The Survey: Are Major Christian Radio Stations Running Out of Music? (Part One)
Just out of curiosity, I recently joined the music advisory panel for one of the largest Christian adult contemporary (AC) radio networks in the US. When I received my first survey, this is what I found. I opened the first page of songs to evaluate. Every single one of the songs were from major label artists. That’s right, not one of those songs to be evaluated were from an independent Christian music artist or band. Well, I went down through the first page of the survey and evaluated each song. Out of the nineteen songs, I only gave two of them a 4 or 5 out of 5. I rated the rest with only a 2 or a 3. I’m sorry, but the rest all sounded alike to me … almost as if they were cookie-cutter songs.
I clicked on page two of the survey. Maybe they will have some independent songs on this page! Nope. This page contained eleven more songs. However, they were major label songs that were brought back from 10 to 20 years ago. Hmmmmmm. But, here is the interesting thing. I rated them much higher than those in the first page. Each song was more unique and in my opinion, better quality. It reminded me of the reason I listened to Christian AC radio then and don’t so much any more.
All of this got me to thinking. Are major Christian radio stations running of out music? If so, why don’t they start considering more independent music rather than bringing back some of the old music? Are the major labels putting pressure on these stations? If anyone out there has any insight into this then by all means, leave a comment!
Anyway … let’s move on. I contacted two friends who work in the radio world as song promoters. One works primarily with independent Christian music artists and the other primarily with major Christian music artists. I asked both the same question: In all of your experience and time working in Christian radio land, has there ever been an independent artist or band that has had a song played on the AC radio network that I had mentioned before? I received my first response from the promoter that works primarily with independent artists. His response was a one-word response … “None.” That’s interesting.
The promoter that works primarily with major label artists has been involved in the industry for several years longer than the other. I expected him to list several, but he could only think of three independent artists that were played by this radio network over the years. Again, that’s very interesting.
So, this all brings me back to my original questions. Are major Christian radio stations running of out music? If so, why don’t they start considering more independent music? I am really looking forward to your comments.
Blessings,
Jeff
17 Responses to “The Survey: Are Major Christian Radio Stations Running Out of Music? (Part One)”
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This is an interesting subject. I have pretty much stopped buying new Christian music, P&W, adult contemporary, or otherwise. Not only does all the music sound the same, the lyrics have nothing to say that ministers to my spirit.
But the interesting thing about this is that most of the musically inclined people at the church I attend are running around talking about how great this or that song is, but those songs aren’t any different than the last 100 or so songs they’ve swooned about.
What’s even more interesting is that if you try to sing a song that’s in the least bit challenging musically or spiritually, then they look at you with those blank stares that indicate that the song didn’t register.
I believe that there has been an undeclared revolution that has been joined by the average Christian and the Christian music industry. That revolution is the cleansing of all Christian music of anything different or challenging.
Should it be any surprise that now that Christian Rock is close to main stream, the music would go the same way–relatively simple, very repetitive messages put to simple music?
These are interesting thoughts, Jeff, but not surprising. Mainstream secular radio has the same problem. Unfortunately Christian radio and secular radio share the same values – advertisers’ dollars. Even the listener supported Christian stations won’t stray from what the charts tell them to play. I don’t believe “payola” is involved, at least not in the classic sense of the word. The new “payola” is ad money which keeps radio from taking any risk at all.
After being with TAXI for nearly 2 years and receiving tons of feedback about our CD from the CCM industry. They want more cross-over oriented songs. That is songs that speak indirectly to a relationship with Jesus or simply that you have some faith in something. When you are with a major label it seems that sales are foremost and the message is very secondary. Whereas artists in the independent realm have taken a step of faith about their faith. That faith is manifested in their music and does not speak indirectly about their personal relationship with Christ. Not that major label artists have less faith but the industry has lost sight of the focus. I listen to XM’s CCM station and you can go 2 to 4 songs before you hear Jesus or Christ used. If I want to hear Jesus and Christ used more often it is usually the Hip-Hop and Hard Core stations that I will find them.
