Looking for suggestions of Christian Rock music.
 

What are some good bands?

some of my favorites:

stavesacre, aaron sprinkle, poor old lu, rose blossom punch, five iron frenzy, jars of clay (everyone knows them...the first cd is the best), third day.

I like the first Jars of Clay ( it is the only one I have heard) and I have sampled some of Third Day and Sonicflood. They are pretty good. I also like Mercy Me, too.

Newsboys sound pretty good. I took pix for a live DVD they were doing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mrs. Pusser likes Christian bands and that is one of them.

I was talking with one of the guys before the show and he's a big Cheap Trick fan.

12 Stones - although they are not completely marketed as a Christian band, their cd is sold in a number of Christian bookstores, and I believe they've been nominated for Dove awards. I've tried to get into some Christian music, but I just find the music itself to be extremely lacking. 12 Stones is one of the few exceptions I've found to this, they've got an awesome sound.

All of these sound good. Ya might want to try Switchfoot too.

I forgot about 12 Stones. I have that CD and I really like it.

Mrs. Pusser just said SonicFlood or Sonic Flood ? and DCTalk or DC Talk ?

wow, i can't believe i forgot switchfoot. they're up there as one of my favorite bands.

try to find the first switchfoot cd, "The Legend of Chin." I think it's they're best full length album, although all of them are quite good. the newest one, "Beautiful Letdown," is good but not they're finest work. You can find that cd in target for like 8 bucks.

Caedmon's Call, All Star United, Smalltown Poets, [another vote for] Third Day, old school PFR (they're not a band anymore, but their old stuff is worth checking into. Audio Adrenaline used to be good, as did Rebecca St. James. Sarah Masen...

anyway, I don't get the big deal about Switchfoot at all. They sent us their CD for review, and frankly I found it bland. They seem to be another one of those bands that tries to write ambiguous lyrics so that their music is marketable for mainstream. I never cared much for that.

i'm not a christian or anything and usually hate christian music...but I like Pedro The Lion and Starflyer 59.

I'm still not sure if Lifehouse and Evanescence count, but I'll recommend them anyway :)

Sweet Comfort Band

can i make the obligatory creed reference

no

I like Pillar and Kutless.

Creed?!.....I wouldn't group them anywhere near Christian music...thats another rant, lol
I reccomend (as some others have mentioned) Third Day, Sanctus Real, Lincoln Brewster, Switchfoot, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline....my friend is into harder sounding stuff like Pillar, 12 Stones, and Blindside, and POD.
Also, I guess Evanescence doesn't count anymore. i read a big article where they pushed for their cd to be in Christian book stores and then when asked about that market in interviews they bashed it (swearing and whatnot) and then it was removed from most stores.
Lifehouse is a good suggestion even though they aren't a 'christian' band by label but they are as people. Their 2nd cd didn't compare to the 1st which bummed me out cause the first is amazing.
Also, someone mentioned Pedro the Lion? are they a christian band? I read they cursed alot.....

what if you curse, you can't be christian? such strict rules..here ya go from Bazan's (Pedro The Lion's) own mouth.
"If [Christians] are critical [of my music] because of assumptions that they've made about what I have to say or my beliefs, that's pretty irritating," he sighed. "It's un-thorough and kind of silly."
"The people in Christian culture who are actually trying to make art under a Christian pretense, I just think that it's kinda backwards," Bazan said. "It degrades both the art they're attempting to make and the message that they're attempting to sloganize and make sort of palatable."

Here's a good article to find out where he stands, as far as I can tell he has Christian beliefs and to me that's good enough to make Christian music.
http://www.cornerstonemag.com/pages/show_page.asp?46

Thanks for the interesting article -I wasn't meaning to say that he as a person isn't a christian, it was just that I first heard of this band a few days ago and the debate over wether it was 'christian.' I don't know what language he uses but obviously if it was F bombs something isn't lining up right, hence the debate. I have yet to hear a 'christian' artist that has language in their music, but I'm pretty new as well. (are there any? well what defines a christian artist is a fuzzy line even moreso now) Having not listened to the music I don't know what kind of message he is trying to put across..hopefully its not just a gimmick or something to get attention...It very well could have a meaning to it....anyway...I like reading articles about different stuff like that...

