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Top 25 Songs: The Cranberries – joshbalogh
The Cranberries rock! You could be forgiven for thinking them a flash in the pan 1-2 Album wonder known most for the evergreen placement of their hit songs “Dreams” and “Linger on movie soundtracks. But hey…hear ye, hear ye! I have discovered that they have a tremendous body of work, with nary a bad album…
CCM: Burn it All Down or Reform it? – joshbalogh
The future of Christian Contemporary Music is at stake. Maybe that’s too dramatic, but it certainly feels like things cannot continue with the current system. This moment in history feels like an important crossroads in CCM. Other opportunities to step up may have been missed (aka 9/11 and 2020) but this feels like another chance…
Ranking Sixpence None The Richer – joshbalogh
In my mind the band Sixpence None The Richer is best described by four words: contrast, melancholy, limbo, and expectation. First, the word Melancholy is defined as a "pensive sadness, with no discernible cause." I feel like this description aptly fits the overall tone of most of their lyrics and some of the musical stylings.…
Best 2025 Albums & Songs of Christian Music so Far… – joshbalogh
So far, 2025 has been a solid year for new music releases. Yes, I know this is technically a few weeks early of the “halfway” point but I figure most music releases don’t extend beyond Thanksgiving so I decided to roll this list out earlier than usual. These are the 40 albums and EPs that…
Broken Vessels: Can the Art Be Separated from the Artist? – joshbalogh
Picture, this your song hits the radio. You know the one—it stops you in your tracks and gets you singing along at the top of your lungs. Maybe it’s a fun road trip jam or perhaps a worship classic that centers your heart rightfully on your Savior. Then you hear the news. The writer/singer of…
2015: Ten Christian Albums Turn Ten – joshbalogh
Christian music from 2015 delivered a stellar lineup of albums. From post-hardcore epics to folk-pop gems and hip-hop game-changers, these records remain vibrant and vital. Let’s celebrate their 10-year anniversary with a countdown of 10 unforgettable albums, kicking off with a angsty rap debut. Crank the volume, and let’s revisit 2015! But first—-a few honorable…
2000: Top 25 CCM albums Turning 25 – joshbalogh
For something a little different with this retrospective list, let’s try a little crowd participation, shall we? “In the year two thouuusand!!! In the year two thousaaaaaaand! These are what I think are that Top 25 CCM Albums Celebrating a 25 year anniversary this year. However, instead of me telling you what I love about…
2015: Blurryface Ten Years Later – joshbalogh
Twenty One Pilots defines the 2010s in music for me. Blurryface is the pinnacle of their work (so far), and certainly a Top 10 album of the decade to my ears. (I currently have it rated #8 all my Favorite Albums List). Ten years ago today, on May 17, 2015, Twenty One Pilots released their…
O Christian Music Where Art Thou?: The 2020s & Beyond – joshbalogh
Christian music—-say post 2009 made me sad. Each year I looked and listened with hope for the rock guitars and creativity that seemed to abound in the 90s. What I got was more and more polished pop that sounded eerily alike, worship artists popping up left and right, and seemingly every churches worship band dropping…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: The 2010s – joshbalogh
Worship rules. Hip-hop isn’t far behind. CCM goes primarily “safe for the whole family” causing a rise in the independent artist that would only grow as the 2020s rolled around. For me, the decade was one of a cross-country move, a season of youth ministry, and parenting four young kids. I did listen to a…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: 1970 – 2019 – joshbalogh
Did Christian music as we know it start by accident? Many would say that the genre of CCM, as we know it today, started in earnest due to a commercial failure. Larry Norman’s 1969 album Upon This Rock was originally aimed at the mainstream who largely ignored it. It was re-recorded with the guitar de-emphasized, marketed toward…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: The 2000s – joshbalogh
Christian Music in the 2000s—It was the second semester of my freshman year in college, I was homesick, and failing most of my classes. I didn’t know it then, but I was depressed, unable to cope in a healthy way with all the life changes. Don’t worry, I turned it around. I got up to…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: The 1990s – joshbalogh
