A Brief History of CCM

Contemporary Christian Music  (CCM) has played a major role in my life and ministry, and starting tomorrow I will begin a countdown of the 50 CCM albums that have had the most impact on my soul (to this point). The countdown will continue each Thursday until it is finished. Some of the artists will be famous; others will be very obscure.  This will not be a list of the 50 most successful albums.  This will be MY list!

The music we now refer to as CCM has been around since the late 1960's, but the concept has been around much longer.  It is said that early hymn writers like Martin Luther and Charles Wesley took tunes from bar songs and turned them into hymns so the tune would be familiar.  The classic "We praise thee, O God, our redeemer creator" once was sung with the lyric "I once knew a girl and her name was Matilda."  Elvis recorded very popular gospel albums.  Still, in the late 60's most church music was provided by choirs accompanied by organs and pianos.  The Hippie movement was also in full swing, and disaffected young people were abandoning the church in record numbers.  At Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA (and many other places like it)  Pastor Chuck Smith was reaching out to these young men and women, many of whom were on the streets playing folk and rock music.  This was the Jesus Movement.  As they came back to the church, or to church for the first time (1000's were being baptized in the Pacific Ocean or Pat Boone's pool!) they wanted to express their love for God in their own style.  This became known as Jesus Music.  Most historians of the genre date the birth of CCM to Larry Norman's 1969 album Upon This Rock (see cover art above).  Most of the Jesus People didn't record their music at first; they simply played in churches and on the street for love offerings.  In those early days CCM was never a business, it was always a ministry.  Aside from Larry Norman (whose 1972 classic Only Visiting This Planet will be very high on my countdown!) other pioneers included Randy Stonehill, Barry McGuire, Church Girard, Evie, Second Chapter of Acts and Love Song.  More hard rock style bands came along in the early 70's, including Resurrection Band and Petra.  The music started spreading.  Most churches resisted this new style, but the kids were listening.  Churches had associated rock music with Satan since its beginning.  Larry Norman himself asked the key question: Why should the devil have all the good music?

1977 was a pivotal year for CCM.  I graduated from high school (OK- so that was not a big deal!).  The phrase "Contemporary Christian Music " began to catch on as a label.   Three major events helped begin the transformation from church music to a genre that now outsells everything but country, hip hop and pop/rock.  Keith Green released his first album.  CCM Magazine began publication.  And a 16 year old from Tennessee released her first album.  Amy Grant would change the perception, the audience and the quality of CCM over the next 30 years in ways no one could imagine.

That brings us to my countdown.  The oldest album on my list is from 1972, and the newest are from the last year of my ministry, 2006.  I hope you will enjoy the list, check out some of the music, and let me know about some of your favorites.  See you tomorrow- and every Thursday!

Because of Jesus,