Termine

„The concept of “Christian music” emerged in America during the mid-century. Up until then, a divide between the sacred and the secular hadn’t yet affected the musical endeavors of Christians. There was certainly liturgical music—songs and praises created by and for the church—but besides Sunday morning hymns, there was simply music: some of it created by Christians, some of it not.

That all changed in the wake of the “Jesus Movement.” In the 60s and 70s, when evangelicals set their sights on a subculture of twentysomethings, church leaders—particularly Paul Wohlegemuth, who went on to author an influential book called Rethinking Church Music—felt pressure to change in order to reach these “flower children.” Trying to stay relevant amid a movement of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, they established an alternative to the popular music of the time, forming what came to be known as “Jesus music” and, eventually, Christian contemporary music (or CCM, for short, if you were cool and grew up in the church).“

(The Atlantic Magazine)