Has the Billboard Hot 100 caught the Holy Ghost?

For the first time, multiple Christian musicians are charting on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time — and staying there for weeks. Has the mainstream music industry found Jesus Christ?

Brittany talks with University of Michigan-Dearborn Professor Emerita Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard and Christianity Today reporter Kelsey Kramer McGinnis to understand the multi-million dollar machine behind the Christian Contemporary Music genre. They unpack who gets shut out, and why this holy crusade on the charts has the potential to impact your listening habits.

Episode Highlights

What exactly is Christian contemporary music, or CCM?

What kind of CCM is hitting on the charts right now?

How do these big megachurches, like Hillsong or Bethel, play into the economy of this worship music?

How do we know what kind of music is being played in these churches?

Is there the same economic opportunity in gospel as there is in Contemporary worship music?

Why do you think understanding this current CCM boom is something that’s important for people who are outside of Christianity?