Nashville, for Christian music listeners, is a love-it-or-hate-it city. In terms of launching the Christian music “industry”, Nashville was ground zero. While Christian music afficianados have thanks to give to some brave, faithful folks there, the marriage of the recording business and Christian artists has always been a rocky one.
The late Rich Mullins had all sorts of uncharitable things to say about the recording industry there, most of which I thoroughly agreed with the more I got to know about it. Record deals which removed most creative control of production from all but a few artists, bottom-line-driven practices contra to biblical teaching were just a few among a plethora of ways that the “Christian” music industry sold out the artists who worked in it. Some, like Leslie Phillips (now Sam Phillips), became so disillusioned that they struggled with their own faith. Others, like Mullins, spent as little time as possible in Nashville, using music as ‘tent-making’ for their passions in ministry, while still others escaped from the core of the industry, relying on alliances with other artists for promotion and other services usually provided by the industry.
The recording industry model, across most generes, has been noted as a key cause in the gradual decline in record company-produced musical quality over the past couple of decades. Since much of Christian music was already late to the party, while production quality greatly improved over that same timeframe, most Christian radio suffers from bland, uninspired fare, with only a few notable exceptions like Third Day, Chris Tomlin and Mercy Me.
It appears that a change in business model may have reached a tipping point, for which Christian artists and their supporters should take heart. It is being reported that U2 and Michael W. Smith are both poised to follow the lead of some other big-name artists by dumping the recording industry and going with a more DTC model, via Live Nation.
at least two more big acts are in talks with Live Nation along similar lines. The most surprising of these is U2, which has spent its entire career on either Island Records or a company connected to it, Interscope. They are all part of the Universal Music Group.
[...] The other artist I’m told is talking to Live Nation is Christian singer Michael W. Smith. The singer records for Franklin, Tenn.-based Reunion Records and has an enormous following in the Christian niche market.
As more and more music moves to a DTC model, like iTunes, and artists use distribution networks rather than recording studios, this bodes well for both quality, variety and content of music in the future. While getting radio, particularly Christian radio, to respond to a shift in models may be hard coming, the liklihood of an improvement in artistic quality seems much nearer.
12 Comments(+Add)
What does U2 have to do with the christian music industry?
And since when is Third Day, Chris Tomlin, and Mercy Me anything different than the other bland and uninspired music from the rest of CCM?
I wasn’t suggesting U2 had anything to do with the Christian Music industry – they were just one of the two performers listed in the article.
As a musician I personally dislike what the recording industry does. What I find most frustrating about it all is that they only come onboard with good ideas when it’s too late, and when they do they restrict it and give a faux appearance of being fair and friendly. File format lock-ins, operating system lockouts, restrictive use of media (I should be able to rip/burn or do what I want with CD’s) and online privacy concerns are amongst my worries with it.
I’m in a band with Christian message, and we will be releasing our album free on the Internet soon, and I really hope more do it. I know some have started already.
Dave,
How you can call Chris Tomlin bland is beyond me….have you listened to the same muisc I have? Chris Tomlin is one of the foremost modern worship leaders, along with Charlie Hall and David Crowder.
I will agree that most of the CCM crowd is boring and bland, but there are a few out there who are doing some great, God-inspired work.
As a matter of fact…I would rather listen to U2 than most any other music being released today…INCLUDING Christian music. At least U2 has a true passion in their music.
U2 may want to talk to their agent, as he’s in favor of putting a stranglehold on your bandwidth. Cross-purposes and all.
Good Christian music, that holds it own with secular music is very close to my heart ,i’m a musician myself (piano)..
The recent shift seems to be to-wards musician who happen to be Christians, rather then the other way round…
Check out David Eugene Edwards old band 16 horsepower or his new solo band Wovenhand,hes from Denver stunning music, their on Danielson Famile label in USA (also a great band ,who happen to be Christian too)
There are some great bands out their,not necessarily on Christian labels.In fact some are very suspicious of the CCM industry,its a business exactly the same as any other..Bands like Pedro the Lion,Soul Junk,Sufjan Stevens, Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado to name a few are really worth checking out…
Are leave you with some of Davids lyrics
He is beyond the shadow
Of your doubt and mine
He is no man’s opinion
He is truth divine
(end of plug i’m a bit ott about 16 horsepower)
Sorry for my unashamedly OT post,i’m hoping someone will check out 16hp if you like Nick Cave,Gun Club etc your loveeeeee 16 horsepower….
I guess i better say this he cussed on first cd,and Christian shops refused to stock him unless he removed it,i guess he was young and a little reckless he refused
I won’t even start talking about violent femmes oopssssssssss
Nowadays with the technology available and it’s affordable, anyone can have their own recording studio. One can turn out music with all the quality that any big dollar studio has. What better market than the internet to offer your fare. It makes me envious in a way, being the old duffer that I am, becuase folks like me didn’t have these avenues available.
In that past ten years or so I’ve purchased other peoples music just based on their offerings on thier websites doing what I just tinker with now in my own humble studio here. And there is some most excellent things happening out there. Real talent that the studios and recording companies are still turning their noses up at.
One can turn out some HIGH quality stuff with software and hardward for under a 1000 bux…..
Maybe some of the more established bands may go the Radiohead route, who recently uploaded the album and you paid how much you felt it was worth,obviously the bands gong to have to be financially secure before they would do this,after all studio time isn’t cheap
“the bands gong to have to be financially secure before they would do this”. Andy
Going to be an old duffer again, Andy. In my day we called it a day job! (grins)
lol i’m pretty old to!!
There was a BBC show about the music business..They caught a great scene on camera,a famous singer’s talking to a crowd member and it seems so unique (they flashback & show he says & does the exact thing every night of the tour) Then it pans back wards pass the roadies packings stuff,pass the hangers on,pass family members and friends, and ends at the admin staff counting the teeshirt sells lol..
Its a industry, not a lot different then a Fords production line..