Second, the flavor of the day because the standard for everyone else. Diversity is not respected. They want Chris Tomlin clones. That is until Evanescence became huge. Then it is on to emulating her sound. That is until Casting Crowns came out, then this is the style. Ultimately everything sounds like everything. Therefore nothing moves me. Listening to XM’s CCM station rarely moves me to go buy a CD because it all sounds familiar and identical. Whereas this morning while listening to XM’s “Loft-Acoustic Artists” I bought Justin Currie’s “No, Surrender” from iTunes. It was so amazing and different. Even though it is not a Christian song per se, the style would never be allowed on CCM because it does not fit the mold of today’s CCM. At TAXI I hear that they love the song but it isn’t enough like the latest flavor. Problem is if independent artists sounded like the favored flavor they would be called out as unoriginal. Yet if a major label artist does the same thing they are in keeping with the market. Can not win for losing.
Lastly, what defines a major label? How does one become a major label? Could a group of independents become a major label unto themselves and change the order of the system? I work with all the major players in the contact lens and ocular pharmaceutical industry. It took me years of building relationships to get to know all the players. I am always willing to help any young doctor that wants to get involved in R&D with these companies. Are these young Turks going to take away some of my business, maybe, but we need our next generation of researchers. Where are the elder Christian artists in helping our newer artists find a footing? Are we in this to move the message of Christ forward or are we holding onto our little kingdoms?
AMEN!!! I think they are running out of stuff…ya know the station here is ALWAYS playing “Our God Is An Awesome God”. Granted it’s an amazing song, but I was 5 years old when it came out!! Twenty years later they’re still playing it at least 3-4 times a day. Does that say anything to you. b/c it does to me!!! Having a dad who’s 65 and has records (yes records…) of the older artist has shown me that the music back then was so much more theological! It was all different. You don’t hear songs with lyrics like the song “Unworthy” written in the 1959
Unworthy am I of the grace that He gave,
Unworthy to hold to His hand;
Amazed that a King would reach down to a slave,
This love I cannot understand.
Unworthy, unworthy, a beggar;
In bondage and alone;
But He made me worthy and now by His grace,
His mercy has made me His own.
My sorrow and sickness laid stripes on His back,
My sins caused the blood that was shed;
My faults and my failures have woven a crown
Of thorns, that He wore on His head.
Unworthy, unworthy, a beggar;
In bondage and alone;
But He made me worthy and now by His grace,
His mercy has made me His own.
Unworthy am I of the glory to come,
Unworthy with angels to sing;
I thrill just to know that He loved me so much,
A pauper, I walk with the King
Unworthy, unworthy, a beggar;
In bondage and alone;
But He made me worthy and now by His grace,
His mercy has made me His own.
We don’t hear songs with that sort of passion and desperation anymore. Now, I know we’re living in different times as the 50’s were, but our love and passion should be the same or better yet, more!
Jeff,
I have stopped buying the music that’s out there now especially from contemporary artists. It all sounds the same to me! The songs are not so much God centered anymore and more about me, me, me and how I feel. They lack passion and style in my opinion. They are sounding more cookie cutter all the time and yet as a song/writer I can’t get one song in to the right people. I have lots of songs that I feel are different and passionate and I know of other writers with the same problem. But how do we get noticed? Beats me, I’ve tried everything I know even a contest or two. I don’t want to be a peddler of songs. I want to just write them and have a way to get them heard. How in the world do we get our foot in the door, so to speak? And why are they hashing over old songs when there are millions of good songs out there somewhere that need to be heard? I get very discouraged with it all sometimes but I keep on writing because I know it is what God wants me to do.
By the way, I’m Moni Lutz and I placed 7th, I think in your last Gospel contest. I would love for you to check out some of my other songs and let me know what you think.
Moni Lutz
Jeff,
This is Moni Lutz again. I thought I would send you the lyrics to one of my songs to demonstrate how I feel about the songs today not being as God centered as they could be. Anyway, check out this one. It is deffinately God centered.
