Christian music suggestions?

[flatstanley72]

Christian mamas, I'm looking for some suggestions for music to listen to for inspiration throughout the day. I'm not very familiar with Christian music at all, so any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

[cappuccinosmom]

If you have a KLOVE station broadcasting in your area, you might listen to that to familiarize yourself with contemporary Christian music. Some's good, some's so-so. Some is just silly.

Two favorites...
Your Hands by JJ Heller

Blessed Be Your Name by Tree63.

Also, anything by the late Rich Mullins. There are a good bunch of his songs on youtube as well.

[peainthepod]

I'm not a fan of contemporary Christian music, but really dig some of the old-timey gospel and bluegrass Christian songs.

The documentary Awake, My Soul has a companion soundtrack with two discs. One is recordings of really interesting Sacred Harp music and the other is a collection of modern artists doing Sacred Harp songs. I enjoy it on occasion, though the traditional shape-note style of singing takes some getting used to. You might enjoy the documentary regardless...I think you can get it from Netflix.

Johnny Cash recorded a few Christian albums. My favorites are My Mother's Hymn Book and Hymns by Johnny Cash.

The Carter Family also recorded quite a bit of Southern gospel...pretty much any of their albums will have at least a few Christian songs on them.

Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys recorded The Complete Mercury Sessions a long time ago and at least eight or nine of the songs are gospel/bluegrass. The whole album is fantastic, if you like bluegrass, but the Christian songs are very beautiful in a down-home folksy way.

The Sacred Shakers are a Boston band (I think) that recorded a self-titled album of Christian songs and hymns that's really pleasant and upbeat.

The Rose Ensemble is a choral group with a more "churchy" sound; their main Christian album is called And Glory Shone Around and has some absolutely gorgeous arrangements on it.

There's an album called Anthology of American Folk Music in two volumes that has a ton of old songs from the 1930's on. The second volume is mostly gospel, some of it very good.

Let's see...that's all I can think of at the moment. I find most modern Christian music to be unbearably corny and/or not very Christian at all so I stick to the older stuff. Hope this helps.

[tinybutterfly]

I like some contemporary Christian music and some more traditional stuff.

For the traditional stuff I like Andy Griffith. I know, but these are the old hymns I grew up with and I just really like the way he does them in a pretty simple way.

For contemporary stuff I like The Newsboys, Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Eli, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day. Some of these have Greatest Hits or compilation CDs you can start out with to get a sampling of their music.

Oh, or you can check them out on youtube before you go out and purchase. That way you can listen and see if they are even anything you would be interested in at all. I LOVE youtube for surfing music!

Several years ago when I found all this music I started with greatest hits CDs and some of those WoW Christian CDs....those had best selling songs from previous years in gospel or contemporary Christian.

Have fun!

eta-I forgot to add DC Talk.

[Trigger]

It depends on what you're looking for - there are lots of Christian music genres and tons of crossover.

I like mostly comtemporary stuff - Hillsongs, Darlene Zschech, Third Day, John Tesh, Jars of Clay, Rich Mullins, Twila Paris.

[tinybutterfly]

Originally Posted by cappuccinosmom

If you have a KLOVE station broadcasting in your area, you might listen to that to familiarize yourself with contemporary Christian music. Some's good, some's so-so. Some is just silly.

Two favorites...
Your Hands by JJ Heller

Blessed Be Your Name by Tree63.

Also, anything by the late Rich Mullins. There are a good bunch of his songs on youtube as well.

Oh, I like these! I always like when we sing the second song at church!

Here some I hunted down on youtube. Youtube ROCKS!

Eli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FFYJOos17Q

The Newsboys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok6JG...eature=related

Jars of Clay ( from Songs of Redemption, they did some old hymns)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voYptcSfIUo

[cappuccinosmom]

Oh, you know what else I like to do on youtube...

Search for Christian music from other countries. Like, put in "gospel songs Zimbabwe" or "Indonesian gospel music". Beautiful stuff.

[germin8]

Listen to "Wonderful Merciful Saviour" by Selah. Love it!

Blessed Be Your Name... love it!

One of These days by FFH... good one!

I'd recommend a lot of the contemporary Christian ones mentioned here.

Here's some ol' fashioned ones: hymnsandfavorites.com

[Adele_Mommy]

I love the internet radio site Pandora. You can create a station for yourself and seed it with a few songs you like and then Pandora will play songs with similarities. It is a great way to find new favorites. If you thumbs up a song Pandora will play it again and play more songs like that and if you thumbs down a song Pandora will not play that song again on that station.

