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Artwork for Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Andrew Gill and Leah Payne
Contemporary Christian Music
Christian Music
DC Talk
Teen Dance Ordinance
Mars Hill Church
Kurt Cobain
Purity Culture
Nirvana
Seattle
Evangelical Christianity
Tooth and Nail Records
Politics
Culture
Evangelicalism
Christian Bookstores
Christmas
Christian Hip Hop
John J. Thompson
Switchfoot
Carmen

Rock That Doesn’t Roll looks at how Christian music shaped the world we're living in now by telling individual stories from the peak era of the contemporary Christian music industry. In the 80s, 90s and early 2000s CCM grew into a billion dollar business that affected millions of evangelical young people. Through interviews with artists, industry players and average fans Dr. Leah Payne and Andrew ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes51Founded2 years ago
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Music HistoryMusic

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Artwork for Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Latest Episodes

In our season three finale, we tell the full story of Steve Scott's lost records that Larry Norman produced in 1978, but never released. Moving Pictures (and its companion Close Ups) were victims of short-sighted Christian music industry executives a... more

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Todd Fadel is our guest this week. He is an individual whose life experiences defy easy categorization. He was the lead singer of a Star Wars-themed side project to Tooth and Nail grunge band Sometime Sunday. He was a worship leader at a non-traditio... more

YouTube

David Dark is a life-long Nashvillian and an admitted member of what he calls "The Prayer Trade" as a professor of religion and the arts at Belmont University. In 2002 he published his first book, "Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohea... more

YouTube

The English worship band Delirious (technically Deliriou5?) certainly changed church music and probably influenced a young Chris Martin of Coldplay, but was their lasting impact on music bigger than Nirvana's? That's the case made in a social media v... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Todd Fadel
Musician and owner of the All Ages Venue Meow Meow
Episode: The Art of Not Having an Endgame (ft. Todd Fadel)
David Dark
Cultural critic and author of Everyday Apocalypse
Episode: The Prayer Trade Apocalypse (ft. David Dark)
Gabriel Wilson
A musician with a background in Christian music and worship leading
Episode: Delirious vs Nirvana (ft. Gabriel Wilson)
Aaron Carnes
Author of In Defense of Ska and host of the podcast by the same name.
In Defense of Ska
Episode: The CCM to Ska Pipeline (ft. Aaron Carnes)
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
Musicologist and correspondent for Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Episode: Music at the Charlie Kirk Memorial (ft. David Gate and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis)
David Gate
Poet and essayist
Episode: Music at the Charlie Kirk Memorial (ft. David Gate and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis)
Chris DeVille
Music journalist and author of 'Such Great Heights, The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion'
Stereogum
Episode: The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Tim Dillinger
Gospel music historian and independent researcher
Episode: 1985: The Critical Year of CCM (ft. Tim Dillinger)
Katie Thornton
Journalist and author of the Rolling Stone article "Jesus Take The Dial"
Rolling Stone
Episode: K-LOVE's Tradecraft (ft. Katie Thornton)

Hosts

Andrew Gill
Co-host and producer known for his work in music journalism and insights into the Christian rock scene.
Leah Payne
Co-host, author, and historian specializing in contemporary Christian music and its cultural significance.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 252 ratings
  • Such a great listen

    I love this podcast! It’s very niche, for those of us who grew up in the ccm community (cult?) of the 90s and 2000s, but it’s both nostalgic and healing in many ways.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BotharMe
    United States3 months ago
  • Subversive

    I started listening to an episode about the Christian punk rock and ska era. I was so excited. It was very interesting and reminiscent. Then halfway through we started sneaking in gender ideology within the church. There’s a lot of subversive messaging in these podcasts. I was disappointed. You could almost tell by the NPR style editing that this was a potential outcome. Highly disappointed. Could’ve been great otherwise. Always sneaking sexual deviancy into Christianity. it should’ve been no sh... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Coinymccoinface
    United States10 months ago
  • Love this Podcast .

    So well done ! Bravo

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bil10923874
    United Statesa year ago
  • It’s ok

    If you like this type of thing and don’t want the spin and tongue in cheek mockery of the music scene check out the Labeled Podcast. More real musicians that lived it.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    EthanRG
    United Statesa year ago
  • So bad.

    Unless you’re one of the 3 people who have ever heard of these terrible bands, it’s not interesting.

    I grew up in this era and this scene, although not the Christian part of it, and hoped to find some value here.

    Poorly produced and deeply boring.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    L Swan
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The production quality and storytelling are praised, highlighting the thoughtful examination of the cultural implications of Christian music over the years.
Listeners appreciate the podcast's ability to reignite nostalgia for Christian music and culture from their youth, often describing it as therapeutic and relatable.
There are mixed perspectives, with some critiques focusing on perceived biases or the framing of certain historical narratives, suggesting a divide in how the content resonates with varying viewpoints on faith.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: Is there anything that you like now that fits the loose categorization of Christian music?
Chris mentions that while he does listen to some artists and albums like Little Kid's 'Transfiguration Highway', he hasn't actively sought out new Christian music recently.
The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: Did you ever find any critical art that scratched that itch?
Chris reflects on the lack of critical discourse around Christian music, sharing that he realized he enjoyed discussions that came with indie and mainstream rock, but found little equivalent in Christian rock circles.
The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: What was your growing up situation with as far as music and Christian Rock?
Chris DeVille shares that he grew up in an evangelical household where he was exposed to Christian music while also exploring secular acts. He discusses his experiences attending church and how his taste shifted towards indie rock as he grew older.
Larry Norman and Bob Dylan's Born Again Era Part 2 (ft. Gregory Alan Thornbury)
Q: Do you think the Christian music industry played any hand in building that world that you had to escape?
I think it had everything to do with it, but unwittingly.
Ozzy Osbourne, Christian Rocker (ft. Jason P Woodbury)
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your entry into the Christian music space?
Jason discusses his upbringing in a religious household and how he engaged with Christian music during his youth through various genres and how they resonated with his experiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content explores the intricate relationship between contemporary Christian music (CCM) and its lasting influence on individuals and culture, particularly among evangelical communities. Through interviews with artists and industry figures, the discussions reflect on the heyday of CCM during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s while addressing its implications on personal identity, spirituality, and societal perceptions. Often interlaced with humor and nostalgia, the narratives also tackle significant themes such as purity culture and conservative politics, presenting a full spectrum of experiences related to this music genre. For anyone looking to understand the complexities and contradictions within the Christian music scene—or those seeking ... more

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1. Religion on the Mind
2. No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp
3. Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
4. The Holy Post
5. Curiously Kaitlyn

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this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 51 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Todd Fadel
2. David Dark
3. Gabriel Wilson
4. Aaron Carnes
5. Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
6. David Gate
7. Chris DeVille
8. Tim Dillinger

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