As a christian who only got into the music in the past few years I see some people who seemingly listen ONLY to christian radio and music, something i couldn't do. My favborite band is Matchbox Twenty, and they have a few swear words in some of their songs, and Rob can be a potty mouth live, lol. But that doesn't make me automatically not like them. Christian artist Lincoln Brewster was asked about secular music once at a Q&A I was at and he said that God gives people gifts, and if the gift is music, using it is glorifying him wether you're john mayer or newsboys. (something along those lines) My point being that I don't think you have to limit yourself to christian music or automatically dismiss a secular artist.

Also, I don't care for the way that the Christian Music Industry seems to be very hypocritical of artists that are brancing out into the mainstream (POD, Switchfoot, Stacie O'ricco, RelientK, etc.)
Isn't that the point? To get new people to listen to you and save more people? (w/o selling out) it seems like they want them to be only in that market for some reason. If anyone has articles or stories relating to that please post them! It's interesting to me.I don't think that the music has to be constantly mentioning Jesus or God to be considered 'christian', something that is criticized about with Third Days new cd 'Wire'....anyway..

Look at me ramble...anyway- good luck with your search for new music.

I understand that you weren't questing his christian beliefs necessarily.

I have heard nearly all of Pedro The Lion's studio material, and I honestly can't recall a lyric where he curses, I could of course be wrong though. I do know he is known to curse live, which in the end, we are all humans who have a wide sense of vocabulary, but I don't think that takes away from his message. Basically what I get from him is that he has problems just like anyone else, and has been through more severe and serious problems that people can relate to also. But he finds some kind of peace and guidance through being a christian and it helps him through life and so on. Normally I would be turned off by Christian music, but since I can relate to what he says and what he has been through, his message to me is more believable. Plus the music is amazing and heart felt.

The Christian Music scene I have found totally exiles bands that do not make strong references to praising jesus or worshipping god outright in some blatant lyric.

Thanks for the great reply TripWire, I'm going to try to find his music and give it a listen myself. I'm enjoying this discussion, because you're replys are well done and insightful. I'm always wary of posting opinions because then people start fighting over silly stuff.
What you said about everyone being human in reference to swearing is right, thats why I don't dismiss artists who use it. I swear myself. (to an extent of course, Matchbox, Train, Counting Crows is more my taste than Korn, etc.)
I liked what you said about his message because I can see where that would be much more helpful to people in certain situations being able to relate than a stereotypical genre song. Ultimately his music is helping people and thats what counts.

Try Sunny Day Real Estate/Jeremy Enick solo stuff. Also Anberlin is really good.

If your looking for something heavy check out Extol.

Oh, and Seven Day Jesus. Their first cd, "The Hunger", still ranks as one of my favorites of all time.

their second cd sucked huge....that's what happens when you go to forefront records.

others: dime store prophets, black eyed sceva

suggestsions: as far as newsboys go, stick to their early stuff. same with audio adrenaline. of course, those are my own opinions.

and creed sucks.

Depends on what kind of music you like, I guess.

The first Thrice album has very Christian themes, though they don't call themselves a Christian band.

Switchfoot is pretty good. P.O.D. , Blindside, and Chevelle are all decent. Lifehouse, Relient K are good.

Some of my favorites:
Relient K - silly New found Gloryish pop-punk.
Pax 217 - sorta 311'ish
Five Iron Frenzy - Ska/punk
MxPx - Melodic/pop punk
Mae - emo
Benjamin Gate's first album
Fanmail - pop punk
Further Seems Forever - pretty secular lyrics
Sixpense None the Richer
Slick Shoes
Stretch Armstrong

I can't stand bands like Newsboys & Audo Adrenaline,