Here are some songs that are on my Pandora station that you might like. You can use these to seed a new station if you like any of them (Note I linked to the songs on Pandora and you can hear a short sample of the songs on these pages. You can probably find most of these on You Tube if you want to hear the whole song):

Wondrous Love by Blue Highway
Balm of Gilead by Chris and Meredith Thompson
Bright Morning Stars by Crossing North
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Fiddlesticks
Fishers of Men by Rhonda Vincent
Garden Hymn by Tim Eriksen
I'll Pass Over Thee by Ralph Stanley
John the Revelator by Johnny Nicholas
Long Time Traveller by The Wailin' Jennys
Meet Me In the Middle of the Air by Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys
Northern Cross by Dar Williams
Talk With Jesus by The Jones Sisters

[77sugaree]

Here is my favorite song by Third Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06khEqzGEsc

[philia]

ancientfaithradio.com

I listen to this whenever I do laundry. You just hit the play it in pop up. I am not a fan of modern evangelical music. I usually won't listen if there are drums or a guitar in the song.
I like the chanting.

[flatstanley72]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I am looking forward to checking out the internet radio stations and youtube. I never thought about looking for stuff on youtube, but that's a great idea. I love Pandora, too, so will try some of these songs there.

[flatstanley72]

Originally Posted by peainthepod

I'm not a fan of contemporary Christian music, but really dig some of the old-timey gospel and bluegrass Christian songs.

The documentary Awake, My Soul has a companion soundtrack with two discs. One is recordings of really interesting Sacred Harp music and the other is a collection of modern artists doing Sacred Harp songs. I enjoy it on occasion, though the traditional shape-note style of singing takes some getting used to. You might enjoy the documentary regardless...I think you can get it from Netflix.

Johnny Cash recorded a few Christian albums. My favorites are My Mother's Hymn Book and Hymns by Johnny Cash.

The Carter Family also recorded quite a bit of Southern gospel...pretty much any of their albums will have at least a few Christian songs on them.

Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys recorded The Complete Mercury Sessions a long time ago and at least eight or nine of the songs are gospel/bluegrass. The whole album is fantastic, if you like bluegrass, but the Christian songs are very beautiful in a down-home folksy way.

The Sacred Shakers are a Boston band (I think) that recorded a self-titled album of Christian songs and hymns that's really pleasant and upbeat.

The Rose Ensemble is a choral group with a more "churchy" sound; their main Christian album is called And Glory Shone Around and has some absolutely gorgeous arrangements on it.

There's an album called Anthology of American Folk Music in two volumes that has a ton of old songs from the 1930's on. The second volume is mostly gospel, some of it very good.

Let's see...that's all I can think of at the moment. I find most modern Christian music to be unbearably corny and/or not very Christian at all so I stick to the older stuff. Hope this helps.

I'm listening to the Sacred Shakers now and really like it--thanks! I love the Carter Family and Johnny Cash, too. Thanks for all the other suggestions. I'll check them out. Have you heard Iris Dement's album, Lifeline? That's one I really like that isn't actually old, but is more in the style of traditional hymns.

[peainthepod]

Originally Posted by flatstanley72

I'm listening to the Sacred Shakers now and really like it--thanks! I love the Carter Family and Johnny Cash, too. Thanks for all the other suggestions. I'll check them out. Have you heard Iris Dement's album, Lifeline? That's one I really like that isn't actually old, but is more in the style of traditional hymns.

I haven't, but I'll be checking it out today--thanks for the suggestion!

So glad you like the other stuff. There's something so comforting to me about old hymns, especially in the American folk tradition. Feels like home.

[newcastlemama]

I love (the late) Keith Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9MaBu3gAg
and Phil Keaggy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy8ZS...n7kDMbnJ6ywscF

(They were more popular in the 70s and 80s as you can tell from the videos!)

[jewellz]

This is my utmost favorite song right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TATJev3l0Y4

[Trigger]

You Are Good

Breathe on Me

[Gracefulmom]

I like Chris Rice and Michael Card.

[hopefulfaith]

My kids and I like the "Seeds Family Worship" CDs. They were intended to help kids with scripture memory - every song is an individual verse - but they're actually kind of catchy. They have a website & are on YouTube.

[Bluegoat]

I really like gospel - especially Mahalia Jackson, and sometimes I like traditional hymns. I don't much go for Christian contemporary, but lately I have been listening to a lot of Bob Marley.

Redemption Song

How I Got Over