Why is “Christian Music” a separate category altogether? This may be a touchy subject, but one which I find interesting and one I just don’t understand. Okay, let’s break this down. Every name for genres of music describe the actual style of the music, rather than the content. Rap, country, rock, jazz, classical. They all refer to the style of the bands or artists in that category. Christian music on the other hand could be rock, pop, country or whatever style and still fall in the “Christian” category.

I’ve been trying and trying to think of another genre that categorizes bands based on content rather than style and I just cant think of another one. At least not on the same mainstream scale. Last time I checked they didn’t have an Amish only radio station (joke intended).

I may sound like it, but I don’t have a problem with real “Christian music” or rather “worship music”. The part I find interesting and fail to understand is why a band who has Christian beliefs gets lumped into the Christian category. What makes a band a Christian one? As soon as they mention Jesus, are they a Christian band? As I recall Brand New has a song named “Jesus” and they don’t get lumped into the genre with bands like Relient K, Hawk Nelson, Emery, and others. I’m not arguing whether it’s good or band to get that label, I’m still trying to figure out what or who determines those things.

I know there are a lot of bands that don’t want to be labeled “Christian” because that alone would cut off part of the fan base. Some people hear that about a band and won’t listen to them or won’t give them a chance based on that.

Good music is music that is honest. A band’s thoughts, opinions, and feelings on love and life will come out through the lyrics. Some people believe in God, some don’t. Some people believe in faith and hope, and some don’t. Some people like rock and some like rap.

Every year around the end of November and the beginning of December the releases start slowing down. The tours start fading out, and the music scene kind of takes a break for a bit. I, along with several other people Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m sure find myself looking at the next years release schedule and drooling over the next album from so and so.

It usually takes until February until the releases start to roll out again. Slowly you start finding more and more reasons to visit the record store come Tuesday morning. For anyone who enjoys music, and enjoys owning it legally, when April hits you know that your wallet is going to start to feel it. Thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s about the time of year bands and labels love to open the flood gates and pour out the big hits of the year.

Come 2007 I already have my eye on several releases, especially the records that are already done and have been for months. Bands like Relient K and Melee whose new albums are being primed for the masses with the early spring release, giving enough time to the marketing department to figure out how to sell these bands that hardly need it. Get songs from Melee and Relient K out there and I guarantee you sell few records. I hate waiting for these albums that I know are done and just waiting to be listened to. What can you do except wait though?

Future of Forestry is a band that I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t stop talking about and for a good reason. They bring the indie rock that will definitely have them drawing attention in 2007. Their debut full length comes out in January and I hope people donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t miss out on the amazing record â┚¬Ã…”Twilightâ┚¬?. Anberlin is another band who seems to always put out records early in the year and I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t thank them enough for that. Their third release â┚¬Ã…”Citiesâ┚¬? Comes out mid February and has already been building a nice bit of buzz for itself before ever releasing a song.

Release from Limbeck, Sherwood, Jimmy Eat World, and Cassino top my list of bands whose cd canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t come out fast enough. With the new year always comes the expectations of music for the next year and every year I know there will be cdâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s that fall short of the hopes for it, but I also know that next year I will have another list of amazing cdâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s that I just canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t live without. Hereâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s to all the new music 2007 will bring us.

What are you looking forward? Let us know