The Author and Finisher
Copyright Moni Lutz BMI
Verse:
He searches and knows all my thoughts
Before the words escape from my mouth
Where could I hide and not be found
He knows my coming and going
And my lying down
Chorus:
He’s the author and finisher of my faith
His ways are higher than mine
His love’s unconditional, His wisdom’s great
He sees much further than I
My future is planned
My dreams in His hands
There’s nothing that I can’t face
With the author and finisher of my faith
Turn around:
Verse:
He’s numbered the hairs on my head
He knows when I rise and when I go to bed
He knew me before I was born
My days are already laid out
Tomorrow’s spoken for
Chorus and tag
Jeff:
Brave and Noble of you to reveal the truth behind some radio formats. I’m there are hundreds of stations still out there playing artists that are not on the big 3 labels… or is it now 2?
What’s that I hear in the wind, what’s that I see on the horizon? Oooooo a change! Though I do wish I was the Lord Jesus coming back again, that would be so much better than radio!
Brian
I am probably too old to get involved in this discussion, but in my opinion, (and it is only that, with very little worth)most of these stations ran out of music a long time ago. The CCM industry seems to have gone the way of the Country Music industry, which requires its artists to all be within a certain young age bracket and all sound just alike. The resulting product, over the past several years, makes me think about the old TV hamburger commercial, where the little old lady yells, “Where’s the beef?!” There just doesn’t seem to be any meat or muscle to the sound, and the lyrics to many of the songs are just as lacking.
Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not anywhere close to being an authority on this subject, and I promise that I don’t mean to sound like I’m criticizing the artists. Heck, those we’re discussing are on major labels, and I’ve been trying to accomplish that myself, ever since I got my first guitar for my 10th birhday,47 years ago! Actually, I wised up and stopped pursuing a label about six years ago, but it just seems that if an artist or record company is really serious, or has a sincere, God sent desire to win the lost to Christ, or encourage, offer hope, and strengthen believers who are struggling, they should use the type of sound, to which whatever target group they are after can genuinely relate. But, like I said, I’m probably too old to be in this discussion. I just want to help bring people into the Kingdom, and then help them out in some way, until together, we stand face to face with Jesus. I hope I didn’t offend anybody.
Hi Jeff
Well first off let me say I am proud to be managed by someone who is not afraid and is not conformed to the norm.
Second I remind all of us who are artists and listeners that these are the last days. This dispensation we live in has our Lord and Saviour knocking at the door; with that being said then obviously alot of things are not going to go the way they should, especially when it comes to ministry and end-time focus.
We lose track of what the purpose is of doing this music and what messages we should be relating not just to the Body of Christ, but to non-believers as well. And if the focus were more on the level of “we’re running out of time” then there should and would be a dramatic change in the format of alot of things, including music ministry and radio. Between the numbers game and the industry/advertising/exclusive cliques thing we really hinder ourselves and give a misinterpretation and representation to the world. Some say we are no better than carnal radio.
I especially pinpoint urban radio. We preach about us being one body and ending discrimination, but half of their listeners don’t know who Casting Crowns is or Big Daddy Weave unless someone “reinterprets” their music into a format more “agreeable”; and even then if you’re not in the Kirk/Sapp/Mary Mary/Kurt Carr/J Moss circle, you really aren’t acknowledge as being relevant, especially if you’re an independant. It took Israel years before we even recognized who he was and you see how he is being used of God.
So to all be encouraged and stay true to what God has given you to do in your music ministry. The Lord will make sure that whoever it is intended to hear the songs given to us by Him they will hear them; and there is a wind of change blowing that will soon have radio and industry banging down the door for those of us who have stayed the path and continued to uphold our level of committment and standard to Christ in our music.
Above all, an old song in the church stated: “If I can help just one somebody as i travel along this road, then my living shall not be in vain.” If only one person heard my music and they were saved into the Grace and the Kingdom, then it was all worh it.
I’m glad you brought this up because I have been ‘righteously indignant’ about a certain station that starts with a ‘K.’ I hear the same old stuff over and over and over…you get the point! I wrote them about how Sonicflood, for example, has a great new album that really ministers to the heart with great tunes but they continue to play the old Sonicflood whose members are no longer together.
If they aren’t getting the exposure from the Christian stations, then how is anyone gonna know about their CD to buy it. It seems the Contemporary Christian stations (especially the one that starts with a ‘K’) have become a ‘good ole boys/gals club’ with an elitist attitude toward someone who can create music just as good or better than them outside the clique.
