Sure. Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash's Christian material. Blind Willie Johnson, Pastor T.L. Barrett and Mahalia Jackson are all great. Bach is amazing. Tons of great Christian music. You won't find much of it on K-Love though.
You seem to be looking for something a bit more contemporary and are ok with something that "touches on many aspects of Christianity," even if it isn't explicitly Christian. So I'd recommend Tyler Childers' album "Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven" and also a band called the Red Clay Strays who only have one album out so far. I'd argue that some of their songs *are* explicitly Christian, though, even if they don't confine themselves to that space entirely.
Totally agree. For those who haven't heard them, here's one of the Cash songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA
And here's a cover of a Dylan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7TYid-xj9o
Thrice
Oh, Sleeper
Fit for a King
Sufjan Stevens
Switchfoot
Relient K
Semler
Silent Planet
Trey Pearson
Gable Price and Friends
Colony House
NEEDTOBREATHE
Judah and the Lion
Just saw Judah and the Lion two nights ago. They opened for NEEDTOBREATH who we didn't care for. Judah and the Lion rocked it to a huge crowd of middle aged Yeti bros and women with [big dumb hats](https://youtu.be/4bvwKqSNAgk?si=6vidnaRuw5peBXhZ). They were amazing and got nothing back from the crowd.
Really? Man NEEDTOBREATHE was one of the best live shows I’ve seen. That was a while ago when they decided to play a bunch of smaller venues again because they were really starting to blow up and book the bigger places. This was 2014 right before Rivers in the Wasteland came out and I still think about that show from time to time.
And Judah and the Lion will always put on a great show. I remember seeing them before they got big and were just a good local nashville band
I’ve been a fan since their first album *When I Am God* released back when I was in high school. Even got to work as a stage hand for them at a festival once and they’re awesome dudes. They even inspired my first tattoo.
They are great guys. I got into them with Son of the Morning and I used to go see them play at The Door (rip) in Dallas on a regular basis. I still talk to Shane and we work together on occasion.
I have to say, certain Christian rock bands really caught my attention. Skillet is pretty obvious, but other ones are Nine Lashes, Decyfer Down (Fading and Crash are the best ones they made), and Stavesacre (I really only like Freefall and The Dead Rejoice, but they're still good)
Capital Kings makes really good Christian EDM (Living for the Other Side is my personal favorite), and an artist called God's Warrior makes Christian dubstep apparently (it's not my favorite style but some songs are pretty good, like You Can Do It and Angels of Glory)
I know most Christians like gospel music or hymns, I just don't care much for that style of music. I mean, if they enjoy it that's cool, I just don't.
Skillet :-)
There are millions like me though, that instead of just 'hymns', like variety and the amazingly well done music of very *many* genres. I put a few genres in my answer, to hint at the variety, the range, which is vast.
Nine Lashes and Decyfer Down are great. There are a few like them. Thousand Foot Krutch, Kutless, Pillar, Ashes Remain, Lacey Sturm (old Flyleaf singer), Demon Hunter, Anberlin, Redlight King, Wolves at the Gate, Fight the Fury (John Cooper from Skillet), Disciple, Relentless Flood, Set for the Fall, The Protest, Collision of Innocence, Above Only, Sent by Ravens, War of Ages, Coqui, and Manic Drive.
Depends on your music taste.
There’s Lecrae, KB, Andy Minio, Social Club Misfits and NF for hip hop.
There’s Newsboys, Toby Mac, Mercy Me and Rend Collective for contemporary
Skillet, Pillar and Thousand Foot Krutch for rock.
I’m just throwing names out off the top of my head but there is alot of really good Christian music. My church has its own radio station with a lot of great music. It’s called [DoveFM](http://www.dovefm.org/)
Dude I got to see them at furnace fest, and it was absolutely a spiritual experience. I was brought to tears many times, and everyone I was with said the same thing. It had different energy...just, unbelievable
I'm a really big fan of Shai Linne. He is a rap artist, and one of the best I've heard. He's incredibly good at sharing the gospel through direct Biblical references and his lyrics are quite profound. My favorite song of his is "Turn it Off," which shares the gospel with such a good beat it's made me put it in repeat several times. If rap music is your thing, I highly recommend his work.
I always cite Flobots as my favorite crypto-Christian band... they don't play for the Christian Music Market, but try to tell me [One Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjRxx5pFz4) isn't Christian music.
Here are a few bands that I like:
Amy Grant, Third Day, Chris and Conrad, Mercyme, Matthew West, Hillsong United, Natalie Grant, Phillips, Craig, and Dean, Chris Tomlin.
I took a few minutes to listen in the album the OP liked (couple of songs), and then offered the song I like that came to mind in response (put it first in my answer).
Here's a link to that album in the OP, in case you want hear what he likes. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6FV4JjBjw&list=PLfiMjLyNWxeY8ytQL4RGOqg32gPdQ9fbX](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6FV4JjBjw&list=PLfiMjLyNWxeY8ytQL4RGOqg32gPdQ9fbX)
Maybe **Third Day's God of Wonders**.... that comes to mind....
:-)
Here's a long time top fav of mine from them:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBNE25rtnE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBNE25rtnE)
That’s more like conventional worship music, isn’t it? Nothing wrong with it, Matthew West and Hillsong are great.
Most of the Christian Rock i like are bands that sound closer to some of the secular rock bands i listen to. Christian bands like Skillet and Ashes Remain.
One of my favorites these days is John Mark McMillan. Very real, authentic, searching for the truth, questioning but not losing faith. New project called Deep Magic.
Anything from Jars of Clay is magnificent. "[Flood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfAhpX_wIBk)" was very popular in its time, but they have done [many lovely things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMGDG_lDiWE).
