More of this Feature • Part 1: The Changing Face of Christian Music • Part 2: The Beginning of Change

Elsewhere on the Web • A Contemporary Christian Music History • A History of Popular Christian Music

The 1990's saw the dawning of an even broader scope for Christian music. Rock, rap, metal, urban gospel, contemporary country and pop were represented in a big way. The industry, which had previously been promoted by smaller, independent labels, stepped into the big time as larger, secular labels bought out many indies. Much like Cinderella's pumpkin turning into a fine carriage, the small promotional budgets the indie labels had afforded turned into mega mass promotions with the heavy hitters. Some of the artists that stepped into the international spotlight of the 90's were:

• Carman - Billboard Magazine recognized his influence in Christian music by first naming him the "Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year" in 1990.
• DC Talk - Their fourth album, Jesus Freak, achieved the highest first weeks sales of any Christian release in history.
• Kirk Franklin - His first release was the first gospel album to sell over one million units.
• Steven Curtis Chapman - He had eleven of the top 100 songs on the end-of-decade Christian Adult Contemporary airplay chart.
• Rich Mullins - His song Awesome God was voted one of the top three songs of the decade by The Christian Research Report in 1989. The 90's saw a continuance of his popularity.
• Amy Grant - This artist truly crossed the boundaries when she crossed over into mainstream music with Christian songs.

Why the change? What has brought the music that speaks of God and salvation out of its shell? Theories abound and debate over whether it's a good thing or not seem to be everywhere and have been for years. As a Christian, a singer/songwriter, and a mom of kids ranging from three to sixteen, I think that the answer is fairly easy. God doesn't change, even though the world does. Every generation has more worries and fears to face than the previous one. People today live with war and threats of war, more kids having babies, more violence and layoffs ... it's everywhere you turn and this only scratches the surface of a day in the life. People desperately need something or someone bigger than themselves and all that they face in order to cope. They want to feel like God is here and now, not some dusty relic from the dark ages that can't possibly understand the issues of today. The new Christian music in our churches and on our airways reaches out to us on a level that we can understand and feel. It shows us that Jesus is still with us, even when we're facing crisis's that would have destroyed whole cultures as recently as a couple of hundred years ago. The battle is as old as time itself but the weapons have changed and Christian music has changed its face, as a shining example of just one of the many weapons in God's arsenal.

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