tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post5698625169434079199..comments2019-08-07T09:28:40.099-04:00Comments on The Night Spirit and The Dawn Air: My Top 200 CCM Rock Albums of All-TimeBrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941025887514143276noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-73480189333881361812014-07-05T04:36:38.790-04:002014-07-05T04:36:38.790-04:00Scott - yeah, this is a very subjective list to my...Scott - yeah, this is a very subjective list to my own life, and if I were to do a more objective list, Larry would definitely be in the top 5. I came to CCM rock around 1984, and so it's going to skew heavily toward albums in the later prime of that era, ergo D&K got tons of play by me, but those others barely got scratched by the needle, although unlike Larry, I think I can objectively argue that D&K was their greatest album.Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05941025887514143276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-87173916015282559312014-02-08T20:48:53.889-05:002014-02-08T20:48:53.889-05:00A few comments on some of your Top 50 choices...
...A few comments on some of your Top 50 choices... <br />2. Sweet Comfort Band at #2? Nice. They've always been one of my favorite bands (along with D&K).<br />6. Petra's Not of This World ranked ahead of More Power To Ya? Interesting.<br />8. Between Heaven N Hell by Rez... Yes! An underrated album that just might contain their best song ever - Shadows.<br />18. Only Visiting This Planet this low on the list? Are you CRAZY?!<br />24. Amy Grant – Straight Ahead. Another underrated album. Good to see it get some love.<br />35. Degarmo & Key – D&K. Glad to see them on the list but I think Straight On, No Turning Back Live & Streetlight were better records.<br />Enjoyed reading your list!Scott Bachmannnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-43964684347118991882011-05-14T14:45:14.634-04:002011-05-14T14:45:14.634-04:00This is a great list. It's much much better th...This is a great list. It's much much better than HM's top100. I'm planning to make my own top100 someday. Extra points for having Larry Norman, Daniel Amos and Rich Mullins in your list! God bless you!Rekkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18011902890775934434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-53281855822518853112010-07-26T06:29:02.358-04:002010-07-26T06:29:02.358-04:00Cary -
I am first of all a bit concerned as to ho...Cary - <br />I am first of all a bit concerned as to how little you claim to know from my list! curious which ones those are. there are more than a handful here that hold up quite nicely to the test of time and integrity for me, and I'd even go so far as to say that one cannot be a whole person without having enjoyed a few of these. (*ahem*)<br /><br />I kept "christians in the mainstream" off the list partly out of respect for them, but also because this list is, as you indicate, more about a market than about a religious belief. specifically, this list is about a subculture, and I didn't encounter the music of many Christian artists (like Innocence Mission) until I left that subculture and widened my view of the landscape. the ones that made it into the list are ones that were being listened to heavily by those of us in the subculture, despite the fact that they weren't marketed as CCM. <br /><br />The crossover excitement makes perfect sense if you understand the mindset of the xian subculture, which is one of "us-vs-them". think Stephen King's The Stand. and so any "infiltration" by our side into the "enemy's" camp is seen as something of a victory, regardless whether it was under the disguise of a "non-religious" song or not. (this mindset, btw, is one of those odd aspects of the subculture I was talking about). Artists like Sufjan or U2 make it onto these lists, often, to somehow add credibility to the list. they aren't the oddballs, they are the cornerstones of such lists, raising the "relevance factor" of the other groups on the list by mere association. <br /><br />and finally, yes... the CCM industry is just that, a business, an industry who's sole purpose is to make money. I would never have believed this 20 years ago, but the dawning realization of this fact is one of those factors that made me run away from the scene. though it was a minor factor. the things that industry did in order to increase sales was probably a much bigger factor. <br /><br />and yes, a dinner table would be nice. but till then, "will have to do for now" (to quote one of the artists on this list) ;-)Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05941025887514143276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-80029742526597873002010-07-25T16:50:46.774-04:002010-07-25T16:50:46.774-04:00hey brook,
we'll agree to disagree on Sufjan....hey brook,<br /><br />we'll agree to disagree on Sufjan. :) but no worries, my friend. i don't think an ounce less of you. subjective taste is something i think rarely worth contesting. although i'll admit it's also what makes top 100 lists so incredibly compelling. the Observer newspaper did one on best british albums - must be 6 years ago now - that i still haven't forgiven them for i was so enraged by their choices. :)<br />i have noted our disagreement however, and in the hopes Joel and I will one day have you as a guest at our table, i'll make sure to keep Mr Stevens off the stereo. or at least before ensuring all sticks and cutlery are out of your reach. ;)<br /><br />and anyway, peace is brought about by a technicality because i don't think he should've made the HM list due to not being a 'rock' artist. albeit by my own subjective definition of what constitutes 'rock', let alone CCM. <br /><br />anyways, have just read the first of your pieces - liked it a lot. it sheds some light on your criteria. <br /><br />i was reading an article on Jennifer Knapp recently - on the Patrol magazine site i think. some of the comments from readers in response (who were not happy that the editorial line wasn't one of condemnation) i frankly found horrifying. <br /><br />kind of like the musical ghetto you describe, there's a sense in which i think the evangelical subculture is like being kept in a cultural and socio-political closet. but that's for another day. <br /><br />am reading through the second piece, which i'm loving. anyways, wanted to come back over here and send you continued props. and peace.<br /><br />c.LittleBirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06265499967129516159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-75071427790619228812010-07-25T14:28:58.702-04:002010-07-25T14:28:58.702-04:00Cary -