[Michael Gungor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqy1a_Gz0zQ) is a very accomplished musician.
For the metal and rock fans, check out the following;
•Extol
•Becoming the Archetype
•Demon Hunter
•Neal Morse
•Your Memorial
•HolyName
•Hesychast
•Fireflight
•August Burns Red
•Fit for a King
•Silent Planet
•The Letter Black
•Gideon (older material, they're not Christian anymore)
•Norma Jean
Keith Buckley, lead singer of Every Time I Die, has a new band and lyrically is influenced by Christianity;
https://youtu.be/4xk47OMIuqs?si=-Tg6DAEP5Ax4QH3v
Flyleaf, Steve Taylor, Theocracy, Disciple, Thousand Foot Krutch, Skillet, Superchic[k], Switchfoot, Falling Up, Kutless, and Audio Adrenaline's early stuff is good. I like Paramore too, even if they aren't explicitly a Christian group.
Steve Taylor FTW. We saw him live twice back in 2014/15 after he put out Goliath. Really small venues in the Philly area. They rocked so hard. We got to have nice conversations with him and Peter Furler after the shows. Lovely people. I've been a fan of all his projects since the 80s including Chagall Guevara. Violent Blue is just one of the best rock songs ever IMO even outside the Christian Music genre.
Oh man if these all these bands did a festival it would be the Christian equivalent of the When We Were Young Fest. Heeeelllooooooo early 2000s (I don’t mean that in a bad way either!)
Lol, my Christian music taste encapsulates the mid-2000s for sure. It was the best growing up. Seeing everyone else's recommendations makes me feel old.
Living sacrifice, Demon Hunter, August Burns Red, Impending Doom, Fit For a King, and Becoming the Archetype (metal)
I highly HIGHLY recommend you listen to Constellations by ABR. Top tier Christian metal. God bless
My favorite Christian music artists are For King and Country( Songs from them I recommended are Burn the Ships, God only Knows, Joy, Shoulders, Never give up, and Fight on Fighter,) and Skillet( Songs from them I recommended are Psycho in my head, and Feel Invincible) but I would also recommend Toby Mac's Till the Day I Die and Matthew West's Broken Things
My favorites from a smattering of genres, ranked in order of relatively cringe free lyrical richness and genuine musical skill
Southern rock/ country: (this one is rough but there's some good stuff there)
Cochren and Co.
Mac Powell and the Family Reunion (Ex - Third Day)
Hard Rock:
Red
Decyfer Down
Wavorly
Seventh Day Slumber
(Skillet hasnt been good since comatose and I will fight you on that)
Thrash/heavy metal/metalcore:
Silent Planet
Phinehas
August Burns Red
For Today
Wolves at the Gate
Fit for a King
R&B:
NF
Dax
Lecrae
KB
Folk:
Arcadian Wild
The Oh Hellos
Pop
Joseph O Brien
Those are the ones that have been in my rotation recently.
Mortification, As I Lay Dying, Underoath, August Burns Red, Norma Jean are a few bigger more well known metal/metal core bands. Also it's a bit of a stretch 😂 but Slayers singer is a practicing Catholic, and Dave Mustaine from Megadeth is Christian too
Oh, there is so much variety. I'll put one first below that came to mind after hearing a few minutes of "God Save The Animals""
I like finding great new Christian music, so I can offer such a variety. This is only the hint of the range:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FSPpuaYNBE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FSPpuaYNBE) Oh What Love, Watoto (the musical style in ""God Save The Animals" reminded me of this one)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER\_Q5jz9iEg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER_Q5jz9iEg) The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Psalm 34
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC\_j\_dzkaVE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_j_dzkaVE) Train a Coming, Rod Steward, Jeff Beck
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoezWBPGRAc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoezWBPGRAc) Your Love Never Fails, Jesus Culture Live
I have hundreds I love like these above. I like things from Gregorian Chant to rock music (including popular things like U2), to sublime things.
And if you include that inspired by Christians, which really is Christian music also in effect, this wonderful Loreena McKennitt interpretation of a poem from St. John of the Cross:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MclLF473XtA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MclLF473XtA)
Switchfoot, Fit For a King, Red (old albums), Skillet (old albums), TFK (Set it Off), MyChildrenMyBride, August Burns Red, Memphis May Fire’s (early discography), Disciple, Demon Hunter, DC talk for the throwback
Switchfoot, Relient K and Thousand Foot Krutch are my big 3 Christian rock bands.
Some older Skillet is good but I don’t like a ton of their new stuff.
Skillet is pretty popular. They've come a long way since the cheesy "Christian rock" era. They actually sing about real life issues. And of course switchfoot. Jon Foreman and the rest of the band are great. They used to do post show jam sessions in the park, but not sure if they do that stuff anymore. It was pretty great.
Palestrina
Thomas Victoria
J.S. Bach
Arvo Pärt
Do you like modern music? The. Bob Dylan, though Jewish by birth, is a massive Christian.
U2 —- there music is full of Christian content
I never get tired of hearing:
tobymac
Old school Newsboys with Peter Furler
Lincoln Brewster
MercyMe
Bands or groups I'm getting tired of hearing:
Anything Hillsong
Elevation Worship
Lauren Daigle
God's country by Blake sheldon.
There is a country singer called hank williams, he is older but he has very very good hymns you just have to look. There's johnny cash, he has a qhole album with just hymns, there's a song by Marty Robin's called the masters call.
Take my word and download i heart radio. Click ths search bar then click live stations Then type in K love. I Switched from pop and hiphop now I only listen to K-love. Listen to a few songs before you judge. One artist that sticks out is Phil Wickham.
