10 Christian Bands to Watch

As we wrap up a great year of music, it is nice to reflect. Lecrae hit #1 on the top 100 Billboard charts with his latest album “Anomaly,” Remedy Drive released “Commodity,” Needtobreathe released “Rivers in the Wasteland,” and Fit For a King released “Slave to Nothing” just to name a few of my favorite albums of the year. 2014 gave us a promising sight for the future of Christian music. Christian music used to be talked about as behind the curve when it comes to the cutting edge scene brought to us by the top artists of today. The outdated feel to Christian music has left a bitter taste in a lot of people’s mouths; but, the past few years have started to change that reputation. Peopleoffaith.com said, Christian music is “one of the fastest-growing musical genres.” In the last few years the market has spread to be the most diverse and creative market to date. So, with that in mind, there is a lot expected from the bands in the next few years, especially to capitalize on this growing reputation and success. This is why I decided to provide you all with ten artists that need to be watched in the upcoming year. The criteria for the selection of artists was as follows:

• Artists will most likely release new music in 2015.
• Artists have a unique opportunity to drastically change their status in the market.
• Artists have been very involved with fans/social media.
• Artists have a noteworthy difference in their style of music from any other artist.

10. TWENTY ONE PILOTS

To start off the countdown, Twenty One Pilots makes the number ten spot. Twenty One Pilots is a musical duo started in 2009 out of Columbus, Ohio. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun were signed to Fueled By Ramen and after four short years, they had accumulated over 350,000 followers (according to Facebook). Touring internationally, the band has created a fan base like no other. Since they have only released two albums, they are still young. Much can happen in the next few years for this band, especially when they’ve created such a strong following as fast as they have. This band hits the top ten artists to watch because their catchy beats and meaningful lyrics have a very unique style, particularly for the Christian market. The reason I couldn’t put them higher on the list was because they aren’t signed to a Christian record label, and most of their music isn’t explicitly Christian based. While I do believe they are both Christians, and they have many Christian influences in their lyrics, I wouldn’t be able to truly classify them as a Christian band. In the end, it’s up to the listener to decide whether or not a band is Christian. For me, if you can see it in the way they act and it is explicitly evident in at least some of their music, then they should be considered Christian. In any case, this band is likely to come out with a new album in 2015 that has a great chance of topping multiple charts. Make sure you keep an eye on them in the following year!

9. SOUL GLOW ACTIVATUR

If you read my previous post, you know that a lot has happened to Family Force 5 in the last year. With the departure of

NGEN Radio Show

Solomon Olds (Soul Glow Activatur), the band has started on their own new trail. This split has led to the possibility of Soul Glow starting his own career as a producer and possibly creator of his own music. Recently, Cloud Festival has added Soul Glow to the musician line up for their January festival along with DJ Promote. Also, on December 13, Soul Glow posted a short video of him in the studio working with Gawvi (music producer) and DJ Promote (can be found here). This is a likely indicator that they’re working on something for the next year. Hopefully, they are working on fresh music rather than just a live performance. Soul Glow hits this list because he has proven himself through Family Force 5 to be a fantastic creator of music that can’t be categorized. Through his Phenomenon radio show, he has proven that he can also produce top-of-the-line remixes of popular music. With this in mind, if he does in fact release his first album as a solo artist this year, I can’t help but think it will be some of the greatest music of the year!

8. COASTALRISE

What would a top ten list be without a rising artist? CoastalRise is an indie band from Philadelphia. They released their first, self-titled album in 2011 and one follow up album, “Call of the Sea” in 2013. This band is one of my favorite on the list because of their coastal influences and indie style. I first saw them live in 2013 and they had a vibe like no other artist I’ve seen. Their energy is felt through every song, and every song has a particular feeling. It’s like their album will take you on an entire journey of refreshment. You can’t help but listen to the album and feel fantastic after. With a likely new album coming to us in 2015, there is a possibility for this band to really increase their popularity. Make sure to check out this band if you’re looking for a new style of music to listen to. Follow them this year to see where the future takes them!

7. SKILLET

If you’re a fan of Christian music, it is almost impossible to miss Skillet. Skillet has been around since the 90s and has released multiple albums. Their popularity as a band didn’t come all at once. It was a slow climb to where they are today. Leader John Cooper and background vocals/guitarist/pianist Korey Cooper have been the backbone of the band throughout all these year. After “Awake” came out, Ben Kasica left and was replaced by Seth Morrison as the lead guitarist. Finally, Jen Ledger brings up the beat as one of the top female drummers of today’s music. “Awake” was the band’s best album to date. It gained the most popularity and is the most well-known of any of their albums. It was the top of their climb as musicians. With their latest release, “Rise,” we got to see a concept put together by one of the best, but it didn’t quite live up to “Awake.” As one of the greatest Christian bands to ever be made, I can’t help but expect Skillet’s next and probably close to last album to be one of their greatest works. Every band has bumps in the road, especially when you’ve been around as long as them. Expect them to bounce back here in 2015 with a masterpiece!

6. THE CLASSIC CRIME

The Classic Crime hits the list at number six. Based in Seattle, Washington, this indie rock band has a unique way of making songs grow on you more and more every time you listen to them. Their Choruses are catchy and their lyrics are meaningful. They are also very good at creating unique music videos in beautiful locations and staying in touch with their fans. Matt Mcdonald, the lead singer, also has a duet side band with his wife called Vocal Few that is absolutely fantastic. This band is widely known on the west coast and is definitely underrated. They just finished a kickstarter to make an acoustic album of some of their greatest songs. Coming from that they should jump right into making their next, full-length album in 2015. I can’t believe that this album would be anything but exceptional, so be on the lookout for this album in the next year!

