What is Contemporary Christian Music?

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM; also by its religious neutral term "inspirational music") is a genre of popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The term is typically used to refer to the Nashville, Tennessee-based pop, rock, and worship Christian music industry, currently represented by artists such as Aaron Shust, Amy Grant, Avalon, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, MercyMe, Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant, Petra, Rebecca St. James, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, and a host of others. The industry is represented in Billboard Magazine's "Top Christian Albums" and "Hot Christian Songs" charts, and by Radio & Records magazine's Christian AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio), Christian Rock, and Inspirational (INSPO) airplay charts, as well as the iTunes Store's "Christian & Gospel" genre.

The term "Contemporary Christian Music" originated in the late 1960s in reference to the emerging pop and rock "Jesus music", the musical product of the Jesus Movement of the time. The Mind Garage is considered the first Christian Rock band, with documentation going back to 1967 in local media and national magazines and newspapers such as The Village Voice, Billboard and Rolling Stone magazine. The Electric Liturgy (RCA Victor LSP-4319), recorded 1969 and released 1970, was the first Christian Rock album recorded in Nashville in RCA's "Nashville Sound" Studio A, on Music Row which was under the management of Chet Atken. Studio A is now a museum.

There is also a great deal of popular music which lyrically identifies with Christianity but is not normally considered Contemporary Christian Music. For example, many punk, hardcore, and holy hip-hop groups deal explicitly with issues of faith but are not a part of the Nashville industry[citation needed] (e.g., Seattle-based Tooth and Nail Records). Also, several mainstream music artists sometimes deal with Christian themes in their work, such as Creed, Lifehouse, and Switchfoot, but fall outside of the CCM genre though they may receive airplay on CCM radio stations.