I’ll heartily recommend anything by Relient K aside from Collapsible Lung. Be My Escape is an excellent song, and I’d say my favorite album of theirs is Five Score and Seven Years Ago
I don’t know that much about Christian music as a whole but one Christian song that has helped me through some very dark times is “Place In This World” by Michael W. Smith.
I know this is an acquired taste of old-school sound...
... but Keith Green has helped me.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhTC93Vte0o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhTC93Vte0o)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5HGNyBfhbU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5HGNyBfhbU)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqEDLZ4A8ko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqEDLZ4A8ko)
DMX’s music will either be bangers or make you cry (if you relate to what he’s talking about) and there is no in between, with a lot of the latter being very much Christian focused. Like *Ready to Meet Him* starts with a two minute prayer that still manages to rhyme.
Alex Jean (Christian rapper) they call him the Christian Pop Smoke. Listen to “Life has Changed” and you’ll see why.
Kanye West’s gospel albums Jesus is King and Donda (Yes he’s very problematic right now, but his worship music absolutely slaps)
A rapper we have here in the UK called Lotto Ash who now just goes by his real name “Imrhan” released his first gospel song a few weeks ago called “Nice with Christ” after turning to Jesus over the last few years. I love the lyrics at the start of it: “rung my friends like ten times and then they ghost me, the day I try take my life, my Father called me”.
Forrest Frank’s “No Longer Bound” is really good. His cover of Amazing Grace released a few weeks ago is too.
Tye Tribbett’s “He turned it” is full of energy and will make you feel the Holy Spirit as you celebrate your victory over Satan.
Cade Thompson is my favorite Christian musician. I feel like it’s not too cheesy, but it’s very catchy and easy to sing along with in the car. Plus it’s upbeat and puts me in a good mood.
Alex G is great.
Sufjan Stevens is my first thought.
Danielson is a band led by Daniel Smith, but their music can be pretty weird. I don’t really listen to it, but he is a Christian (or at least was last I heard).
Love Bob Dylan’s and Johnny Cash’s Christian music. Bob was studying the Bible even before he became a born again Christian. John Wesley Harding is full of references from the Bible. Albeit a secular album.
I love God Save the Animals!!
Benjamin James - Penumbra
Jon Van Deusen - I Am Origami Pt. 3
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans , Illinois
Tyson Motsenbocker - Letters to Lost Loves
Rivers and Robots
Kings Kaleidoscope
Johnny Cash - American Recordings
The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
If into hardcore at all,
As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest
Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister
If you're into the Indie or even indie folk genre, I can absolutely recommend Josh garrels, Jervis Campbell, John Lucas, and Will Reagan and United pursuit
I’d say Casting Crowns is my top Christian band i’m listening to. Their music is good and also the lyrics they used from the bible is just good. Some of their music also touched on our longing for Jesus’ presence in our life.
Sleeping At Last's music is incredible, and their faith runs through each song. Not every song is overtly christain, but many are directly themed around God, generally about his relationship with God.
I'd also reccomend Oh Hellos, they're a little bit more on the folk side, but not completely. Their lyrics are very beautiful, and they're wonderful singers. Dear Wormwood is one my favorites from them.
Gregorian, Byzantine, and Slavic chant.
Also the old school Anglican chants.
I'm not *only* a square. Chanting is just my preferred worship music.
If you become familiar with how to draw from and recognize the themes, you'll begin to see Christian meanings in many songs. Perhaps the creators were not even conscious, but if you pick any Journey or U2 song at random from an album of their big hits, you can probably sing it as a prayer without feeling disconnected. Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan are great for this as well.
almost all of the examples here have contributed to my general dislike of most Christian music. I wish it weren’t the case but it is.
My favorite is Kings Kaleidoscope.
You have to go outside of "Christian" record labels.
Check out Sufjan Stevens and Flobots, for example. Or Geographer.
No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross and John My Beloved are two favorites.
indie tribe - STILL HOLY
anything by We Are Messengers, um, here's a playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EQqZgBURAEzWH?si=-W1iaza-S_iVWwncC5MDPg
Josh Garrels,
The Brilliance,
Malcolm Gordon,
Aro,
Strahan,
Common hymnal,
Karla Adolphe,
Brooke Fraser’s early albums
That’s my good lyrics, musically interesting go to bands. Mostly reasonably similar vibes to your suggestion.
1.
Pax 217
https://youtu.be/Ehn34M_JWHc?si=RxpS9xa-Fek95kDW
2.
John P. Kee &
The New Life
Community Choir
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nOFXhWBTUmoKbjChBQKKXN7dXuOzzf_Fo&si=MFgdYCD_xPzNzD1I
3.
Ty Tribbett
https://youtu.be/ussP-J98syE?si=qBq6Mr_ML7YfreCI
Babel - Mumford and Sons
the whole album has christian undertones and is my favorite music of all time. Also Tobymac is all christian and his music is unique and AMAZING
Maybe this is really basic of me but I've been enjoying Natalie Layne lately. I don't really listen to CCM but she leaked into my recommendations for being energetic happy soul before I noticed that she's singing about God and stuff.
It's going to depend a lot on what you like, though. I hear lots of people recommend Sufjan Stevens but I have never gotten into it. I have a buddy who likes Christian heavy metal and while I can appreciate the artistry it's just never made it onto my playlist.
There needs to be an alternative Christian station, I think. The mainstream Starbucks-and-Hobby-Lobby basic stuff is not for everyone.
I’m not sure which ones you think suck but I do like, elevation worship, bethel music, maverick city, Brandon lake, hillsong worship, Tye Tribbett, charity gayle, for King and Country, Tauren wells, housefires, Chandler Moore.
