God Gave Rock and Roll to You

Reported By: Kate Mack

Photo From: drleahpayne.com

“God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music,” written by Leah Payne, associate professor of American Religious History at Portland Seminary, explores how music and the American marketplace have affected Christianity in America. With the rise of rock and roll music in the 1950s and 1960s, many Christians were against this form of music. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, Christians began to take a stand in the music world. Throughout her book, Payne explains how the “Jesus Movement” was a short-lived revival, but it allowed Contemporary Christian music (CCM) to create a vibrant subculture that continues to affect the Christian religion to this day. 

Payne argues that CCM was one of the most profitable evangelical industries in the 20th century. As described in her book, by the 1980s and 1990s CCM had grown into a multimillion-dollar industry and was reaching people around the world. Payne shows how CCM artists were reaching into secular music arenas by appearing on Top 40 Radio, and artists like Amy Grant were even breaking through the secular barrier and entering mainstream media. 

Payne’s process for writing this book was extremely organized. “I listened to the top CCM charts from 1978-2023, interviewed dozens of journalists, artists, distributors, record company executives, Christian bookstore owners, and other industry experts,” Payne said. After creating a survey in 2020 titled, “Contemporary Christian Music: A Survey,” Payne was able to collect statistics from people who listened to CCM, including when they began to listen, who their favorite and least favorite artists were, and how CCM has shaped their identity. After sending out the survey, Payne said, “I had hoped to collect somewhere between fifty and a hundred responses, but I was soon overwhelmed. As of 2024, more than 1,200 CCM listeners from more than a dozen countries have participated in the survey.” 

Payne’s book did not shy away from controversy. With CCM touching on subjects from abortion to war to AIDS, Payne described this music as a way to discuss relevant topics. This has allowed both artists and listeners to feel connected and heard when listening to and discussing their music choices. 

Payne’s book explains how Christians and non-Christians are impacted by what they listen to and what they support. By delving deep into these questions, Payne sheds new light on CCM and how it has shaped the modern view of Christianity. Payne said that those who are thinking about writing a book, especially one in the same vein as hers, should surround themselves with supportive writers and friends who can cheer them on. 

“I hope that Christians who read this book can gain insight and be able to reflect on how they are shaped by mass media - things like music, television, film, streaming technology,” she said.