The Truth About Christian Rock Music

I went to school in a legalistic environment that constantly complained that the idea of Christian rock music was ‘worldly.’ Naturally, these people had their misguided agendas and simply wanted to destroy Christianity with their personal world view. Funny thing is the statement about Christian rock music sounding ‘worldly’ is so far from the truth. In all reality, I would say that 10 percent of today’s Christian rock bands actually have talent to rival secular bands. In my opinion, 90 percent of today’s Christian rock bands would never be able to cut it in the secular industry.

Two weeks ago the Gospel Music Association held its annual award ceremony, which is called the Dove Awards. Think of it as a lower quality version of the Grammys. The pre-show was broadcast online live for everyone to see. However, the webcast constantly had a glitch in the show. Every 30 seconds or so the show would glitch out. They kept saying via a chat room that they were working on the glitch. However, it was never fixed. So here we are watching a low quality show in a tiny window (it would not allow you to maximize it to full screen). This past February, I watched the pre-show for the Grammy Awards. It was well produced and broadcast online. The broadcast came through perfectly and it was crystal clear in full screen mode. Where is the problem here? The Christian music industry cannot compete with the secular music industry.

If we are to be Christ to the world, shouldn’t everything we do be done in excellence?

Remember that episode of South Park where Eric Cartman starts a Christian rock band? Remember that ‘hardcore’ band that Cartman encounters at a Christian music festival. They are standing there in apparel that attempts to make them appear as typical ‘rockers.’ They give some rhetoric about how they play Christian metal with inspirational lyrics mentioning their hardcoreness. Cartman looks at them and makes the most profound yet sarcastic yet true statement that I have ever heard. “Yeah, you’re real hardcore..”

This past Friday night we went to see the band Skillet play live in Greensboro. We had second row pit tickets (we could touch the stage if we wanted to). Skillet’s portion of the show was great. Their performance was amazing. I got in trouble for filming the show with my digital camera. Coming soon to youtube? Skillet has a sound that is unique. They are talented. Like the other 10 percent of decent Christian bands, Skillet gets airplay on secular radio stations. Everytime I turn on 106.5, the closest modern rock station to me, I hear a Christian band like Skillet, Flyleaf, or Demon Hunter. Hardcore Christian bands like underOATH and Norma Jean are invading secular culture by being invited out on tours like Ozzfest and Warped Tour. They are also receiving airplay on MTV2 and FUSE. Mat Kearney, who is an excellent Christian song writer, is currently climbing the mainstream pop charts. So where is my story/rant going here?

The band who opened the show simply goes in the category of the 90 percent of Christian bands who totally blow chunks. I will not mention them by name. They are a somewhat local band with a recording contract. I won’t even ask what tone deaf label signed them. They sounded as if someone put every popular nu metal band in a blender and turned it into a bunch of gooey mush. Riffs and progressions were ripped off from bands like Korn, Linkin Park and Seether. It was horrible. They even threw in key and tempo changes that absolutely made no sense. They were simply a loud band making a loud noise. Oh, but it gets worse. Their lead singer’s voice was so clean! He sounded as if he belonged in N’sync! Now, a hard rock band needs a good front man. A hard rock vocalist should sound as if he has lived a little. I am not saying that every hard rock band lead singer needs to be addicted to meth and have 3 STDs. However, if you are going to front a band even if it is a Christian band you need to be able to rival the voices of those hard rock bands currently leading the charts.

Now I am sure I will receive hate mail because of this blog. I am sure this particular band has a supportive fan base (a fan base consisting of mostly high school girls) who will probably be offended at my honesty. I know musical taste is an opinion but there is no denying it when someone truly lacks talent. Again, let me restate my previous thought: ‘If we are to be Christ to the world, shouldn’t everything we do be done in excellence?’ I do not think that this band writes songs nor performs their work with excellence. That is that.

The Christian music industry needs to end. There is nothing wrong with Christians being in a band and marketing themselves to the secular market. This would force bands, even Christian bands, to hold themselves to a higher standard of excellence. This would also force Christian youth to understand the world around them rather than locking themselves in a Christian culture world filled with Christian music, magazines, television and movies.

Let me leave you with a quote from Rob Bell on the subject of Christian music:
“It is possible for music to be labeled Christian and be terrible music. It could lack creativity and inspiration. The lyrics could be recycled cliches. That ‘Christian’ band could actually be giving Jesus a bad name because they aren’t a great band. [...] I was playing in a punk band a few years ago, and we were playing clubs and bars and festivals and parties. People would regularly ask us if we were a Christian band when they found out I was a pastor. I always found the question a bit odd. When you meet a plumber, do you ask her if she is a Christian plumber? [...] Music already is worship. Music is praise. Music is sacred. Music is good. Creation doesn’t need a label to make it sacred or acceptable of blessed. When God made the world, God called it ‘good’. Now obviously anything can be corrupted and desecrated and used for purposes other than those which God intends, but making music is sacred enough. Paul [The Apostle] put it like this: ‘For everything God created is good.’” (Velvet Elvis pages 84 & 85)