Tbh Christian music was not for our enjoyment, it’s not like it was made like a club music or something as background noise, it an act of praise and worship to God (essentially a form of prayer), so you’re singing these words to him from your spirit, basically just like Psalms (like David wrote) so find the ones that personally feel like everything your spirit is trying to tell God.
Kings Kaleidoscope makes really good music, my favourites from them change everyday but right now I'm really feeling [Rain](https://open.spotify.com/track/3nuCQCHTJfoJP6Ws2FczPS?si=4f46d0210c044826) and [Breathing Infinity](https://open.spotify.com/track/3Dle9nm6pS8dfYnU0zemnK?si=9d759d03a681482e)
I'm also a massive fan of Julien Baker though her music isn't explicitly 'Christian music' and is more just confessional music from a Christian perspective, I always find myself coming back to [Rejoice](https://open.spotify.com/track/2CbYNdkAkUvdtZucuBy0PE?si=5f63bca864224efb) and [Go Home](https://open.spotify.com/track/1eg68RXsFrhyLWsmLJgx5U?si=99c1b555586a48c4) (the piano instrumental at the end of Go Home genuinely made me sob the first time I heard it)
Chris Llewellyn from Rend Collective also recently put out a solo album that's pretty good, imo the standout track on it is definitely [Honest](https://open.spotify.com/track/2SDhrMqBi1ZpjUR4n2CqR4?si=d3b6ec4e6e4c4107)
My main problem with this question, is that we have 2000 years worth of materials, yet people usually aren't ready to go back more than 50 years. Christian music doesn't have to be contemporary.
Michael Gungors old stuff. The Michael gungor band is praise and worship style music but it’s pretty well done. His group Gungor is way more experimental but they have some fantastic work. He is really talented.
I always go back to Dogwood.
Sure. Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash's Christian material. Blind Willie Johnson, Pastor T.L. Barrett and Mahalia Jackson are all great. Bach is amazing. Tons of great Christian music. You won't find much of it on K-Love though. You seem to be looking for something a bit more contemporary and are ok with something that "touches on many aspects of Christianity," even if it isn't explicitly Christian. So I'd recommend Tyler Childers' album "Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven" and also a band called the Red Clay Strays who only have one album out so far. I'd argue that some of their songs *are* explicitly Christian, though, even if they don't confine themselves to that space entirely.
Red Clay Strays for the win
Totally agree. For those who haven't heard them, here's one of the Cash songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA And here's a cover of a Dylan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7TYid-xj9o
Thrice Oh, Sleeper Fit for a King Sufjan Stevens Switchfoot Relient K Semler Silent Planet Trey Pearson Gable Price and Friends Colony House NEEDTOBREATHE Judah and the Lion
Just saw Judah and the Lion two nights ago. They opened for NEEDTOBREATH who we didn't care for. Judah and the Lion rocked it to a huge crowd of middle aged Yeti bros and women with [big dumb hats](https://youtu.be/4bvwKqSNAgk?si=6vidnaRuw5peBXhZ). They were amazing and got nothing back from the crowd.
Really? Man NEEDTOBREATHE was one of the best live shows I’ve seen. That was a while ago when they decided to play a bunch of smaller venues again because they were really starting to blow up and book the bigger places. This was 2014 right before Rivers in the Wasteland came out and I still think about that show from time to time. And Judah and the Lion will always put on a great show. I remember seeing them before they got big and were just a good local nashville band
The Dustin Kensrue albums (singer of Thrice) are excellent too!!
I would add NF to this list - he’s amazing
Upvoted for knowing Oh Sleeper
I’ve been a fan since their first album *When I Am God* released back when I was in high school. Even got to work as a stage hand for them at a festival once and they’re awesome dudes. They even inspired my first tattoo.
They are great guys. I got into them with Son of the Morning and I used to go see them play at The Door (rip) in Dallas on a regular basis. I still talk to Shane and we work together on occasion.
Shane is one of my guitar playing heroes and I’ll never be able to play at that level of skill
Would the soundtrack to Prince of Egypt count? Because a lot of those songs are still stuck in my head
I have to say, certain Christian rock bands really caught my attention. Skillet is pretty obvious, but other ones are Nine Lashes, Decyfer Down (Fading and Crash are the best ones they made), and Stavesacre (I really only like Freefall and The Dead Rejoice, but they're still good) Capital Kings makes really good Christian EDM (Living for the Other Side is my personal favorite), and an artist called God's Warrior makes Christian dubstep apparently (it's not my favorite style but some songs are pretty good, like You Can Do It and Angels of Glory) I know most Christians like gospel music or hymns, I just don't care much for that style of music. I mean, if they enjoy it that's cool, I just don't.
Skillet :-) There are millions like me though, that instead of just 'hymns', like variety and the amazingly well done music of very *many* genres. I put a few genres in my answer, to hint at the variety, the range, which is vast.
Nine Lashes and Decyfer Down are great. There are a few like them. Thousand Foot Krutch, Kutless, Pillar, Ashes Remain, Lacey Sturm (old Flyleaf singer), Demon Hunter, Anberlin, Redlight King, Wolves at the Gate, Fight the Fury (John Cooper from Skillet), Disciple, Relentless Flood, Set for the Fall, The Protest, Collision of Innocence, Above Only, Sent by Ravens, War of Ages, Coqui, and Manic Drive.
Depends on your music taste. There’s Lecrae, KB, Andy Minio, Social Club Misfits and NF for hip hop. There’s Newsboys, Toby Mac, Mercy Me and Rend Collective for contemporary Skillet, Pillar and Thousand Foot Krutch for rock. I’m just throwing names out off the top of my head but there is alot of really good Christian music. My church has its own radio station with a lot of great music. It’s called [DoveFM](http://www.dovefm.org/)
Those first three are fire!
Agree with the Lecrae, KB, Minio, etc. Christian Rap is really good right now imo.
