Jesus Rocks the World [2 Volumes]

Book excerpt: Contemporary Christian musiccommonly referred to by the acronym CCMis a catchall term that describes a wide range of types of music, encompassing work produced in the late 1960s to the 21st century, and incorporating rock and folk music influences. Contemporary Christian music enjoys widespread popularity, despite being unfamiliar to many modern music listeners; in recent years, sales of CCM have exceeded other more mainstream categories like jazz, Latin, and classical. This book tells the story of contemporary Christian music over the course of more than half a century--a parallel music universe that the average person knows little about, but whose worldwide impact cannot be overemphasized. Christian theology has had a tremendous impact and influence on world civilization in the 20th and 21st centuries, and music has often acted as a catalyst in the evolution of the culture and religious thought of Western civilization. Similarly, contemporary Christian music has shaped other seemingly unrelated forums of modern music, and thereby influenced our society at large. Jesus Rocks the World: The Definitive History of Contemporary Christian Music is organized chronologically, beginning in the 1960s and concluding with present-day developments in CCM. The core of the book is formed around the author's 40 years of direct experience with CCM, condensed into cultural and musical histories that explore every aspect of the genre, including the key artists, CCM-specific record companies, epic concerts and unforgettable festivals, groundbreaking albums, and its underlying philosophy and theology. Special attention is also paid to the intersection of contemporary Christian music with general market pop music, making mention of top artists such as Bob Dylan, Amy Grant, and U2. Bob Gersztyn has been a freelance photojournalist and writer since 1994. He was previously an ordained minister who became involved in the Jesus movement in Los Angeles, CA, in 1971.Publisher's note.