Miniature Media

A perfect example of that fuzzy area that some of these bands are hanging out in. In an article on Billboard.com it says this:
“The Beautiful Letdown, their Columbia/RED debut, dropped in spring 2003; it represented the quartet’s full evolution toward a more accessible mainstream sound. The album eventually went double platinum on the strength of constant touring and the radio hits “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” It hit number one on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart, and number 16 on the Top 200.”

In this video on YouTube, members of Switchfoot talk about some of their songs. If you notice, they hint towards spirituality, and even mention it a couple of times, but never say that they are a Christian band, nor do they say anything about God in general. For a band who had a number one album on Christian Charts, they sure don’t have much to say about Christianity.

Switchfoot, P.O.D., Lifehouse, Evanesence, Any Grant, and Relient K. A short list of some of the bands that have crossed over from Contemporary Christian (CCM) to secular music. Now, another one has been added: NeedtoBreathe. But this band is a bit unique–it got its start on secular radio and then crossed over and is being played on Christian stations. 18 weeks later, the band is at number 7 of the Billboards top 20 Christian Songs. Mercy Me, another unique example, has their roots planted in Christian Music and this most likely won’t change. However, they became quite popular when their hit “I Can Only Imagine” was played over the airwaves from secular stations across the nation.
But why do artists do this whole crossover thing, anyway? Possibly because they think that if they can get their foot in the door of CCM music, it will be easier to become recognized and once they crossover, it won’t be as hard to find a label to sign them. If this is the case, i don’t know that their plan will work much longer. CCM is a fast growing industry and is becoming more and more competitive. Perhaps these artists should find a different route.
On the other hand, why are CCM radio stations playing secular music? Maybe the music has uplifting lyrics, or lyrics that point to Christ in some way, but was that the original intention? I think CCM stations are trying to find ways to gain listener support, especially through younger listeners and if this is how they can gain that needed support, then this is how they will do it. But is that right? Well, I suppose that’s a topic for another post.