Chriss Sundive

We all probably know a couple religious hymns, but today’s fast-paced society is changing, and so is the style of music we listen to. Christian music has developed tremendously over the last century to represent the changing style of music that we enjoy. Contemporary music offers up-to-date music styles with the same traditional Christian message within the lyrics. In fact, Contemporary Christian music is growing quickly in popularity, and so is the number of subgenres offered to those interested in listening. In this article we discuss a few of the newer genres in Christian music.

Contemporary

Contemporary music literally covers all genres of new age Christian music, but is most commonly associated with a new movement of Christian music that has alternative rock, pop, and country sounds. The contemporary movement began in the 1960s, with this type of music then referred to as Jesus music. Some Christians dispute whether or not the contemporary tones fit into their religion, but contemporary is a popular genre that gives Protestant listeners an alternative faith-based style of music. The growth of contemporary styles has been strong since the mid 1990s, and newer artists and subgenres help to continue the expansion of Christian music.

Hip Hop

 Read more...

Although the annual Bonnaroo Music Festival is best known for its music-last year’s headliners included Phish, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Snoop Dogg and Nine Inch Nails—the Manchester, Tenn. festival also showcases an impressive array of comedians. In the past, Bonnaroo has featured hilarious entertainers like Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Lewis Black, David Cross, Zach Galifianakis, Dave Attel and Louis CK, and this year, none other than Conan O’Brien will perform. Hosting Bonnaroo’s “Which” stage and performing in the Comedy Theatre, O’Brien is on the road after Jay Leno took back his late night throne. The flame-haired funny man remains under contract with NBC until the fall and decided to embark on a road trip until his return to the small screen.

The 2010 edition of the Bonnaroo Music Festival will also feature a batch of up-and-coming comedians like Pete Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Reggie Watts and Amy Schumer hitting the road for the Bonnaroo Comedy Tour. The side-splitting tour kicks off at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana on April 1 and will continue on to college campuses like Iowa State University in Aimes, Drake University in Des Moines, University of North Carolina and the University of Wisconsin in Platteville. More dates and additional comedians are expected to be announced in the near future.  Read more...

Progressive rock appeared in the late 1960s when rock artists wanted to break down the barriers of radio formatted pop and rock and progress this music genre to a place where it could achieve a more sophisticated sound, similar to that of classical music or jazz. Progressive rock is very hard to define in one conclusive way and we have progressive rock bands to prove that. Some of the most important bands of the 70s that defined this rock form did not have the same sound.

Psychedelic music is believed to be the starting point of progressive rock. Some people also believe that bands like The Beatles contributed to the progressive rock movement. However, the two progressive rock bands that most people see as being the first of this new- found genre were King Crimson and Yes. These progressive rock bands appeared at the end of the 1960s and although the first band was attributed to hard progressive rock sub- genre and the second to symphonic rock, they were both catalogued as progressive rock bands, as their sound was unique and more sophisticated. Genesis is yet another rock band that aspired to progressive rock. Their third progressive rock album set things straight for this band. They were a symphonic rock band and thus a progressive rock band.

 Read more...

Just what is it about the tritone chord progression that makes it so mysterious? Perhaps it has to do with its dissonant, clashing sound. It may have something to do with its dubious history. Whatever it is, the tritone chord progression in music made a comeback in music after several centuries of bad publicity.

‘Tritone” is defined as a musical interval that spans three whole tones. A tritone chord may also be called an augmented fourth or diminished fifth chord. The tritone sounds like a clash, or as a dissonant chord. For this reason, the tritone chord was often avoided during Medieval times through to the end of the Romantic era.

For hundreds of years musical styles were, in large part, dictated by the church. During Medieval times, the tritone was viewed as too dissonant for use in common liturgical services. In fact, the tritone chord progression came to represent the devil. Perhaps as early as the 18th century it was commonly known as “diabolus in musica” (the devil in music).

A great deal of superstition came to be associated with the tritone. Many church fathers adhered to the belief that it may even serve to invoke the power of the devil. Because of this superstition, the use of the tritone was banned by the church for liturgical use. Because of this negative association, even secular music produced during these centuries avoided it.  Read more...

Country Music originated in early 20th century among the whites in Rural areas of West and South. The roots of this music lie in Ballads, English songs and Folk Songs. The term Country Music replaces what is popularly called Hill Billy Music.

Country Music has been associated with cowboy hats and boots. The fact is that apparel has got nothing to do with it. One of the veterans, Travis Tritt does not wear a hat. Country Music is a genre that means different things to different people. If you look over at their interpretations, you will find for some it is Johnny Cash’s weather beaten crooning or Shania Twain’s prancing-pony burlesque. Right since the beginning of the 21st century, Music Industry is divided and quite fractured as to what really the Country Music is. Most people say that, when they hear it, they know its country or its not.

The relationship is one if hate and love, either fans love it and hate other genres intensely. If you have met some hardcore country fans, you will notice, they will always find a way to hear it, no matter what state country radio currently finds itself in. Even if an artist’s presence on country radio represents a certain kind of success or acceptance, there’s no doubt that “real” country is always happening in the margins, in clubs and coffeehouses, and on smaller labels or self-produced records.  Read more...