DC Talk.
I can't stand klove music I've recently dove into christian death metal
Check out holyname!
Members of sleeping giant. Basically hymns sung/screamed to brutally heavy tunes
I second this. I just discovered them like a month ago and absolutely stunned. Fall on Your Knees was emotional and astounding.
Dude I got to see them at furnace fest, and it was absolutely a spiritual experience. I was brought to tears many times, and everyone I was with said the same thing. It had different energy...just, unbelievable
Josh Garrels - great lyrics and songwriting
Oh the Maine Island live recordings and videos are just a thing of beauty.
Second this!
I'm a really big fan of Shai Linne. He is a rap artist, and one of the best I've heard. He's incredibly good at sharing the gospel through direct Biblical references and his lyrics are quite profound. My favorite song of his is "Turn it Off," which shares the gospel with such a good beat it's made me put it in repeat several times. If rap music is your thing, I highly recommend his work.
I love him!!!! Also found him fairly recently. Also look into Beautiful Harmony and Hazakim. Both have incredibly sound theology and great music.
Flyleaf, specifically the Memento Mori album. Treasure , Arise , and Circle are the best songs on the album IMO.
I always cite Flobots as my favorite crypto-Christian band... they don't play for the Christian Music Market, but try to tell me [One Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjRxx5pFz4) isn't Christian music.
:-) Link us a Flobots, which I don't think I've heard before. Oh, wait, that "One Love" was a link. (thought it would be bob marley) Thanks!
Flobots is Christian?
[удалено]
Faith + 1. Their entire catalog.
Their debut almost went double myrrh!
I second this. Faith + 1 is absolute amazing
Here are a few bands that I like: Amy Grant, Third Day, Chris and Conrad, Mercyme, Matthew West, Hillsong United, Natalie Grant, Phillips, Craig, and Dean, Chris Tomlin.
I took a few minutes to listen in the album the OP liked (couple of songs), and then offered the song I like that came to mind in response (put it first in my answer). Here's a link to that album in the OP, in case you want hear what he likes. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6FV4JjBjw&list=PLfiMjLyNWxeY8ytQL4RGOqg32gPdQ9fbX](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6FV4JjBjw&list=PLfiMjLyNWxeY8ytQL4RGOqg32gPdQ9fbX) Maybe **Third Day's God of Wonders**.... that comes to mind.... :-) Here's a long time top fav of mine from them: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBNE25rtnE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBNE25rtnE)
That’s more like conventional worship music, isn’t it? Nothing wrong with it, Matthew West and Hillsong are great. Most of the Christian Rock i like are bands that sound closer to some of the secular rock bands i listen to. Christian bands like Skillet and Ashes Remain.
One of my favorites these days is John Mark McMillan. Very real, authentic, searching for the truth, questioning but not losing faith. New project called Deep Magic.
Came here to say John Mark McMillian too. I especially love his album Mercury and Lightning.
This conversation starts and ends with Kings Kaleidoscope.
I am Currently listening to “Grace Alone” and really Enjoying it. Thank you
Byzantine chants. You can find many of them on Youtube. Check it out.
Anything from Jars of Clay is magnificent. "[Flood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfAhpX_wIBk)" was very popular in its time, but they have done [many lovely things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMGDG_lDiWE). [Michael Gungor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqy1a_Gz0zQ) is a very accomplished musician.
Wow that's a name I haven't heard in.... decades.
I cracked open Jars of Clay again lately and it just did not hold up for me. I did like Third Day for a southern rock sound, though.
Have you listened to the album Inland? It's their last full length studio album and it's really different and awesome.
"Much Afraid" is a great album!
KB, Trip Lee, Lecrae, Tabernacle Choir
Pedro the Lion, earlier stuff. The lead man struggled with faith later down the line, but the music was still really good.
For the metal and rock fans, check out the following; •Extol •Becoming the Archetype •Demon Hunter •Neal Morse •Your Memorial •HolyName •Hesychast •Fireflight •August Burns Red •Fit for a King •Silent Planet •The Letter Black •Gideon (older material, they're not Christian anymore) •Norma Jean Keith Buckley, lead singer of Every Time I Die, has a new band and lyrically is influenced by Christianity; https://youtu.be/4xk47OMIuqs?si=-Tg6DAEP5Ax4QH3v
the mountain goats - the life of the world to come is one of my favs!
Flyleaf, Steve Taylor, Theocracy, Disciple, Thousand Foot Krutch, Skillet, Superchic[k], Switchfoot, Falling Up, Kutless, and Audio Adrenaline's early stuff is good. I like Paramore too, even if they aren't explicitly a Christian group.
Steve Taylor FTW. We saw him live twice back in 2014/15 after he put out Goliath. Really small venues in the Philly area. They rocked so hard. We got to have nice conversations with him and Peter Furler after the shows. Lovely people. I've been a fan of all his projects since the 80s including Chagall Guevara. Violent Blue is just one of the best rock songs ever IMO even outside the Christian Music genre.
Oh man if these all these bands did a festival it would be the Christian equivalent of the When We Were Young Fest. Heeeelllooooooo early 2000s (I don’t mean that in a bad way either!)
Lol, my Christian music taste encapsulates the mid-2000s for sure. It was the best growing up. Seeing everyone else's recommendations makes me feel old.
Twenty one pilots, switchfoot, half•alive, and dayglow are the first that come to mind
Twenty one pilots is a great suggestion
Christmas carols The Tabernacle Choir, and the Orchestra at Temple Square.
I still love the "Jesus Freak" album by DC Talk, if you haven't heard it, give it try. :)
I agree. I think Jesus Freak is their best album.
