One of the things I love about having two musical young adults in my home is that they are a funnel for new music. Combined with my own curiosity and some great resources (hat tip to Brett McCracken’s annual review at TGC), I have found a great off-the-beaten path collection of Christian artists from a lot of different genres.  

 

Understandably, Christian radio tends to pitch its music to the center, so for those who have musical tastes a little outside the center can be left out. But Christian music ought not be judged by just what is played on the radio. In my opinion, Christian music is in a very healthy place, occupying virtually every musical pocket, from hip hop to folk to pop.

 

So, are you interested in some new music? Perhaps some of these artists might whet your appetite for further exploration (I made a Spotify playlist that includes them here). Who are some of your favorite non-mainstream Christian artists? Let me know!

 

Folk/Rock

Candace Coker

Soulful folk with poetic lyrics and evocative imagery of God’s love for us.

Desert (YouTube)

 

Chris Renzema

Soulful, bluesy Americana indie-rock. Renzema’s yearning croon is gritty but accessible.  

You’re the Only One (YouTube)

 

City Alight

Thoughtful and simple modern hymnists.

Yet Not I But Christ Through Me (YouTube)

 

Ghost Ship

Haunting Americana indie rock.

Where Were You? (YouTube)

 

Jess Ray

Guitar driven folk with a fresh sonic style.

Runaway (YouTube)

 

John Mark McMillan

McMillan’s husky growl brings his wrestling with God to this gritty folk-pop.

Pilgrim (YouTube)

 

Jon Foreman

Headman of Switchfoot’s solo career is mellow, intimate, stripped down.

House of God Forever (YouTube)

 

Josh Garrels

Garrels is hard to nail down. He spans genres from gritty rock to quiet folk (with some hip hop even thrown in), exploring a breadth of themes.

Farther Along (YouTube)

 

Joshua Leventhal

Leventhal’s uiet Indie folk beckons the heart into a quiet space.

LION/LAMB (YouTube)

 

Taylor Leonhart

Gritty guitar accompanies bluesy folk with spacious production.

Your Love is My Song (YouTube)

 

The Modern Post

Driving theologically-rich rock worship.

Before the Throne (YouTube)

 

Taylor Armstrong

Quiet folksy worship.

Altar (YouTube)

 

Young Oceans

Classic alt-rock meets a congregational sound.

Until These Tears are Gone (YouTube)

 

 

Pop/ Hip Hop

Beautiful Eulogy

Experimental and panoramic electronic hip hop brimming with profound lyrics.

Omnipotent (YouTube)

 

Colorvault

Funky soundscape pop.

Dwell in Your House (YouTube)

 

Cortes

Straight-forward R&B pop.

DAILY (YouTube)

 

Forrest Frank

Modern chill rap with bouncy, lighthearted beats and good vibes.

no longer bound (YouTube)

 

ISLY

Pop worship.

Nostalgia (YouTube)

 

Josiah Queen

Contemporary pop with mission focused lyrics.

Garden in Manhattan (YouTube)

 

Karissa Frampton

Moody atmospheric synth pop.

Sin (YouTube)

 

Kelsey Breedlove

Crunchy, hooky pop.

Honey From the Rock (YouTube)

 

Kings Kaliedescope

Exploratory funky rock-pop

Rain (YouTube)

 

Tekoa

R&B indie pop rock with lots of ear candy.

Yahweh Elyon (YouTube)

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Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash