CCM Magazine
Encyclopedia
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine
published by Salem Publishing
, a division of Salem Communications
. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the magazine. On July 8, 2009, Salem announced that CCM Magazine will be re-launched as an online publication, released 4 times a year.
When the magazine was first published, it was actually called "Contemporary Christian Music" and specifically covered that music genre. The name was later shortened to CCM, which was still an acronym for "Contemporary Christian Music". For a short time, the magazine changed its name to Contemporary Christian Magazine (keeping the CCM but broadening the scope) but then ultimately went back to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Then in May 2007, the name's meaning was changed to "Christ. Community. Music." The editor explained that the term "contemporary Christian music" was dated and marginalizing and that Christ, community, and music are three entirely different things—thus, the periods after each word of the acronym to show that they are not related. The editor's explanation of the name change can be found in the May 2007 issue of the magazine.
In October 2006, CCM launched its own social networking site, MyCCM.
Since its start, CCM has covered a wide range of musical artists that mix spiritual themes with their music. From mainstream artists such as Bob Dylan
, Johnny Cash
, T Bone Burnett, Victoria Williams
, The Call
, Sam Phillips
, U2
and Bruce Cockburn
to the more mainstream Christian radio artists like Amy Grant
, Larry Norman
, Michael W. Smith
, Steven Curtis Chapman
, Steve Taylor
, Phil Keaggy
and Randy Stonehill
. In the 1980s, CCM also paid enormous attention to some of the more obscure spiritual artists coming out of the Southern California punk rock and new wave scene like the 77s
, Daniel Amos
, Undercover
, Altar Boys
, Crumbacher
, The Choir, Adam Again
, and others. However, as the 1990s rolled around, the magazine seemed to focus more and more on artists that were heavily played on Christian Radio.
Perhaps no-one wishes to be left out of the mainstream sound simply because of being Christian, so below are CCM bands that sound a lot like very popular mainstream bands. Sometimes CCM Magazine will include a secular Christian artist comparison chart; viz. example below.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
published by Salem Publishing
Salem Publishing
Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications is the publisher of CCM Magazine, and other magazines formerly published by CCM Communications. The organization publishes a variety of magazines, including CCM, Singing News, Preaching, Youthworker, CrossWalk and others....
, a division of Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the magazine. On July 8, 2009, Salem announced that CCM Magazine will be re-launched as an online publication, released 4 times a year.
When the magazine was first published, it was actually called "Contemporary Christian Music" and specifically covered that music genre. The name was later shortened to CCM, which was still an acronym for "Contemporary Christian Music". For a short time, the magazine changed its name to Contemporary Christian Magazine (keeping the CCM but broadening the scope) but then ultimately went back to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Then in May 2007, the name's meaning was changed to "Christ. Community. Music." The editor explained that the term "contemporary Christian music" was dated and marginalizing and that Christ, community, and music are three entirely different things—thus, the periods after each word of the acronym to show that they are not related. The editor's explanation of the name change can be found in the May 2007 issue of the magazine.
In October 2006, CCM launched its own social networking site, MyCCM.
Since its start, CCM has covered a wide range of musical artists that mix spiritual themes with their music. From mainstream artists such as Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, T Bone Burnett, Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
, The Call
The Call (band)
The Call was an American rock band from Santa Cruz, California active from 1980 to 2000.-Biography:The Call formed in Santa Cruz in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Michael Been, Scott Musick, and Tom Ferrier. Been and Musick were originally from Oklahoma...
, Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips (singer)
Leslie Ann Phillips, aka Sam Phillips is an American singer and a songwriter.-Biography:Phillips was born in Glendale, California. She began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill and others...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...
to the more mainstream Christian radio artists like Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
, Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
, Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
, Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
, Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
and Randy Stonehill
Randy Stonehill
Randall Evan "Randy" Stonehill is an American singer-songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music". His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on...
. In the 1980s, CCM also paid enormous attention to some of the more obscure spiritual artists coming out of the Southern California punk rock and new wave scene like the 77s
The 77s
The 77s are an American rock band consisting of Michael Roe on vocals/guitar, Mark Harmon on bass, and Bruce Spencer on drums.-Scratch Band:...
, Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
, Undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
, Altar Boys
Altar Boys
Altar Boys are a Christian punk rock band from California, formed in 1982. They are Mike Stand , Jeff Crandall , Steve Pannier , Mark Robertson , and Ric Alba.-Background:...
, Crumbacher
Crumbächer
Crumbächer was an American Christian new wave and synthpop band in the 1980s, headed by Stephen Crumbächer.-History:After five years of friendship, Stephen Crumbächer, Dawn Wisner and Jim Wisner played their first performance as Crumbächer at a New Year's Eve show in 1983...
, The Choir, Adam Again
Adam Again
Adam Again was a rock band founded and led by vocalist Gene Eugene, with Riki Michele on vocals, Paul Valadez on bass, Jon Knox on drums, Greg Lawless on guitar...
, and others. However, as the 1990s rolled around, the magazine seemed to focus more and more on artists that were heavily played on Christian Radio.
Perhaps no-one wishes to be left out of the mainstream sound simply because of being Christian, so below are CCM bands that sound a lot like very popular mainstream bands. Sometimes CCM Magazine will include a secular Christian artist comparison chart; viz. example below.
Modern Rock
| CCM Band | MainStream Band |
|---|---|
| Delirious? Delirious? Delirious? were an English Christian rock and worship band. For the majority of their career, the lineup featured Martin Smith on vocals and guitar, Stu G on guitar and backing vocals, Jon Thatcher on bass guitar, Tim Jupp on keys and piano, and Stew Smith on drums and percussion... |
U2 U2 U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music... and RadioHead Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992... |
| Rebecca St. James Rebecca St. James Rebecca St. James , is a Christian pop rock singer, songwriter, musician, author, and actor. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. In 1993 she was signed to the record label ForeFront Records and released her major label debut a... |
Bjork Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk... and Garbage (Band) Garbage (band) Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production... |
| SuperChick Superchick Superchick, originally known as Superchic[k], is an American Christian alternative pop/rock band. Their music incorporates various styles such as pop, punk, rock, rap, and R&B. Their sound has been compared to mainstream artists No Doubt and Avril Lavigne with a heavier sound... |
Hoku Hoku Hōkū Christian Ho , known simply as Hoku, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is the daughter of noted Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho. Her most popular singles are "Another Dumb Blonde," "How Do I Feel," and "Perfect Day."-Early life:Hoku was born on the island of Oahu in the... Sum 41 Sum 41 Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records... and Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson are an alternative rock group formed in 1991. The band's name was inspired by now-retired American basketball player Lucious Jackson.... |
| Switchfoot Switchfoot Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream... |
Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind.... and Hoobastank Hoobastank Hoobastank is an American rock band, best known for their 2004 hit "The Reason" and other hits "Crawling in the Dark" and "Running Away". They formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, with singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They... |
| Starfield | 3 Doors Down 3 Doors Down 3 Doors Down is an American rock band from Escatawpa formed in 1996. The band consists of Brad Arnold , Matt Roberts , Todd Harrell , Chris Henderson , and Greg Upchurch .... and U2 U2 U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music... |
External links
- CCM Magazine
- MyCCM Social Networking
- Analysis of the history and folding of CCM magazine
- [Howard, Jay R, Streck M. John. “Apostles of Rock; The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music.” Lexington, University Press of Kentucky. 1991. Print.]