spin the radio dial, come across some music, and tell you in less than 10 seconds if it was Christian music -- even without any lyrics being sung.
So what do you think? Is Christian music in a rut?
posted by Lewis at 1:32 AM :: permalink
2 Comments:
PanAsianBiz said...
I don't know much about Christian music or otherwise, except what I don't like.
When I flip through the radio dial I can usually tell if it is Christian music within a couple of bars...and when I am wrong, it is usually country music.
The article, btw, was written in 8/13 in 2003...so, the info or this person's opinion is a bit old...I wonder if they have since changed their minds.
At any rate, what would you suggest Christian artists do to plug up one or both ends of the open grave and then 'rise again?' Will it take a miracle? Or is there an easier way?
9/18/2006 11:28 AM
Lewis said...
Hmmmm.... market forces vs. a miracle. A miracle would seem to be faster, but I've also seen the market move pretty quickly, too.
What it will ultimately take is for the listening public to stop putting up with a lot of "me too" artists and "me too" songs and demand something that is fresh, has great content (words that mean something, music that moves us), and is real (not an imitation).
Songs like that are hard to write, of course, which is part of what makes them desirable.
Bottom line: don't get in the rut in the first place. Rise above. But I will say this about a rut -- it can be pretty darn comfortable!
9/18/2006 12:00 PM
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