Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is a genre of Christian music that blends modern musical styles with faith-centered lyrics. CCM emerged from the late 1960s Jesus Movement and has evolved into a global industry.
Created by Christians, CCM is lyrically centered on themes of faith, worship, redemption, and spiritual encouragement, designed to glorify God, share the Gospel, and inspire believers while appealing to broader audiences through accessible melodies and production. Unlike traditional hymns, CCM borrows from pop, rock, folk, hip-hop, electronic, and country styles. It is heard in church worship, on radio broadcasts, on streaming platforms, at concerts, and at festivals.
CCM traces its roots back to the late 1960s and early 1970s Jesus Movement in the United States, when young Christians began adapting popular music styles to express faith. Before CCM, churches relied on hymnals, gospel quartets, and organ-led worship music, and many still do. The cultural upheaval of the 1960s opened space for new forms.
Early pioneers of CCM include Larry Norman, often referred to as the "Father of Christian rock," who brought rock music into Christian contexts. Another pioneer was Keith Green, a fiery piano-driven singer and songwriter whose uncompromising lyrics and prophetic tone challenged believers to radical discipleship. His albums (No Compromise, So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt) remain influential despite his career ending tragically in 1982. Amy Grant brought CCM into mainstream pop, becoming one of the first crossover successes, and Michael W. Smith blended pop balladry with worship, helping establish CCM's commercial viability.
By the 1980s and 1990s, CCM had become a major industry with dedicated radio stations and record labels. Today, CCM spans subgenres like Christian rock, worship collectives, hip-hop, and gospel-influenced pop, reflecting its global diversity.
Contemporary Christian Music is not without its detractors. Many CCM artists resist the "Christian music" label, fearing it limits mainstream appeal. Some critics argue that CCM can be formulaic, prioritizing radio-friendly sounds over theological depth. CCM sometimes struggles to strike a balance between church worship needs and mainstream pop listeners, creating ongoing challenges with categorization. Pioneers like Keith Green highlighted the tension between prophetic authenticity and commercial success, a debate that continues today.
Popular and well-known CCM artists include Larry Norman, Keith Green, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Petra, Steven Curtis Chapman, Newsboys, dc Talk, Jars of Clay, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, TobyMac, Switchfoot, Skillet, Hillsong United, Bethel Music, Elevation Worship, Lauren Daigle, Natalie Grant, Crowder, Matt Redman, Jeremy Camp, and Kari Jobe.
CCM is a dynamic, evolving genre that bridges faith and popular culture. Despite critiques, CCM remains a powerful cultural force, shaping worship practices and inspiring millions worldwide.
Recommended Resources
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who began her music career in contemporary Christian music before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Her official website is a hub for tour dates, music, a fan community, merchandise, newsletter sign-ups, and tour listings and ticket information. Fans can join "Friends of Amy" (FOA) for membership benefits like early pre-sales, soundcheck sign-ups, exclusive content, Zoom meetings, alerts, and discounts.
https://www.amygrant.com/
The fan-focused website curates Contemporary Christian Music artists, official music videos, album listings, and themed sections like Classic CCM, with active social channels on Facebook and YouTube. CCM Artists is a directory-style website dedicated to CCM music, presenting artist pages, embedded official music videos, and album track lists so visitors can quickly find songs and videos by popular Christian artists. Each artist's page typically includes official music videos.
https://www.ccmartists.com/
Founded in 1978, CCM Magazine is an online publication focusing on contemporary Christian music and media. The magazine began as a printed publication, and was initially called "Contemporary Christian Music," covering that music genre, later shortening it to its acronym, "CCM." CCM has always covered both mainstream musical artists who mix spiritual themes into their music and lesser-known spiritual artists, later focusing more on those heavily played on Christian radio.
https://www.ccmmagazine.com/
CCS is a syndicated Contemporary Christian AC radio show hosted by Brian David, airing on more than 100 stations and streaming on Roku via Eternity Ready. Its website offers show audio, a concert calendar, and a donate option. The show's format includes at least two classic songs per show, a top-five verbal countdown, short devotional segments, a one-minute motivation from Pastor Steven Furtick, and an occasional Christian concert calendar. Artist and listener reviews are included.
https://christianmusicspotlight.com/
LDM is a Christian ministry established by Keith and Melody Green that emphasizes evangelism, discipleship, and cultural engagement through music and publishing. Its website hosts biographies, articles, a magazine archive, and contact/order information. The organization provides resources to encourage believers and challenge the church, and it continues to steward Keith Green's musical legacy alongside Melody Green's leadership. Keith Green was an early pioneer of CCM.
https://www.lastdaysministries.org/
My Worship FM is a contemporary Christian gospel radio station based in Roseau, Dominica, offering a live stream, prayer center, on-air schedule, and ways to listen via FM, web, mobile application, and smart speakers. The station broadcasts on 103.3 FM from Roseau and focuses on contemporary Christian and gospel programming, mixing uplifting music, ministry segments, and community features. Live streaming options are available, and the site lsits ways to listen.
https://www.myworshipfm.com/
Dedicated to Contemporary Christian Music from the 1980s, Real 80s CCM is a fan-run archive and podcast that organizes album listings by year, a podcast, and links to a YouTube channel and social pages. The website curates album posts and maintains a long archive of entries going back several years. The site groups albums by calendar year so they can be explored chronologically, and its blog-style archive shows posts spanning many months and years. An RSS feed is included.
https://real80sccm.com/
Word to Worship is an online resource for worship planners that lets users find contemporary worship songs by keywords, themes, or Scripture references. Through the website, one can search for songs by entering keywords like "Christmas" or specific Bible verses, making it easier to match the right music for the service. The site also includes a community feature that allows users to contribute songs and themes, enhancing its usefulness for worship services.
https://wordtoworship.com/
