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Description of Alternative Christian Contemporary

 
Alternative Christian Contemporary Music (ACCM) is to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) what today's alternative music is to classic, mainstream rock. ACCM artists place a modern, alternative spin on the CCM template, giving their music an edginess that is lost in the shiny productions of its sibling. ACCM places a greater emphasis on youthful exuberance, turning its amplifiers up and adding a certain amount of angst to its spiritually driven recipe. Jars of Clay are currently regarded as the point-band for the ACCM subgenre, turning the tricky feat of gaining critical and commercial acceptance in secular circles without compromising its Christian vision.
 

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Alternative Christian Contemporary Key Artists

 
Audio Adrenaline

Party-prone CCM with equal
parts rap, rock, Funk and
chart success. Audio
Adrenaline were originally
called A-180. They forme...

Big Tent Revival

Memphis-based alterna-style
CCM band handily treads the
line between secular and
sacred musics. BTR's first
few records were on Ard...

Burlap to Cashmere

Known as the bad boys of
CCM, BTC play direct,
highly-crafted pop-rock.
They're cult faves thanks to
constant touring. Original...

Caedmon's Call

One of the bright spots in
ACCM, Caedmon's Call plays
a combination of
radio-ready Adult
Alternative and Christian f...

DC Talk

Alternative Chistian band
gets the party started with
hip-hop-heavy dance music
and celebratory pop songs.
DC Talk's fourth album, Je...

Delirious?

British rockers Delirious?
play a sanctified blend of
alternative rock and
dance-inducing pop.
They're huge stars in Engl...

Earthsuit

Highly eclectic 5-piece
Christian band use traces of
rock, rap, reggae and jazz
in their music.

Jars of Clay

A critical favorite, Jars of
Clay make spiritually
searching rock music
driven by acoustic guitars.
"Jars of Clay" derives from...

Jennifer Knapp

Acoustic, folk-based ACCM
from a talented songwriter
on the Christian music
scene. Knapp is influenced
by Fiona Apple. Knapp's d...

Kevin Max

One-third of CCM group DC
Talk, Kevin Max released his
first solo effort in 2001.

Newsboys

Major-label Christian
rockers play high-energy
anthemia with punk
apirations and Australian
accents. Newsboys have...

Skillet

Grunge, industrial, nu metal,
alt rock, old-school
progressive, strings, riffs,
hooks, Christian milieu. It's
all in the pan. After much...

Smalltown Poets

Gentle jangle with a big Gin
Blossoms influence, the
Smalltown Poets are
outspoken Christians with
songwriting smarts. The P...

Sonicflood

Sonicflood's Christian Rock
is steeped in the
alterna-styles of the '90s.
They fall somewhere
between Jars of Clay and...

Starflyer 59

Trudging shoegazer tempos
and an abrasive dreaminess
typify this dynamic Christian
band's crossover-prone alt
rock.

Steve Taylor

Outspoken Christian artist
with a knack for subverting
expectations of the genre.
His plays eclectic Adult
Alternative.

Switchfoot

Switchfoot plays
introspective alternative
rock with Christian views
expressed in an
understated, poignant ma...

The Orange County Supertones

Supertones play
faith-inspired,
Ska-influenced rock along
the lines of Mighty Mighty
Bosstones. The Superton...

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