Where were you 21 years ago? Me, I was in fourth grade, obsessed with all things monster anime. NewReleaseToday, then NewReleaseTuesday, was getting ready to launch. Our country had just elected George W. Bush as the new U.S. president. Also, 2001 was when 9/11, one of America's most tragic days, happened. That event was a defining moment for the country.
Where are you today? Me, I'm still in the process of growing and mastering where God wants me to be, as I juggle a new job and a blossoming love. NewReleaseToday is a thriving oasis for Christian music fans to stay up to date on their favorite artists and bands, with an annual gold-standard awards program in the We Love Awards.
Where is the U.S. today? Well, the country finds itself amidst turmoil both political and social. Events, defining moments for this genre seem to unfold daily which will be defining moments for this generation.
So many changes in such a short time in the grand scheme of history. And yet, some things haven't changed. For Christian music, while some artists and bands have come and gone since 2001, many are still working hard to make music for Christ today. Here is a look at a few of them you may know.
Skillet
In 2001, the iconic rock band Skillet was still a few years away from their big break in the mainstream. At the time, they were just a quirky little industrial Christian rock band. But, they scored a big Christian radio hit with the ballad, "You Are My Hope," as well as the rocking title track of their 2001 album, Alien Youth.
In January of 2022, Skillet released their highly anticipated album, Dominion. Many longtime fans lauded the return to an edgier and more creative sound, as well as several stylistic risks are taken throughout the record. With styles that run the gamut, like the driving rock of the title track to the somber reflectiveness of the powerful ballad, "Valley of Death," to the apocalyptic rap of "White Horse," Skillet proved to themselves that they're dominators of variety. The lead single "Surviving the Game" proved an especially appropriate anthem for today's troubled times.
Switchfoot
In 2001, Switchfoot's success was on the rise, courtesy of their 2000 album, Learning to Breathe. The title track would become one of the band's signature songs. Their subsequent 2003 album, The Beautiful Letdown, featuring "Dare You to Move," became their official breakout album.
In 2022, the band is getting ready to drop a deluxe edition of their polarizing 12th studio album, Interrobang. With new sounds that divided longtime fans, Switchfoot proved themselves more than willing to take risks. And the new tracks added to this edition show that they're still ready to push against the boundaries of whatever genre label people place them in.
Rebecca St. James
In 2001, contemporary artist Rebecca St. James was at the height of her popularity. Her then album, Transform, was a success with a number of hit songs, such as the techno-infused "Reborn." "For The Love of God" and "Don't Worry" also achieved notable success. It's hard to pin down exactly when one could say that Rebecca St. James was at the peak of her popularity. But one could make a strong case it was somewhere around this point.
Now, after nearly a decade in obscurity, Rebecca has made a welcome return to music with a full-length album, Kingdom Come. Since her hiatus, her younger brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone, from the popular band for KING & COUNTRY, have become legitimate A-list artists, garnering success in the mainstream. They join her on the rousing title track of her album, sure to prove that she belongs to a very talented musical family.
MercyMe
In 2001, the independent band MercyMe broke onto the national scene with "I Can Only Imagine," a single that would become one of the most iconic songs in Christian music history. The landmark hit inspired the movie of the same name, a biopic of how the song came to be. And, 20 years later, MercyMe is one of the most active veterans in the business, still cranking out hit after hit. Recent hits like "Almost Home" and "Say I Won't" still prove that MercyMe has yet to exhaust their well of creative potential. A revitalized full version of a song that appeared on their latest album as a demo serves as a recent single.
Steven Curtis Chapman
Well-known musician Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the kings of early contemporary Christian music. In 2001, he was one of the most likely choices to headline music festivals. In 2001, Steven released Declaration, an album with several chart-topping hits, such as "Magnificent Obsession" and the rousing "Live Out Loud."
While Steven hasn't dropped a full-length album in a few years, he's still a major presence in the Christian music industry. He recently dropped, "Still," a single sure to light up Christian radio and prove that he's still an all-time king of contemporary Christian music.
Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith, another one of the kings of Christian contemporary music, has been churning out tunes for five decades. In 2001, Michael released Worship, an acclaimed live album that began a very successful second act of his career, specializing in worship music.
Michael's recent cover of the worship hit, "Waymaker" has become one of his most successful songs. As of this writing, while many of Smith's albums have achieved various certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America, "Waymaker" is his first single to be certified gold (a cover of that song by Michael's protege Leeland also went gold as well.), proving the veteran worship leader still has what it takes to be successful.
Smith also rereleased his double platinum-certified album, Worship, for its 20th anniversary. Worship Forever was a reimagining of this album, featuring guests from back then and now, such as frequent collaborator and Christian music icon Amy Grant, and modern pop powerhouse Tauren Wells.
CeCe Winans
One of the premiere names in gospel music, CeCe Winans has been an industry staple for over 25 years. For Christian music fans familiar with the name, but less so the music, it can be surprising to see just how many gold-certified albums she's released: one of these was her 2001 self-titled album. CeCe kicked off 2021 with a new live album, Believe For It. It's great to see that she's still a powerhouse in gospel music 20 years later.
Ginny Owens
Contemporary artist Ginny Owens has been a quiet success in the industry for many years. Since releasing her debut album in 1999, Ginny is still releasing quality music to inspire fans everywhere. Undeterred by her blindness, Ginny has a soft and intimate voice that lends credibility to everything she sings. In 2001, it was music from her debut album that gave her a place on the Christian music charts. Fast forward to 2021, Ginny is still musically active with her latest studio album, Sing in the Darkness.
Newsboys
Contemporary icon band The Newsboys have been making music since the 1980s, so they were already industry veterans when 2001 rolled around. That year found them enjoying the success of their popular The Greatest Hits album, with songs like "Who" topping charts.
In 2021, the band looks very different. Vocalist Michael Tait from dc Talk fame is a decade into his tenure as frontman of the band--and he's made such an imprint. When former vocalists Peter Furler and Phil Joel returned for a hugely successful "United" tour and album a few years ago, it offered fans the chance for a sort of "all of the above" era of the band. With their 2021 album Stand, the band returned in full to the Michael Tait era and showed that the decades haven't slowed their energy one bit. They just recently dropped a rousing new single, "Jesus Did."
Passion
Passion is an Atlanta-based worship conference featuring a band comprised of some of the hugest names in contemporary worship music, such as Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall, and Crowder. With several live albums under their belt, they have been a staple in Christian music since the late '90s. In 2001, the Passion band released Chris Tomlin's "The Noise We Make" from their album, One Day. In 2020, the band released their album, Roar. No matter what era, Passion is a leader in the church band scene.
Passion's most recent single is the stirring "What He's Done." Featuring some of the regular Passion heavy-hitting vocalists, this track is sure to please and achieve success in Worship playlists everywhere.
Hillsong Worship
The many Hillsong worship bands were at the forefront of the church worship genre before they were mainstream. With a consistent output of music, one such band, Hillsong Worship, has only grown in popularity throughout the years. In 2001, they released "Your Love is Beautiful" and now in 2022, they are staying relevant with their recent release, "Fresh Wind."
J.J. Francesco is a longtime contributor to the NRT Staff. He's published the novel 'Because of Austin' and regularly seeks new ways to engage faith, life, and community. He is currently working on releasing a brand new novel.
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