5. NF

If you’re a fan of rap music, then I’m sure you’ve at least had some kind of taste of the Christian music industry’s alternative artists: Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Trip Lee, Tedashii, KB, Derek Minor, Propoganda,

Beautiful Eulogy, The Social Club, etc. But one problem with getting so involved with these top artists is we forget that there are other out there, with different styles, that are potentially just as good, if not better. NF has been in the music industry for a while, but had difficulties getting to the point of being signed by a record label. Finally, he was signed by Capitol, and released his first, self-titled EP. This EP has gained significant ground, and provided a fantastic platform for a full length album to be released in 2015. NF has extreme talent and sounds so authentic in every song. It’s easy to identify with his lyrics, so there’s no reason why he wouldn’t become one of the best Christian hip hip/rap artists out there in the future. Make sure to follow this young artist.

4. HAWK NELSON

Hawk Nelson is a well known band in the Christian music industry. In fact, over half of the bands on this top ten list are well-known; however, 2015 is a year for most of these bands to make a statement. Some of them have had trials in the past few years, whether it be a person leaving the band or a less-then par album, and are looking to bounce back. This is sort of the case for Hawk Nelson. Jason Dun, Hawk Nelson’s former lead singer, left the band after a long career that ended with the album “Crazy Love.” From here many figured that Hawk Nelson would be finished. You can’t lose your most iconic leader and expect to continue on like nothing happened, especially when you need to fill that position with someone new. Luckily, we were all surprised by Jon Steingard’s step into the lead singer’s role. While unexpected, this step actually gave a new light to the band, who were now a trio. With the release of “Made” in 2013 under the new leadership, the band exceeded expectations. While exceptionally different, people were unable to avoid falling in love with the album. With that in mind, and a great single, “Just Getting Started” released late this year, it’s exciting to see what’s in store for the future from this band.

3. RELIENT K

Relient K. There’s so much to say about this band. If you grew up a Christian in the 90’s/early 2000s, then this band is a part of your childhood. If you’ve ever gone to a Sadie Hawkin’s dance, then you’ve heard of this band. Their reputation is so big, it’s hard to picture them doing anything more that what they’ve already accomplished. In 2013 the band released their first true album since 2009. “Collapsible Lung” may have been their best artistically composed album to date, but many criticized them for losing their Christian influence in this album. One of the only Christian references in the album was, “I hope I haven’t heard the last words from the Holy Ghost.” I agree, I hope you haven’t. This album should have received much more praise then it did, but because of the lack of Christian influence, many people gave up on this album so quickly. In 2014, Relient K’s album “Mmhmm” had its ten year anniversary. Many people believe this was the band’s best album. The band went on a anniversary tour for this album. It felt like the band was able to revive their old selves during this tour. It would be fantastic to see their influence from their old albums be put into the talent they have today to make one of the best albums Christian music has see. Let’s hope this can all come together in 2015. I like to think of every Relient K album as high risk, high reward. Let’s hope to see the perfect album this year.

2. RED

Red has a long story as a band. Through popular and less popular albums, the band has changed their style a lot. I would like to think that they have finally found their sound in their last few albums. In the past few years they have been headlining tours and playing as one of the top bands at Christian music festivals. While the road has been long for this band, they should now, without a doubt, be considered one of the best bands Christian music has to offer. There has been some short clips of the band in the studio working on their next full length album, and it sounds nothing short of amazing. The reason Red hits the number 2 spot on this list of the top ten artists to watch is because it sounds like they have truly found their sound and seen their success in the past few years. Usually when an artist has hit the highest peak they’ve ever been to, they like to stretch themselves even more. This could mean some completely new sound from Red that could truly be fantastic. This band has also always done a great job of staying in touch with their fans through “ask me anything” periods. They’ve also done a fantastic job of promoting their album through top-of-the-line music videos that actually tell exceptional stories. Follow Red if you don’t already to see some great music released in 2015.

1. MAT KEARNEY

Topping our list is the solo artist Mat Kearney. Mat Kearney is an absolutely exceptional artist who has taken a break since 2011 successful album, “Young Love.” Its easy to say Mat Kearney is one of the best, if not the best solo artist in the Christian industry. He is the one I believe should without a doubt be in the mix with the top 100 artists in the secular market. His music is like no other artist. His unique refreshing vibes make a person feel free from every problem they have. When you listen to his music it’s like you take a moment, the world stops, and you can just enjoy the beauty God has given us. With this four year break between albums, it should be true that this album will contain a lot of good music. It’s impossible for a talented artist of this caliber to go this long without writing music; so, I’m sure there were more than enough song options for this next album. This adds to the quality of this album because there are more songs to choose from, making only the top song come to the listeners. So many of the best albums have come after artists have taken a long break, and I believe the same will happen for Mat Kearney’s next album. He has released two singles, “Heartbeat” and “Just Kids,” and both are truly unique, inspirational, and possibly his greatest work to date. It is likely, if the rest of the songs on the album are at the same level, this album will push Mat Kearney to really break through in the secular market. This could also come from his widely known single “Coming Home,” which talked about Eugene Oregon. Without a doubt, everyone should be watching this artists to see what kind of masterpiece he puts out in the next year!

I hope this list of top ten artists to watch has been helpful to you. If you’re looking for new music this next year, then this is a great place to start. If you want to fin more artists like these or more artists that are similar to others you enjoy, be sure to leave a comment. If you have any suggestions for other artists people should check out or anything you’d like to add about these artists, again, be sure to leave a comment. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow the blog to get more information on the behind the scenes of the Christian music industry!