more of an answer coming later when I'v...Cary -<br />more of an answer coming later when I've more time, but for right now, let me direct you to 2 blog posts I wrote a while ago that may answer at least your questions on my take on the CCM industry. it's an odd thing, and suffice it to say I mostly agree with your take. and at the risk of being thought less of by you, I mostly do not agree with your assessment of Sufjan! the guy's voice (especially in concert - seen him twice) makes me want to run screaming while poking sharp sticks in my eyes. there, I said it. anyway...<br />Confessions Of A CCM Junkie:<br />http://brookthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/11/confessions-of-ccm-junkie.html<br /><br />and part 2:<br />http://brookthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/12/confessions-of-ccm-bystander-pt-ii.html<br /><br />I find it very interesting to read what I wrote about Jennifer Knapp back in 2006, and happy to see I documented that prediction somewhere!<br /><br />and jaem - *slaps forhead* IONA! I will rectify that glaring oversight shortly with Beyond These Shores. I kept telling myself that too while making this list, and it kept slipping my mind...Brookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05941025887514143276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-53439295448791967792010-07-25T10:27:40.044-04:002010-07-25T10:27:40.044-04:00what about iona?what about iona?jaemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10514307596650365145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362550.post-53517892631320973722010-07-25T10:00:49.976-04:002010-07-25T10:00:49.976-04:00As someone who's always thought that if there&...As someone who's always thought that if there's two words that shouldn't go together it's 'Christian' and 'industry', this is somehow still fascinating .<br />seems i've done quite well in avoiding CCM rock. i only own 2 of the albums on your list, and only heard of 10 or so of the artists/bands. <br /><br />i did a search and found the HM list. seems it was a bit controversial - esp the #1 spot going to the joshua tree. i can kind of see why. that said, i recognise many more names on the list and have heard more of the albums. and i own 3 of 'em.<br /><br />granted, this from the other side of the pond but a couple of things come to mind: <br /> <br />1. sufjan stevens: HM putting him on the list was unexpected given he's said in the press he didn't want to be co-opted as CCM. furthermore, how the heck did they then deign to put it only at #80? having heard several of their top 100 that placement is nothing short of laughable if quality of music, composition and lyricism is anything to go by.<br /><br />2. Criteria. i would have assumed that to be classed as a CCM artist one would have to be signed by a CCM label and marketed specifically and primarily to that audience. so i find artists like stevens or U2 unexpected. <br /><br />(btw, as an aside, I just discovered that The Joshua tree only reached 36 on the Christian US chart.)<br /><br />3. "cross-over". i raise Sixpence None the Richer. this has been bug bear of mine for years (with all due respect to them, it's not personal, i'm sure they are very nice people. this is about the CCM industry and i'd love your take on this as someone who knows a lot more about it than me. SNtR are a prime example of the cross-over phenomenon) <br /><br />SNtR are in my experience hailed by many who know CCM as exemplary for 'crossing over' into the 'mainstream' market. <br />In the UK, they had 2 popular singles neither remotely spiritually themed. Now, they've had more success in the US, but even so, the idea that they 'crossed over' & are thus hailed as having achieved something as 'CCM artists' has always struck me as disingenuous: <br />it's not that I think Christian artists should always sing Christian themed songs but that to be CCM artists in the first place they had to do so to get signed and songs have to be classed as 'Christian enough' even by established CCM marketed artists to be played by CCM radio stations.<br /> <br />my issue is that most cross over success in the mainstream is not with 'Christian music' nor are they marketed to the mainstream market as Christian artists. at most it's a footnote in bios. <br /><br />i question the overt exploitation of faith as a way for companies to make money. <br />i've heard too many stories of just how shallow the CMM industry's criteria for signing people is. artists being Christian has very little to do with it if their 'image' isn't 'marketable'. <br /><br />i see several 'had cross-over success' acts on the<br />HM list. at the end of the day,making money from the mainstream market is yet another marketing tool to impress the CCM audience. "hey non Christians like this band!" that seems to be a twisted irony.<br /><br />it's interesting to see several acts only had limited success outside of CCM and have remained/returned back into the fold once mainstream interest faded.<br /><br />anyways feel free to push back on any of that. i find the difference between your list and theirs fascinating. to my eyes your criteria appears to have been quite different to HM mag's. <br /><br />given it's a market you know a heckuvva lot more about than I, I'd love to know your own reasons for avoiding "Christians in the mainstream" in your criteria for who made the grade. <br /><br />wish this conversation was around a dinner table. something tells me it'd be a good one. :) <br /><br />cary.LittleBirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06265499967129516159noreply@blogger.com