August 7, 2025
Read moreAugust 7, 2025
Guitarist, songwriter, and frontwoman of Covet, Yvette Young, is known for her intricate tapping technique, genre-bending sound, that creates a calm presence. But in a new interview, the math rock...
Read moreAugust 7, 2025
A June 13, 2025, Baptist News Global article highlights the long-standing conflicts between traditional Black gospel music and contemporary Christian music (CCM), which are exacerbated by racial...
Read moreAugust 7, 2025
In April 2025, The Who unexpectedly fired long‑time drummer Zak Starkey during a Royal Albert Hall show, reportedly over performance issues. Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, had been...
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The 2025 MTV Video Music Award nominations have been announced, boasting a diverse lineup with 33 first-time nominees. Pop icons Taylor Swift and Beyoncé even earned artist of the year nods without...
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From church pews in Northampton to crowds in Zimbabwe, DC3 is more than just a popular TikTok artist; he is a devout musician who is setting a new standard for UK rap. Through ingenious videos...
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Lil Yachty isn’t shy about showing love for his close friend Drake. During a recent appearance on the MdFoodieBoyz podcast, the Some Sexy Songs 4 U artist labeled the Toronto superstar...
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Ed Sheeran has brought back actor Rupert Grint for an upcoming music video, marking their first collaboration since 2011's viral "Lego House" visual. The new project accompanies Sheeran's track...
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To improve real-time song discovery, Spotify is now testing a new feature dubbed "DJ Now Takes Requests." The feature adds a layer of crowd participation to streaming experiences by allowing users...
Read moreAugust 5, 2025
The Who frontman Roger Daltrey has spoken out about his fallout with drummer Zak Starkey, calling the musician’s post-departure comments “incredibly upsetting.” Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo...
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Fujii Kaze’s “Love Like This” isn’t your average love song, it’s a shimmering, soulful glide through the kind of romance that doesn’t just sweep you off your feet, it levitates you. With effortless...
Read moreWhat the Conversation is About
A June 13, 2025, Baptist News Global article highlights the long-standing conflicts between traditional Black gospel music and contemporary Christian music (CCM), which are exacerbated by racial dynamics, commercialization, and political uses of worship music.
Is CCM Cliché or Justifying Culture?
In order to sell more records and reach a wider audience, CCM is commonly criticized for embracing secular music styles. Leah Payne, an award-winning historian and Theologian noted that CCM has cosmic spiritual significance because evangelical parents have long viewed it as the safest marketing avenue to "save" teenagers. Critics claim that CCM frequently turns into rhetoric rather than truth, a sanitized religion influenced more by business than by more profound doctrine.
Is CCM Just Secular Music in Disguise?
Some traditionalists contend that CCM borrows the emotional impact of secular music without delving deeper into spirituality by contemporary rhythms like pop, hip-hop, and rock.
"Most CCM can be rejected on the basis of lyrics alone,"
according to one critic, with its shallow theology and secular rhythms that don't reference Jesus.
What Gospel Still Stands For
Thomas A. Dorsey, an American musician and Christian evangelist, on the other hand, laid the groundwork for Black gospel music, which grew into a true musical expression based on Black worship traditions. According to the study, even as CCM expanded into mainstream markets, the gospel maintained its cultural identity and deeper grounding.
Historically, the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and Dove Awards honored primarily white CCM singers. They have only lately begun to remedy chronic racial exclusion, including the first-ever Black Artist of the Year award as late as 2022 and 2024.
Latest Reactions & Growing Debate
Final Take
It may be harsh to refer to CCM as "secular music with Jesus lyrics," but it is not unjustified when popular formulas take precedence over spiritual depth. However, contemporary movements; particularly those led by Black people or artistic Christian acts are redefining spiritual authenticity in ways that go beyond the traditional dichotomies.