Was it the Golden Era of Contemporary Christian Music?! The 90s. I still earnestly think so. For Christian music I also like to call it the Youth Group Era. Overall though, the music of the decade in the mainstream was known for: Grunge. Nirvana. Disillusioned angst. Systematic inequality. Hip Hop goes mainstream. Alt rock explodes.…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: The 1980s – joshbalogh
An industry blossoms! Though CCM may have begun earnestly as a counterculture it quickly morphed into a subculture in the 80s worth big money. “Safe alternatives” for “worldly” (tongue in cheek here) secular artists became the name of the game at some point in this decade. It would take a sharper less haphazard edge with…
A Brief History of Contemporary Christian Music: The 1970s – joshbalogh
Did Christian music as we know it start by accident? Many would say that the genre of CCM, as we know it today, started in earnest due to a commercial failure. Larry Norman’s 1969 album Upon This Rock was originally aimed at the mainstream who largely ignored it. It was re-recorded with the guitar de-emphasized,…
2005: Top 20 Christian Albums – joshbalogh
Welcome to a trip down memory lane, where the year 2005 in Christian music takes center stage—a year that, for me, feels like a treasure chest of sonic nostalgia just waiting to be cracked open. As a self-proclaimed jukebox junkie, I’ve spent countless hours spinning discs from this era, and 2005 stands out as a…
Top 25: Tobymac Songs – joshbalogh
Tobymac. The man, the myth, the legend. Much can be said about his impact on the Christian music industry. Between his genre-shaking supergroup Dctalk (1987-2001*), to a Gotee record label co-founder/owner (1994-present), to a solo career still going, the man has had an undeniable impact. I mean, he’s released over 15 albums across these 24…
The Golden Era of CCM (1995 – 2005) – joshbalogh
I get it. This claim of 1995 - 2005 as the “Golden Era” of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is as likely to receive a reactionary eye roll as it is a hearty agreement. Then there’s the “why do we even have to compare eras” guy. I’m sorry, not sorry. This post just may not be…
Top 50: Twenty One Pilot Songs – joshbalogh
I don’t remember if my introduction to Twenty One Pilots was “Ode to Sleep” or “House of Gold,” but I do remember being quite impressed with both. Very catchy, eclectic, and lyrically dense. In fact, it didn’t take me long to become big fan of once their Blurryface album released a few months later in…
Top 50: Beatles Songs – joshbalogh
Not any easy list to make but here it is, my favorite fifty songs by the incomparable Beatles. I've written about their impact on the music industry and tried ranking their albums before here: How the Beatles Changed Music. What are your favorite songs? 1. "A Day In The Life" - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts…
Top 100: Relient K Songs – joshbalogh
Lets be honest, who really reads these intros anyway right?! I know you just wanna skip ahead to see if you agree/disagree with my Top 10. It’s okay, it’s likely what I would do too. Let me know what you think! P.S. in case you’re a list nerd like myself be sure to check out…
Top 100: Coldplay Songs – joshbalogh
Love them or loathe them, Coldplay has had quite a career spanning twenty plus years. Personally, I mostly love them. They have released a few of my all-time favorite albums over the last 20 years. Though I’ve been lukewarm toward their last 2-3 albums, I think they have a relatively strong catalogue, so just narrowing…
Top 20 Indie Artist You Should Know Part 2 – joshbalogh
Independent music is where all the interesting art is at. Controversial? Maybe. But at least I can say this is where many of my current favorite artists operate. I love that there is a part two of this topic. Firstly, it means there is still fantastic independent music being made since the first installment in…
100 Greatest Christian Albums of the 00s – joshbalogh
The 100 Greatest Christian Albums of the 00s. This is the decade where my musical taste continued to grow and finally found its sweet spot. The first half of the decade coincided with my college years, and I have many fond memories attached to these albums because of it. The second half held the first…
Top 12 Movies of 2024 – joshbalogh
From what I can tell, I saw 24 movies that released in 2024. I wish I could say it was a great year for film, but alas it seemed pretty average. With four kids of various ages I also see alot of kids movies, some are wonderful films, others are hard to get through. Of…
