Books

Looking for more information on contemporary Christian music?  Here are a few books that you may find both informative and enjoyable to read:

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (Recent Releases)by Mark Allan Powell could well be called the "bible" of contemporary Christian music.  With 1,088 pages packed with interesting essays about nearly two thousand different artists, this is the most comprehensive resource about Christian music to date.  Each entry also provides band-member lists, complete discographies, list of awards, biographies, and album reviews.  If you could only have one resource in your library, this would be it! 

Hot Hits: Ac Charts 1978-2001 by Jeffrey Lee Brothers is a must-have for all serious chart watchers.  Every song that appeared on the CCM Adult Contemporary charts from 1978-2001 is listed in an easy to read format.  Chart debut date, peek position and weeks on the chart are given along with the songwriter(s), label and artist bios. 

100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music: The Stories Behind the Music that Changed Our Lives Forever by Tori Taff and the editorial staff of CCM magazine is an excellent coffee table book.  It is a colorful, glossy, picture-filled book that chronicles the history of Christian music one song at a time.  While many will debate the inclusion or exclusion of individual songs, the book as a whole covers many of the "classics". 

The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music by Barry Alfonso is a scaled back version of Mark Allan Powell's work.  This book includes a detailed critical history of Contemporary Christian music and some key artist interviews.  The bulk of the book provides biographical information about many of Christian music's top artists.