The Christian music industry is one aspect of the broader music industry, with a focus on Christian music and subgenres such as gospel music, southern gospel, contemporary Christian music, contemporary worship music, and even traditional church music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, a narrower term that does not encompass all the musical genres included here.
The Insyderz were an American Christian ska-punk band from Detroit, Michigan. They formed in 1996 and disbanded in 2005. The band reformed in 2009, but have not been actively playing shows in the last few years. The Insyderz are one of the "big three" bands which represented the Christian ska scene, alongside the Supertones and Five Iron Frenzy.
The W's were a Christian ska and swing revival band, formed in Corvallis, Oregon in 1996. Success came quickly to the band and their first album, Fourth from the Last, was a sleeper hit, unexpectedly having had the strongest debut of any Christian album to date for its distributor. They toured the United States several times with a variety of artists. Touring highlights include Pope John Paul II's 1999 visit to St. Louis and dc Talk's Supernatural support tour.
Project 86 is the debut album of the American band Project 86. It was released on June 16, 1998 on BEC Recordings, the Christian imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. This album established Project 86 as one of the more promising hardcore/metal groups in the Christian music scene. According to one critic, Project 86 became "one of the few Christian acts to gain exposure to the general market" by the turn of the millennium. The album sold over 30,000 copies before the release of the band's second album in the year 2000.
Scaterd Few was a Christian punk band originating from Burbank, California. CCM magazine described their music as "pure punk for dread people," stating that it was a cross between Janes Addiction and Charlie Mingus.
Sonicflood is an American contemporary worship music band from Nashville, Tennessee, that has been touted as "The Fathers of the Modern Worship Movement." The group took the name "Sonicflood", a reference to a line in the Book of Revelation, chapter 19, verse 6.
Frontline Records was a Christian rock record label, founded in 1986 by James Kempner in Santa Ana, California. The label focused primarily on modern rock, rap, dance-pop and hip-hop. The label closed in the early 1990s, and then resurfaced in 2010 to digitally re-release its music catalog.
R.E.X. Records, also known as R.E.X. Music, was an independent record label founded by Doug Mann and Gavin Morkel, which operated from 1987 until running into financial difficulty in 1995. Operations were based in Chicago until 1990 when the company moved to Nashville. The label was artistic in nature, and though they were especially active in the Christian metal genre some acts were also marketed to mainstream audiences. Sublabels included Storyville Records and Street Level Records, founded by Randy Stonehill.
Squad Five-O is an American punk rock band from Savannah, Georgia no longer formally touring or recording, but rather only performing occasional weekend concerts. Like their initial ska-punk stylings, their name was derived from a cross between the television shows Hawaii Five-O and The Mod Squad. Between 1997 and 2006 the band grew lyrically and in popularity, and also shifted its style significantly. Over the course of their career they moved from a small indie Christian label to the major label Capitol Records and released five albums in the process.
Mortal was a Christian industrial/dance band fronted by Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan. Both members went on to found the alternative rock group Fold Zandura, and for a time were members of both bands simultaneously. The band is known for its lyrical intelligence, incorporating advanced theology with what has been billed as "Industrial Praise and Worship." According to CCM Magazine "Mortal has had a much greater influence... on industrial music than its modest output would suggest."
Massivivid was a Christian band founded by Wally Shaw and Mark Nash. Their sound was based in industrial rock and electronic pop, but with a hard edge and intensity similar to that of Nine Inch Nails or The Smashing Pumpkins. Massivivid was founded as a live side project to Deitiphobia. They released BrightBlur to critical acclaim, garnering a Dove Award.
Morella's Forest was a band from Dayton, Ohio which formed in 1992. They released three albums on Tooth and Nail Records and one with an independent label. Their signature sound is noise pop or space music comparable to Starflyer 59 or the Breeders.
Sinking the Eight Ball is debut album by Ruby Joe. Due to its topical content, the album was pulled from some Christian book stores.
KMGRecords was a Christian record label. The label was established in 1997 by Buddy Killen as a subunit of the Killen Music Group / Buddy Killen Enterprises and sold in late 1998 to Cal Turner III, who is related to the Cal Turner of Dollar General stores. Following the sale, Buddy Killen continued to consult for the firm.
Rod Laver was a Christian rap rock group that originated from Los Angeles. As the personnel lineup changed, the group wavered from a rock-grounded sound to hip hop, and then back again.
Between Thieves was a Christian musical group that formed in Keller, Texas in 1990. Their name represents the location of Jesus Christ at his death; "And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left." They formed under the name Judah, and during both periods they were comparable to the Newsboys.
Christian ska is a form of Christian alternative rock, and subgenre of ska and ska punk which is lyrically oriented toward contemporary Christian music. Though ska did not constitute a genre within the Christian music industry until after third wave ska had peaked in the general market, Christian ska continued to thrive independently into the early 2000s.
Johnny Q. Public was a Christian alternative rock band from Springfield, Missouri. Although their sound was wholly modern, it was influenced by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Cream. In addition to their music they were known for their Charismatic theology, which they would dramatically display through audience participation at their live shows.
Every Day Life, later simply known as EDL, was a Christian rapcore group. The band became identified with the straight edge movement, which advocates abstinence from sex, drugs and tobacco.
The Awakening is the ninth studio album by American Christian metal band P.O.D. It was released on August 21, 2015. The album is unique in that it is the band's only concept album of their career, complete with skits and voiceovers before and after each song.
