Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music (2024)

Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music (1)

  • By: Andrew Gill and Leah Payne
  • Podcast

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  • Summary

  • Rock That Doesn’t Roll looks at how Christian music shaped the world we're living in now by telling individual stories from the peak era of the contemporary Christian music industry. In the 80s, 90s and early 2000s CCM grew into a billion dollar business that affected millions of evangelical young people. Through interviews with artists, industry players and average fans we trace the long-lasting personal, cultural and political impact of sometimes cringe-worthy music. Expect hilarious moments and heartfelt yearning, purity culture and conservative politics- all in equal measure. Whether you’ve deconstructed, come out or renegotiated your faith, we hope you feel seen. If you’ve never given Christian music any thought beyond a punchline, we hope you’ll gain a deeper understanding of a subculture that’s shaping the world around us now.

    Content © Leah Payne and Andrew Gill. All pre-released media is used under fair use provisions.

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Episodes View all

  • Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music (3)
    The DC Talk Test (ft. Jason Kirk and Kevin T. Porter)

    Jun 19 2024

    What happened to the kids raised during the peak era of Christian rock? For insight into the state of Christian rock's late 1990s-early aughts evangelicalism you need not look any further than members of DC Talk, the pinnacle of youth group music. Their trajectory as artists and public figures roughly maps on to the trajectories of the millions of teens raised in American evangelicalism. In this episode, journalist and producer Andrew Gill (Sound Opinions) surprises historian Leah Payne (God Gave Rock and Roll to You: a History of Contemporary Christian Music) with a fan-made quiz that asks: are you a Toby Mac, a Michael Tait, or a Kevin Max? Together with two Christian rock aficionados, journalist Jason Kirk (author of Hell Is a World Without You) and comedian Kevin T. Porter (co-host of Good Christian Fun), Rock That Doesn't Roll explores the aftermath of the peak youth group band era.

    Take the quiz for yourself!

    Listen to the Hell Is a World Without You playlist on Spotify.

    Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Leave us a message at (629) 777-6336.

    If you want more seasons of Rock That Doesn’t Roll, you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr

    You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing RTDRpod@gmail.com

    Sign up for our Substack to keep up with show developments.

    Buy RTDR merch here.

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    40 mins

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  • Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music (4)
    Purity Bros (ft. Joshua Harris)

    Jun 5 2024

    Purity culture wasn’t just for youth group “purity girls.” “Purity bros” were also a part of the project! No one knows that more than Joshua Harris, a CCM fan who helped turn purity culture into an extreme sport. Together with his friend, Christian music superstar Rebecca St. James, they created media that inspired a generation of evangelicals to say no to sex outside of marriage, but also to things like dating, kissing, holding hands, and a lot of other things. In this episode, journalist and producer Andrew Gill (Sound Opinions), and historian Leah Payne (God Gave Rock and Roll to You: a History of Contemporary Christian Music) follow the story of Josh Harris, one-time icon of purity culture. Josh found that the X-games of evangelicalism included the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and eventually, a life beyond the world of purity bros and purity girls.

    Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Leave us a message at (629) 777-6336.

    RSVP for our virtual event June 11th at 6pm Central time.

    If you want more seasons of Rock That Doesn’t Roll, you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr

    You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing RTDRpod@gmail.com

    Sign up for our Substack to keep up with show developments.

    Buy RTDR merch here.

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    38 mins

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  • Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music (5)
    Purity Girls (ft. Nikki Leonti)

    May 22 2024

    In 2001, teen singing sensation Nikki Leonti was on her way to a promising Christian music career. She had two hit CCM records, and - as a pop princess who swore to refrain from premarital sex - the support of big evangelical media organizations like James Dobson’s Focus on the Family. But then, at age 18, the “purity girl” Leonti announced she was pregnant, and lost it all. With insight from author and podcaster Devi Abraham, journalist and producer Andrew Gill (Sound Opinions), and historian Leah Payne (God Gave Rock and Roll to You: a History of Contemporary Christian Music) explore how Christian music purity icons like Nikki Leonti, along with their fans, walked the tightrope of purity culture, lost their balance, and learned to put their lives back together again after they fell.

    Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Leave us a message at (629) 777-6336.

    If you want more seasons of Rock That Doesn’t Roll, you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr

    You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing RTDRpod@gmail.com

    Sign up for our Substack to keep up with show developments.

    Buy RTDR merch here.

    Show more Show less

    39 mins

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