I read a book about a year ago called The Long Tail. The author studied trends in both the music and film industries and it got me thinking about both.
Having a background in the music industry I can speak in to it from a more educated standpoint. As I listened to and thought about some of the great songs and artists in history one common thread I noticed is that of artistry. They were all leaders and change agents in their own right. Names like Nirvana, Metallica, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Jackson, while yes older names, all changed the landscape of music and the status quo. Even in Christian music names like DC Talk, Amy Grant, and even now Hillsong have created something new and different, and the industry was changed because of them.
My question is, where are todays artists? The people who are coming in with fresh new ideas and are going to change the face of music.
As of late I have been on a search for something new and exciting in Christian music especially. Unfortunately Christian music, like the church, tends to be about 10+ years behind. I live in Dallas, home of KLTY which at one point set the standard for new upcoming Christian music. At the time they were led by a friend of mine named Jon Rivers who is a man who is a true artist himself that happens to be a radio personality, and because of Jon the industry was changed. After Jon left KLTY has gone through a phase of a lot of advertising and a whole lot of nothing interesting. Bring back the artists…
Artists change things and refuse to accept the status quo. They don’t do it for huge profit margins or record sales numbers. They do it because it’s inside them and they have to get it out.
Hillsong radically changed the face and sound of todays praise and worship market. We should celebrate what they have done. The problem is that in celebrating them too many other organizations have copied them and not put out their own artistry and voice.
I believe there is a huge disconnect in the understanding of the worlds of talent and of artistry in the church world. I have worked side by side with people who are great artists and people who are great talents…and you need both.
Talented people have an extraordinary gift in a given area. For some it’s singing, for some it’s an instrument, for some it might be technical such as lighting or audio. They have a talent for their craft. They do it and do it well.
Artists are those, however, with something to say…something to add to the conversation….something that changes our ways of thinking. Artists almost always have some extraordinary talent, but talented people do not always have artistry. I think too many people in Christian music and the church don’t understand this and it’s a big reason why music and the arts have gotten watered down in recent years.
One of the first artists I worked with when I broke in to the touring market was one of THE FIRST Christian artists (actually one of the first artists period) to use interactive video inside a concert tour. He changed the market. Now almost all artists look to take out interactive video with their shows. He was a game changer.
When was the last time you heard a song that revolutionized your life in Christian music or church? When was the last time the churches or Christian tours led the way in technology? There are a few out there….Northpoint in Atlanta, Willow Creek in Chicago, Life Church in Oklahoma, Hillsong in Australia….but by in large where are the trend setters? The people who are tired of the status quo? Sure we have heard some good performers, but who is changing the game? Who is challenging us? Have we really become a society of cheap knock offs whose highest aspiration is to be just like Hillsong? Hillsong is incredible and should be celebrated. What do you bring to the conversation?
I could go on about this for a long time, but I will wrap with asking the question….where are the artists and leaders who are going to lead us in to the next 20 years? There’s lots of talent….where are the artists?