Top 20 Albums of 2024 – joshbalogh
What a fantastic year of music in 2024! Never have I had as much trouble whittling down my final Top 20 or ordering my list as I did this go around? Also, I’m sure I don’t say that every year but don’t check me on that. 😉 Anyway, I love music. I don’t feel particularly…
In Review: Dawson Hollow – Pixelated Haze – joshbalogh
Dawson Hollow, an exciting indie-folk band hailing from the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, has been steadily gaining attention for their unique fusion of musical styles like, Modern Pop, 70s R&B, Folk, and Indie Rock. Comprising five siblings, the band’s dynamic sound is driven by their ultra-tight harmonies, strong instrumentation, and a deft hand at musical…
Top 100 Songs of 2024 – joshbalogh
What a great year for new music, especially the hidden corners of the independent scene! I keep finding myself captivated by musicians operating outside of the constraints of a traditional label. In this post I’ll list my Top 50 songs of 2024 without commentary so as not to lull you to sleep. This will include…
Top 5 Books from 2024 – joshbalogh
These are my five favorite books that were newly released in 2024. 1. Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Him, Do as He Did - John Mark Comer Very pastoral and practical encouragement on the simple (but not easy) way to live out the gospel in everyday life. 2. With All It’s Teeth:…
50 Album Recommendations from 2024 – joshbalogh
These are my Top 10 album recommendations from 2024 of five different genres/categories under the Christian music umbrella. Pop/Rock, Rock/Heavy, Singer Songwriter, Hip-Hop/Rap, and Worship. I’ve ordered them alphabetically, and will be choosing my annual Top 20 albums from among this list. Also, as a bonus I have included 5 Mainstream Records and 5 EPs…
Sixpence None the Richer: We Are Love Tour – joshbalogh
Seeing 90s band Sixpence None the Richer has long been a bucket list concert for me, and one I thought I’d just never get to fulfill. Fortunately, we’re living through a great time in music history where nostalgia and reunions are in high demand. You can imagine my excitement when I heart that SNTR would…
Top 150 Favorite Albums of All-Time – joshbalogh
These are the records that made me. The ones I’ve returned to again and again over the course of my life. The Top 150 Albums of All-Time. The ones that have soundtracked the various stages and seasons, the highs and lows. Each one represents my musical taste as it evolved from middle school to present day. I…
1990: Top 10 CCM Albums – joshbalogh
I don’t have much to say about CCM albums released in 1990 from a personal experience angle. I was young and only album #2 was in my actual rotation at the time. That said, it’s a solid year for 90s CCM and my pick from #1 is definitely deserving. In fact, atleast half this list…
Top 25: Sixpence None the Richer Songs – joshbalogh
Sixpence None thr Richer has always been a favorite band since first hearing songs from their second album This Beautiful Mess in 1995. However, in the past ten years of my continued fandom I have only fallen even harder for their catalogue. Their body of work has and continues to age incredibly well. Now, they…
1991: Top 10 Christian Albums – joshbalogh
Christian music in 1991. These are the ten albums from Christian Music in 1991 that I think held up best. I’m not gonna lie, I probably wasn’t listening to any of these albums save #1 and #3. It would be until much later in my obsession that I would come to fully appreciate a majority…
Remembering Rich Mullins (1955-1997) – joshbalogh
Rich Mullins. Every year I spend September 19th remembering him and listening to his music. As a sixteen year old at the time of Rich Mullins fatal car accident I will not pretend that I appreciated him to the degree that I would later in life. I didn’t own any of his albums, and was…
1993: Top 10 Christian Albums – joshbalogh
The Top 10 Albums of every year in the 90s series is almost complete— two more to go! (1991 and 1990) We have now reached the years I was less directly impacted by at the time. (Hence a Top 10 Albums vs. 25 or 30) That is to say, I’ve come to appreciate several of…
1994: 30 Christian Albums Turn Thirty – joshbalogh
On the cusp of what I would say is the golden era of Christian Music (1994-2007), 1994 set the table nicely for a generation of CCM that would explode, expand, reach into the mainstream and then begin its fade. 1994 had some truly terrific albums that still hold up to this day thirty years later.…