When and why did Christian music become hot garbage?

[Daverisimo]

This wasn't always the case. Historically, some of the absolute best music was composed for the church.




Hell, I think that at least half of Bach's music was religious



And even moving away from traditional sacred music, there's the black gospel tradition in America



Also, A Love Supreme, which is the greatest album of all time IMO, was inspired by Coltrane's religious beliefs.



Seriously, there's this entire history of amazing music, so why does contemporary Christian music have to be a bunch of terrible poppy shit?

 

[Plissken]

In the Northern U.S. : Probably evolved from when folk guitarists would play bland covers in certain churches which influenced those in attendance who were further influenced by mainstream pop and pop-country. That and the cultural mixture became so great it became homogenized as no one cultural vopice could stand out so in turn a single modern American voice became predominant so the traditional music styles brought over here eventually were drowned out by the crowd.

In the Southern U.S. : With the decline of classic country and western music styles, the blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, swing, etc. came the decline of traditional American roots music and so in turn traditional American religious music.

Easier communication and newer forms of media hurt music in this respect as many local styles were drowned out by big market styles.

 

[shinkyoku]

Long vid, but if you might like it.
Speaker is a christian radio show host (and true beliver at the time) that turned atheist activist.

You might want to stop after the section on music if you are not into atheism

 

[Boss HM-2]

 

[KawhiDoh]

It was good at one point?

I've never heard a Christian song... save maybe... Holy War by Thin Lizzy, that was any good.

You're literally digging into the distant past, as far back as classical music, to find anything.

 

[Jackonfire]

It was good at one point?

I've never heard a Christian song... save maybe... Holy War by Thin Lizzy, that was any good.

You're literally digging into the distant past, as far back as classical music, to find anything.

What about Stryper?

 

[Chad The Limey]

What about Stryper?

The yellow and black attack!

 

[Chad The Limey]

I enjoyed Kings X and The Galactic Cowboys back in the day, but neither band oversold their Christian beliefs in their lyrics

 

[Rvd Slmr]

Seriously, there's this entire history of amazing music, so why does contemporary Christian music have to be a bunch of terrible poppy shit?

Since you compare with "classical" composers, we can make an analogy with the Renaissance and how most of the masterpieces were religious. It's simply because the church used to be insanely wealthy (yes, wealthier than the current megachurches). It was the main patron of the arts and could easily support all the talented artists that they wanted. Contemporary Christian music has nothing to do with that, it's just a marketing move so they can sell an inferior product as a "safe and Christian" watered-down version of more popular bands and artists.

 

[Cantalope]

 

[Belaya Smert]

What about Stryper?

which one is Ted Cruz in the pic

 

[Nameless Ghoul]

Late 90's early 2000's Solidstate/Tooth and Nail Records had some good stuff. I think it was because alot of those artists were just creating their own sound...you know like you should.

Then it flipped, and turned into "we want to sound like watered down/sanitized "secular" bands, but with Christian lyrics!". Now, the lyrics aren't even thoughtful or uplifting ..it's all just too safe with zero risks taken. Which = boring/uninspired art and that's never good.

 

[Jackonfire]

 

[Karl_Hungus]

Because Christianity is garbage. Art reflects the state of the culture that creates it.

 

[Daverisimo]

Because Christianity is garbage. Art reflects the state of the culture that creates it.

Ah, I remember my "rawr, I hate christianity" militant atheist phase. Then I turned 16.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Christian (I don't even believe in a personal God), but do deny the amazing legacy if Christian art in general, and Christian music specifically, is to be ignorant of history.

 

[Daverisimo]

It was good at one point?

I've never heard a Christian song... save maybe... Holy War by Thin Lizzy, that was any good.

You're literally digging into the distant past, as far back as classical music, to find anything.

I mean, I don't think taking about classical music disproves my point at all. We're talking about hundreds of years of musical tradition vs. the last century of popular music. Christian music has a longer history of being brilliant than it does of being garbage.

 

[Daverisimo]

Since you compare with "classical" composers, we can make an analogy with the Renaissance and how most of the masterpieces were religious. It's simply because the church used to be insanely wealthy (yes, wealthier than the current megachurches). It was the main patron of the arts and could easily support all the talented artists that they wanted. Contemporary Christian music has nothing to do with that, it's just a marketing move so they can sell an inferior product as a "safe and Christian" watered-down version of more popular bands and artists.

I'll grant you that the power of the Catholic church explains the ubiquity of religious music pre reformation, but it doesn't explain the tradition of eastern orthodox music



much less dirty prods like Bach. And this doesn't even begin to touch on the history of gospel music in America, without which we wouldn't have blues, rock and roll, or country.

 

[Fatality]

It was always and will always be total ass.

 

[TeTe]

Does Creed count?

 

[Satanical Eve]

It depends. The band Trouble are Christian and they make some really amazing Doom Metal.