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Top 5 contemporary Christian songs (and some recommendations, perhaps?)

post #1 of 12
9/9/09 at 7:52pm
Thread Starter 
Talk of "Christian" music is often controversial, but I think we can do this without degenerating into a debates about genre...or about the religious lives of artists and bands. I don't listen to much Christian music anymore, mostly because the music is subpar, but also because the "Jesus is my boyfriend" overtone in much Christian music doesn't sit well with me. At any rate, here are my top 5 favourite Christian songs. What are yours, and what would you recommend me?

In no particular order:
Oh My God (Jars of Clay, Good Monsters)
Welcome to Our World (Chris Rice, Deep Enough to Dream)
These Ordinary Days (Jars of Clay, Good Monsters)
If I Stand (Rich Mullins; Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth)
Let That Be Enough (Switchfoot, New Way to Be Human)
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post #2 of 12
9/9/09 at 9:17pm
Alot to choose from. Rather than recommend particular songs, some to check out are Casting Crowns - activists with good musicianship
Chris Rice - easy listening and fun
Vineyard Music - hot bed of some of the best of contemporary Christian Music such as Breathe, Hungry (falling on my knees), Wonderful and etc.
Michael W Smith - The genre's top pop artist
Caedman's Call - melancholy and depressing
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post #3 of 12
9/9/09 at 9:40pm
I don't particularly seek out Christian music but one band I really enjoy happens to be a Christian band - 16 Horsepower. Kind of an alt.country / rock thing. Their best (IMO) album, Secret South, has just been rereleased in vinyl and DVD-A formats.

He's recording under the band name "Woven Hand" now but I don't like their stuff as much, in part because it's a bit too heavy on the Christianity... but that's just my taste.
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post #4 of 12
9/9/09 at 10:36pm
"Jesus Loves Me, Yes I Know"

"Let the Sunshine in"

Billy Bragg's cover of Blake's "Jerusalem"

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

Word to our owners of the "dark Satanic mills."
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post #5 of 12
9/9/09 at 10:41pm
I always liked Sonseed's Jesus is a Friend of Mine.
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post #6 of 12
9/10/09 at 12:33am
Thread Starter 
That doesn't sound very contemporary. I have mixed feelings about modern writers trying to sound archaic...
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post #7 of 12
9/10/09 at 3:37am
would Sufjan Stevens qualify?

if so, "the transfiguration" is one of his better songs among an amazing catalog.
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post #8 of 12
9/10/09 at 6:25am
Thread Starter 
Stevens is a tough one. Seven Swans does in my book, for sure, so you're safe.
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post #9 of 12
9/10/09 at 6:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by San7a View Post
I always liked Sonseed's Jesus is a Friend of Mine.
An absolute classic

Anyways, I listen to a few bands which are made up of Christians, but don't necessarily play Christian music, kind of like Switchfoot in more recent years.

If that still counts, then I'd have to say that the band 'Mae' is really my favourite now not just for their music, but also what they're doing with it. You can look at their website to see what I mean: Mae - 12 Songs. 12 Months. 1 Goal. Make a Difference - home

As for more Christian music, I always find myself coming back for more Jars of Clay, though they've dropped off a bit with their latest album in terms of songwriting. "The Long Fall Back to Earth" was good, but not able to top their previous album "Good Monsters".
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post #10 of 12
9/10/09 at 1:16pm
Individual songs are pretty hard to pin down, but albums:

Newsboys - In the Hands of God
Newsboys - Go
Chris Rice - Greatest Hits
dc Talk - Supernatural
MercyMe - Coming Up to Breathe

All are great choices, sound great and I could listen to every day and never grow tired of listening to them.
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post #11 of 12
9/10/09 at 1:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aimless1 View Post
Alot to choose from. Rather than recommend particular songs, some to check out are Casting Crowns - activists with good musicianship
Chris Rice - easy listening and fun
Vineyard Music - hot bed of some of the best of contemporary Christian Music such as Breathe, Hungry (falling on my knees), Wonderful and etc.
Michael W Smith - The genre's top pop artist
Caedman's Call - melancholy and depressing
I'm also a fan of Casting Crowns, musically, also Cris Tomlin. I'm a fan of Steven Curtis Chapman more as a person and active Christian. I like his music, but I don't really choose it to listen to very often. I do choose to listen to Casting Crowns pretty regularly.

To pick a couple of songs - Casting Crowns' "What if His People Prayed" and "If We are the Body" come to mind.
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post #12 of 12
9/10/09 at 11:43pm
Thread Starter 
Picked up some Caedmon's Call. Not bad, but prefer Jars of Clay. Depressing might be a good way to describe the Christian music I like, though I like to think of it as "realistic" instead.
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