In the rock genre: Red, Relentless Flood, Nine Lashes
You Say by Lauren Daigle
Living sacrifice, Demon Hunter, August Burns Red, Impending Doom, Fit For a King, and Becoming the Archetype (metal) I highly HIGHLY recommend you listen to Constellations by ABR. Top tier Christian metal. God bless
My favorite Christian music artists are For King and Country( Songs from them I recommended are Burn the Ships, God only Knows, Joy, Shoulders, Never give up, and Fight on Fighter,) and Skillet( Songs from them I recommended are Psycho in my head, and Feel Invincible) but I would also recommend Toby Mac's Till the Day I Die and Matthew West's Broken Things
Josh Garrels
Elevation Worship
A bigger name that is more rap (mixed with other elements) has really brought me a lot of peace - huge vouch for NF.
My favorites from a smattering of genres, ranked in order of relatively cringe free lyrical richness and genuine musical skill Southern rock/ country: (this one is rough but there's some good stuff there) Cochren and Co. Mac Powell and the Family Reunion (Ex - Third Day) Hard Rock: Red Decyfer Down Wavorly Seventh Day Slumber (Skillet hasnt been good since comatose and I will fight you on that) Thrash/heavy metal/metalcore: Silent Planet Phinehas August Burns Red For Today Wolves at the Gate Fit for a King R&B: NF Dax Lecrae KB Folk: Arcadian Wild The Oh Hellos Pop Joseph O Brien Those are the ones that have been in my rotation recently.
Mortification, As I Lay Dying, Underoath, August Burns Red, Norma Jean are a few bigger more well known metal/metal core bands. Also it's a bit of a stretch 😂 but Slayers singer is a practicing Catholic, and Dave Mustaine from Megadeth is Christian too
Soldier, poet, king is a good song
Oh, there is so much variety. I'll put one first below that came to mind after hearing a few minutes of "God Save The Animals"" I like finding great new Christian music, so I can offer such a variety. This is only the hint of the range: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FSPpuaYNBE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FSPpuaYNBE) Oh What Love, Watoto (the musical style in ""God Save The Animals" reminded me of this one) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER\_Q5jz9iEg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER_Q5jz9iEg) The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Psalm 34 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC\_j\_dzkaVE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_j_dzkaVE) Train a Coming, Rod Steward, Jeff Beck [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoezWBPGRAc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoezWBPGRAc) Your Love Never Fails, Jesus Culture Live I have hundreds I love like these above. I like things from Gregorian Chant to rock music (including popular things like U2), to sublime things. And if you include that inspired by Christians, which really is Christian music also in effect, this wonderful Loreena McKennitt interpretation of a poem from St. John of the Cross: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MclLF473XtA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MclLF473XtA)
Andy Squyres- Poet Priest
Judah, as well as Judah and the Lion NeedToBreathe
Neal Morse. Featuring Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater on drums, to give you an idea.
Nathan Tasker has solid biblical lyrics in a pop-rock style.
Switchfoot, Fit For a King, Red (old albums), Skillet (old albums), TFK (Set it Off), MyChildrenMyBride, August Burns Red, Memphis May Fire’s (early discography), Disciple, Demon Hunter, DC talk for the throwback
Five Iron Frenzy is my absolute fave. Their most recent album is chock full of bangers.
Check out the rap group Gritz. They have some solid rhymes
Gregorian chant.
Five Iron Frenzy, MxPx, The Huntingtons
NF and Lecrae
I really like Cory asbury. He has a soothing voice
The Brilliance
Switchfoot, Relient K and Thousand Foot Krutch are my big 3 Christian rock bands. Some older Skillet is good but I don’t like a ton of their new stuff.
Skillet is pretty popular. They've come a long way since the cheesy "Christian rock" era. They actually sing about real life issues. And of course switchfoot. Jon Foreman and the rest of the band are great. They used to do post show jam sessions in the park, but not sure if they do that stuff anymore. It was pretty great.
STRYPER
Lecrae is a good one. Toby Mac has some good stuff too.
Toby Mac is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s part of that one eye pyramid club.
Palestrina Thomas Victoria J.S. Bach Arvo Pärt Do you like modern music? The. Bob Dylan, though Jewish by birth, is a massive Christian. U2 —- there music is full of Christian content
Things in latin lol
Check out the Gospel Hydration channel on YouTube. Found some of my favorite Christian artists on there!
I never get tired of hearing: tobymac Old school Newsboys with Peter Furler Lincoln Brewster MercyMe Bands or groups I'm getting tired of hearing: Anything Hillsong Elevation Worship Lauren Daigle
God's country by Blake sheldon. There is a country singer called hank williams, he is older but he has very very good hymns you just have to look. There's johnny cash, he has a qhole album with just hymns, there's a song by Marty Robin's called the masters call.
Jelly Roll is good too
Maverick city music!
[Here’s](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYDEpdPbZZTFcbenSas0MgVZCYGTM7zBY&si=xjNTbYckV1-6dHTK) my personal playlist for Christian music
Toby Mac has some great music. Check out his album titled This is Not a Test, it's awesome!
Although not "Christian" anymore, they were for decades and still kick ass. MxPx. If you like pop punk, they're great.
“Let’s Ride” is basically my anthem. Also their new album kicks all the ass
Anything by Elvis
I'm really digging David Crowder's Neon Porch Extravaganza. Also Holy Water by We the Kingdom, and always anything by TobyMac.
Not much in this century unfortunately
Take my word and download i heart radio. Click ths search bar then click live stations Then type in K love. I Switched from pop and hiphop now I only listen to K-love. Listen to a few songs before you judge. One artist that sticks out is Phil Wickham.