I like Chris Tomlin, but do you think he would be as big today without hearing his songs every 5 minutes on the radio? There seems to be some kind of favoritism going on and usually MONEY or some other kinds of COMPENSATIONS are most likely the center of it all.
I think their philosophy has run it’s course, but it’s part of the national radio trend. I worked in weather and at one point I was on about 200 radio stations/day. Our niche was servicing small to mid market radio stations who’s connection to the “local” community was very high. Over time, they would slowly but surely give more and more of their program to nationally syndicated shows and they lost the local element.
I inquired with one of the networks about play for indies and they basically said that if you aren’t touring nationally, you aren’t qualified, no matter how well known you are. Now many of the syndicated stations, in Christian or outside of it, still do things to SOUND local. Local community calendar… local Weather… maybe some local news – but most of the content is recorded in one studio in timbuk2 and broadcast to stations all over the country.
In some respects I’m happy that Christian radio is at least available, but come on… work with the local artists that are working their butts off in ministry. Allow part of the programming to be regional indie. Yes – Indies need to step up and stop recording in a basement and save the money and work with some pros – we CAN do that now, but there’s no incentive at least when we look to radio. People in the local communities don’t think you’re anything unless you’re on a radio station and that shot of credibility can go along way in giving a local ministry a level of credibility with the average person. That’s what bothers me more than anything – there’s no desire to work the local angle where active/quality artists in these communities will bring listeners to their stations and radio can bring credibility to their ministry. Either they just aren’t built to do this based on all the laws of radio in general, or they are unwilling to. Either way, I think it’s about time the philosophy changes!
Jeff,
I dare think that just because I am a Christian who was blessed to be a called musician that I am intitled to radio play. The people that “own” the airwaves have what they bought – Christ bought me and I will take each musical opportunity prayerfully and with thanksgiving. I need only to follow what He wishes for me and not demand or be disappointed in not having what is man’s measurement of useful.
If the masses want indie music from Christian artists they don’t have to look far. Start with asking the praise team if anyone has music that the Lord has placed on their heart. (As frustrated musicians with the music degrees that know that the published chart on the stand isn’t even close to the recording and the “music” is a rip-off most times can help bring some fresh sounds to the offering.) Musicians are a chosen group – Old Testament – and they serve where the Lord sends; play and sing because that is what they are blessed to do. The “industry” is business and that is where we must compromise for compensation. I have all the faith in the Lord that the music He needs is getting to where it needs to be (use the technology if you have it, go to the bars’ open mics and music fests and play, and keep the church accountable for investing the “talent” they are given) – if we are focused on His will for the gifts He imparts.
I’ll be here if anyone needs me – and if I hear nothing I’ll know it not His will
Carrie Lyn “that violynist”, a Christian independent instrumental artist and singer/song writer with an attitude
i loved the contemporary christian music of the 80’s..groups like Cruz,farrell and farrell,the resurrection band,nancy honeytree,barry mcguire,reba rambo,petra,stryper,gary s.paxton,larry norman and so many more.
and who can forget dallas holm(rise again)
My daughter just got back from Nashville recording a cd of 10 songs that she has written and sang. They all said these songs were different and inspiring. How can she get these songs played. She has them on jango, napster, itunes and some others but when she gets her cds she wants to be able to send them to radio stations or get them to people where they can be heard and appreciated. Thanks Linda
This is the question of the ages… (at least in radio.) It’s called lazy and time. The stations have relationships with record companies like lobbyists have with congress.
They can just use what the labels feed them and save time and work by airing what they send them. Many artists are “tried and true” and have a pretty good track record, so why not schedule them again and again in the rotation?
Working “outside the box” takes initiative, more time and desire to be presenting variety to listeners. Many stations don’t feel the need to do that. “If it aint broke, don’t try and fix it.”
That may be changing because the smart stations are realizing that “business as usual” just gets too sterile and will finally cause listeners to find something more fresh.
Listeners have more choices and don’t have to listen to the same old, same old anymore.