Released 15 years ago today, Church Music is an epic 74 minutes of music that is probably not what you grew up with at your church. (I know I certainly did not.) I love David Crowder and his band of ambitious instrumentalists because they bring the rock 'n' roll to whatever they are working on, even if it's supposed to be a album full of songs for churches to sing. There's certainly some nods to modern worship and even the classic hymns here, but it's also a rock fest and a dance party as the band incorporates even more electronic elements than in the past albums, which have been more guitar-focused. The cover of "How He Loves" made the John Mark McMillan song popular, but "Eastern Hymn", "Shadows" and "Oh, Happiness" are great songs by the band along with the rest of album. Dance!

Release Year: 2009
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Jason Petty, the rapper known as Propaganda, got his start with the underground LA Tunnel Rats crew about 20 years ago. Since then, he's been making collaborations with other rappers and producers as well as doing spoken word and more recently, podcasting and writing a book. Crimson Cord was recorded with the Beautiful Eulogy crew at the Humble Beast label, and I love their incorporation of very unconventional sounds and instruments into their tracks for Propaganda to rap over. And Prop's lyrics teach me about the world as he sees it and how the world is so much bigger than my white, Christian, Midwestern worldview. I hadn't heard music from Propaganda for many years and then caught back up with him on this album, and it's a great listen.

Release Year: 2014
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In the '80s and '90s, Michael W. Smith was the king of Christian pop music. Smith is a talented musician and songwriter, the production was always great and the songs were always catchy. For the last 25 years or so, though, Michael W. Smith has moved to leading worship and recording modern worship music. Even his pop albums were more worshipful, which was not really what I was looking for. With this album, A Million Lights, Smitty brought his pop sound into the 21st century. Of course, the great piano parts are here, but a bit more of a modern dance/EDM sound is present and even a bit of auto-tune is here on a few songs. Lyrically, there's some love songs and some songs about the struggles and joys of life as a Christian. This is the Michael W. Smith studio pop album that I've listened to most that he's released since 1998's Live The Life, and I hope he does a pop album again some time if he wants.

Release Year: 2018
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In the late '90s, Vineyard Music seemed to me to be at the forefront of modern worship, a style of music that was sung by leaders at churches and also the congregation as a whole, but in a more contemporary style, not the style of the traditional hymns. Vineyard churches and their music label put out many recordings in this time and this Hungry: Falling On My Knees album is one of their best. Worship leader Kathryn Scott's vocals and great songs like the title track, "Be The Centre" and "Breathe" anchor this recording from a church service in London, but appearances from Vineyard worship leaders from around the world contribute as well. The styles of songs vary as well, from the slow and contemplative to the raucous praise and include Celtic sounds, rock and other musical styles.

Release Year: 1999
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