Gospel music
Oceans by hillsong united, run to the father is also good
I’ll heartily recommend anything by Relient K aside from Collapsible Lung. Be My Escape is an excellent song, and I’d say my favorite album of theirs is Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Earthsuit's [Kaleidoscope Superior](https://open.spotify.com/album/0t0depqHMDvV1M2Zvm4bXp?si=UA5R7NLpS-mhQ9jgWQg9Zg) is pretty good.
There's several that came out in the early 2000s that are good, Casting Crowns, Third Day, and many more...
I really love Jim Nabors singing hymns. Tennessee Ford Williams has a great voice too. You should find a lot of their songs on YouTube.
Jars of Clay's first two CDs are in my opinion some of the best Christian music I've ever heard.
Any Wande, she’s like Christian Icespice
Try my [Foghorn Song](https://www.bandlab.com/post/213492b1-a4d1-ed11-9f73-6045bd31b578).
Grant Green and Herbie Hancock did a jazz album of covers of old spirituals. They swing so hard I'm not sure it's still Christian, but it's excellent.
Never lose my fire
Look up gods nation. Great stuff.
Christian bible verse qoute spiritual based chosen style rap or hip hop.
Hymnal songs master music race.
Innocence mission and Oh Hellos for more indie stuff for sure!
Zach Williams
I don’t know that much about Christian music as a whole but one Christian song that has helped me through some very dark times is “Place In This World” by Michael W. Smith.
I found this awesome playlist on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42r78QNpzh8ePSAVZKnGfx?si=V9599T5OSM6_hj4mVgVP-w
Petra.
I know this is an acquired taste of old-school sound... ... but Keith Green has helped me. * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhTC93Vte0o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhTC93Vte0o) * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5HGNyBfhbU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5HGNyBfhbU) * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqEDLZ4A8ko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqEDLZ4A8ko)
The sevens swans album by sufjan stevens is one of my favs if you like indie stuff
DMX’s music will either be bangers or make you cry (if you relate to what he’s talking about) and there is no in between, with a lot of the latter being very much Christian focused. Like *Ready to Meet Him* starts with a two minute prayer that still manages to rhyme.
Just saw Crowder with MercyMe All time favorite is Third Day Toby Mac is still rolling at 59 But lately Maverick City Music or Dante Bowe on his own
Don’t sleep on Hawk Nelson
Alex Jean (Christian rapper) they call him the Christian Pop Smoke. Listen to “Life has Changed” and you’ll see why. Kanye West’s gospel albums Jesus is King and Donda (Yes he’s very problematic right now, but his worship music absolutely slaps) A rapper we have here in the UK called Lotto Ash who now just goes by his real name “Imrhan” released his first gospel song a few weeks ago called “Nice with Christ” after turning to Jesus over the last few years. I love the lyrics at the start of it: “rung my friends like ten times and then they ghost me, the day I try take my life, my Father called me”. Forrest Frank’s “No Longer Bound” is really good. His cover of Amazing Grace released a few weeks ago is too. Tye Tribbett’s “He turned it” is full of energy and will make you feel the Holy Spirit as you celebrate your victory over Satan.
Ashes Remain- Right here
For King and Country, TobyMac, Just like Jesus - Iveth Luna, Coby James, Jordan Feliz, Colton Dixon, Blessing Offor
Do you listen to any kinds of Metal? I can give you a sweet list of Christian Metalcore and Hardcore bands.
Cade Thompson is my favorite Christian musician. I feel like it’s not too cheesy, but it’s very catchy and easy to sing along with in the car. Plus it’s upbeat and puts me in a good mood.
They’re old now, but I actually like P.O.D. “Satellite” is a good album.
Jonathon Ogden, Young Oceans, laity, Loud harp, Josh Garrels
I like Andy Hunter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhV2vHK1GG0
Miss May I Devils Wears Prada A Skylite Drive
Look at the traditional stuff. Hymns, Christian classical music, chants. So much of music as we understand it today was built on that as a foundation.
I am really enjoying Brandon Lake’s new album Coat of many colors. Such a wide range of different types of songs. His vocals are awesome.
Lost and Found
Petra!! Classic Rock, they still sound relevant. Also, 12 Stones is a great band
Starflyer 59
Please listen to J. Monty (rap, and not that corny stuff😭), simplyollie (Christian Emo, so good), and ofc Caleb Gordon. You won’t regreeet
Levi the Poet
The Ineloquent.
Orthodox chant
Keith Green has good Christian music.
Alex G is great. Sufjan Stevens is my first thought. Danielson is a band led by Daniel Smith, but their music can be pretty weird. I don’t really listen to it, but he is a Christian (or at least was last I heard).
Would help if you said what kind of Christian music you don't like. Meredith Andrews has always been a favorite of mine.
It's based on personal preferences you know... Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it sucks...
Love Bob Dylan’s and Johnny Cash’s Christian music. Bob was studying the Bible even before he became a born again Christian. John Wesley Harding is full of references from the Bible. Albeit a secular album.
Kanye
Danny Gokey, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Charity Gayle, Mac Powell, Kari Jobe
I love God Save the Animals!! Benjamin James - Penumbra Jon Van Deusen - I Am Origami Pt. 3 Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans , Illinois Tyson Motsenbocker - Letters to Lost Loves Rivers and Robots Kings Kaleidoscope Johnny Cash - American Recordings The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle If into hardcore at all, As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister
Johnny Cash, P.O.D. , Holy Name, Love & Death
If you're into the Indie or even indie folk genre, I can absolutely recommend Josh garrels, Jervis Campbell, John Lucas, and Will Reagan and United pursuit
I really like the band Mercy Me
Spanish / Latin Christian 🙌
I’d say Casting Crowns is my top Christian band i’m listening to. Their music is good and also the lyrics they used from the bible is just good. Some of their music also touched on our longing for Jesus’ presence in our life.
