Why, you ask? Artists like Switchfoot and Relient K have become extremely popular quite quickly. Anyone who pays attention at all knows that both bands are made up of Christians. It's no secret, right?
These aren't the artists I'm talking about. There are a lot of up-and-coming Christian acts that are gaining ground in the mainstream, but you might not know they were Christian acts unless someone who knew told you. And that's not a shot against the bands or artists by any standard, it's a simple statement of fact.
Take, for example, Underoath. A band that has grown in popularity and rivaled many a mainstream screamo act continues to gain momentum. Yet, if you were to ask someone who owns their disc, They're Only Chasing Safety, most would not know that they were a Christian band, save for the obvious line in their last track Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape, which states over and over: Jesus, I'm ready to come home. Again, that's not a shot at the band. Lyrically, they do solid work, and no one says they have to mention Jesus or God in every song to be a Christian act. Christians and non-Christians deal with a lot of the same issues, and Underoath hits a few of them, which allows them to be well-received both in the Christian realm and as a mainstream act.
Let's move on to Joy Williams. One of my personal favorites in the pop realm, Williams' latest CD, Genesis, was well-received in the Christian realm, and the lead single, Hide, headed to the top of the charts. Her next single, We, was released to the mainstream in mid-late 2005. It was well-received by many a critic, but never took off into the Top 50's and 40's. However, it did put her foot in the door, and gives her the potential for a mainstream run in the coming years of what is sure to be a very long career. Ask any one of those mainstream critics that loved the song, and they likely would not know she was a Christian artist, at least not by one single.
Lastly, let's take a look at a band that's quickly moving up the ranks in the mainstream alternative realm. Anberlin has been a strong success in the Christian realm since 2003's release, Blueprints For The Black Market. In February 2005, they released the follow-up, Never Take Friendship Personal, and again hit it big in the Christian realm. The lead single, Paperthin Hymn was one of 2005's best tracks in the Christian realm. And now, it looks to become one of 2006's best tracks in the mainstream. Paperthin Hymn is already moving up the charts. After debuting at #50 on Radio & Records' Alternative Rock chart last week (And being one of the most added tracks of the week), the track jumps up to #41 this week. It's a song and band that is quickly gaining momentum in the mainstream and could quickly become another artist well-known for being a Christian act in the mainstream. However, for the moment, ask anyone who has heard Paperthin Hymn in the past two weeks that didn't already know who Anberlin was, and they likely would not be able to tell you that they were a group of Christians.
And you know what? That's okay. A band's religious preference should not influence whether you enjoy their music or not...well, on some level. Yes, if someone's singing about having sex with eight different women in one night, it's not a song I'm likely to enjoy, because it doesn't flow with my own beliefs (This is not always the case, though, as System Of A Down is one of the most infectious bands I listen to, and their opinions on war and a slew of other things are vastly different). But if you're out there looking for only bands that are "Christian" (Or vice versa, looking for bands that aren't "Christian" at all), you're missing out on a lot of good music. The best bands out there write songs that anyone can relate to. That's what these acts are doing, and doing successfully. So check them out.