The Jesus Music: Documentary on Biggest CCM Stars Discuss its Roots

A new Lions Gate documentary called “The Jesus Music” explores the roots of Contemporary Christian Music, featuring the genre’s biggest stars from its inception to the present, delving into this movement’s untold story.

“The Jesus Music” explores the origins of CCM

A new documentary entitled “The Jesus Music” is being released by Lions Gate and will go behind the Music to explore the birth and rise of Contemporary Christian Music. The film features interviews with many of the genre’s biggest stars, who discuss their motivations, life, and careers within the Christian music industry.

Many of the artists open up and share things they never have before. Many agree that Music is the most influential language in the world. And through Contemporary Christian Music, the artists can express their faith, hope, and love for God in a way that popular Music never had before.

The official movie trailer for the Lions Gate film “The Jesus Music” has been posted on YouTube. The film will be released this Fall.

Christian artists appearing in “the Jesus music”

The documentary film will feature Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, DC Talk, TobyMac, Stryper, Lauren Daigle, Lecrae, Hillsong United, For King & Country, Kirk Franklin, Steven Curtis Chapman, CC Winans, Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Newsboys, John Cooper, and more.

CCM: A reaction to the rebellious 1960s

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is just that: Music lyrically focused on Christian faith presented in styles and genres of modern popular Music. It marked a change from such themes being presented only in hymns, gospel, or southern gospel music that were mainly prevalent only in churches. CCM took such lyrical themes into modern Music and to the public at large.

Contemporary Christian Music came following the tumultuous 60s. Perhaps it was the dark tragedy of the Rolling Stones’ Altamont Free Concert, an event many credit with ending the peace and love mindset of the hippie movement. Some speculate that this dark side of rock ‘n’ roll sent young people pursuing the true source of peace and love: Jesus Christ.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the nascent music form that eventually became CCM emerged as a result of the Jesus Movement and, thus, was originally called Jesus Music.

This Music first saw the large public appeal in musicals such as Godspell in 1971, which was based primarily on the Gospel of Matthew. Day by Day, a single from the soundtrack reached #13 on the Billboard pop singles chart in the summer of 1972, a monumental moment for Christian Music.

An even bigger moment occurred two years earlier, from 1969 to 1970, the single Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum sold 2 million copies, reaching #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, a strong sign the public was ready to hear the gospel in pop Music.

Today, so-called “Jesus Music” has its own Christian charts on Billboard, a testament to its strength and appeal to a large population segment.