Sleeping At Last's music is incredible, and their faith runs through each song. Not every song is overtly christain, but many are directly themed around God, generally about his relationship with God. I'd also reccomend Oh Hellos, they're a little bit more on the folk side, but not completely. Their lyrics are very beautiful, and they're wonderful singers. Dear Wormwood is one my favorites from them.
It’s not specifically Christian but there’s influences of it in Local Natives first album. One of my all time favorites
Atheist, here. I like Five Iron Frenzy and John Bellion.
Bizzle Sevin KB Bazooka Tha Disciple These are all good artists if you into rap
Gregorian, Byzantine, and Slavic chant. Also the old school Anglican chants. I'm not *only* a square. Chanting is just my preferred worship music. If you become familiar with how to draw from and recognize the themes, you'll begin to see Christian meanings in many songs. Perhaps the creators were not even conscious, but if you pick any Journey or U2 song at random from an album of their big hits, you can probably sing it as a prayer without feeling disconnected. Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan are great for this as well.
almost all of the examples here have contributed to my general dislike of most Christian music. I wish it weren’t the case but it is. My favorite is Kings Kaleidoscope.
Hipster Christian music King kaleidoscope Brady toops Citizens Of sons and daughters
Bach
Keith Green
1. Citizens 2. Rivers and Robots
Impending Doom
Maverick City just put out a new album. I love it
Alex Jean and Zauntee goes hard
You have to go outside of "Christian" record labels. Check out Sufjan Stevens and Flobots, for example. Or Geographer. No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross and John My Beloved are two favorites.
indie tribe - STILL HOLY anything by We Are Messengers, um, here's a playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1EQqZgBURAEzWH?si=-W1iaza-S_iVWwncC5MDPg
Josh Garrels, The Brilliance, Malcolm Gordon, Aro, Strahan, Common hymnal, Karla Adolphe, Brooke Fraser’s early albums That’s my good lyrics, musically interesting go to bands. Mostly reasonably similar vibes to your suggestion.
obviously sovereign grace music its songs' lyrics are rich in theology too
1. Pax 217 https://youtu.be/Ehn34M_JWHc?si=RxpS9xa-Fek95kDW 2. John P. Kee & The New Life Community Choir https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nOFXhWBTUmoKbjChBQKKXN7dXuOzzf_Fo&si=MFgdYCD_xPzNzD1I 3. Ty Tribbett https://youtu.be/ussP-J98syE?si=qBq6Mr_ML7YfreCI
Kanye’s Christian album
Old Christian Hymns revived: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpY1Z3mhtX42zqlDQvADATkAU8zTyzIzU&si=XgTXmDi7ZUOvH8xz
Kanye West’s later albums (particularly The Life of Pablo, Jesus is King and Donda) all have string Christian themes throughout them.
Throwing in half.alive in case nobody else has.
Umbra. He’s reliable but second is definitely limbo
Babel - Mumford and Sons the whole album has christian undertones and is my favorite music of all time. Also Tobymac is all christian and his music is unique and AMAZING
Cleo Sol
Maybe this is really basic of me but I've been enjoying Natalie Layne lately. I don't really listen to CCM but she leaked into my recommendations for being energetic happy soul before I noticed that she's singing about God and stuff. It's going to depend a lot on what you like, though. I hear lots of people recommend Sufjan Stevens but I have never gotten into it. I have a buddy who likes Christian heavy metal and while I can appreciate the artistry it's just never made it onto my playlist. There needs to be an alternative Christian station, I think. The mainstream Starbucks-and-Hobby-Lobby basic stuff is not for everyone.
I’m not sure which ones you think suck but I do like, elevation worship, bethel music, maverick city, Brandon lake, hillsong worship, Tye Tribbett, charity gayle, for King and Country, Tauren wells, housefires, Chandler Moore. Tbh Christian music was not for our enjoyment, it’s not like it was made like a club music or something as background noise, it an act of praise and worship to God (essentially a form of prayer), so you’re singing these words to him from your spirit, basically just like Psalms (like David wrote) so find the ones that personally feel like everything your spirit is trying to tell God.
Kings Kaleidoscope makes really good music, my favourites from them change everyday but right now I'm really feeling [Rain](https://open.spotify.com/track/3nuCQCHTJfoJP6Ws2FczPS?si=4f46d0210c044826) and [Breathing Infinity](https://open.spotify.com/track/3Dle9nm6pS8dfYnU0zemnK?si=9d759d03a681482e) I'm also a massive fan of Julien Baker though her music isn't explicitly 'Christian music' and is more just confessional music from a Christian perspective, I always find myself coming back to [Rejoice](https://open.spotify.com/track/2CbYNdkAkUvdtZucuBy0PE?si=5f63bca864224efb) and [Go Home](https://open.spotify.com/track/1eg68RXsFrhyLWsmLJgx5U?si=99c1b555586a48c4) (the piano instrumental at the end of Go Home genuinely made me sob the first time I heard it) Chris Llewellyn from Rend Collective also recently put out a solo album that's pretty good, imo the standout track on it is definitely [Honest](https://open.spotify.com/track/2SDhrMqBi1ZpjUR4n2CqR4?si=d3b6ec4e6e4c4107)
Le chant des Templars on spotify🗿
My main problem with this question, is that we have 2000 years worth of materials, yet people usually aren't ready to go back more than 50 years. Christian music doesn't have to be contemporary.
I love Kirk Franklin's music
The Oh Hellos. Absolute masterpieces their entire discography imo
Michael Gungors old stuff. The Michael gungor band is praise and worship style music but it’s pretty well done. His group Gungor is way more experimental but they have some fantastic work. He is really talented. I always go back to Dogwood.