Rephonic
Artwork for Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Andrew Gill and Leah Payne
Contemporary Christian Music
Christian Music
DC Talk
Teen Dance Ordinance
Mars Hill Church
Kurt Cobain
Purity Culture
Nirvana
Seattle
Evangelical Christianity
Tooth and Nail Records
Politics
Culture
Evangelicalism
Christian Bookstores
Christmas
Christian Hip Hop
John J. Thompson
Switchfoot
Carmen

Rock That Doesn’t Roll looks at how Christian music shaped the world we're living in now by telling individual stories from the peak era of the contemporary Christian music industry. In the 80s, 90s and early 2000s CCM grew into a billion dollar business that affected millions of evangelical young people. Through interviews with artists, industry players and average fans Dr. Leah Payne and Andrew ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes53Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicMusic History

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Latest Episodes

Co-host and producer Andrew Gill's day job is with Sound Opinions. He recently interviewed John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, so we're doing a feed drop here of that episode. 

To share a song pick for the Rock That Doesn't Roll Christmas Special,... more

YouTube

Please enjoy this episode from a podcast we love: When We All Get To Heaven. 

To share a song pick for the Rock That Doesn't Roll Christmas Special, call ‪(629) 204-4264‬ and leave a message. 

To join our Patreon community who make this show possib... more

YouTube

In our season three finale, we tell the full story of Steve Scott's lost records that Larry Norman produced in 1978, but never released. Moving Pictures (and its companion Close Ups) were victims of short-sighted Christian music industry executives a... more

YouTube

Todd Fadel is our guest this week. He is an individual whose life experiences defy easy categorization. He was the lead singer of a Star Wars-themed side project to Tooth and Nail grunge band Sometime Sunday. He was a worship leader at a non-traditio... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Devil and the Deep Blue SeaChristianity Today
The Holy Post
The Holy PostPhil Vischer
The Russell Moore Show
The Russell Moore ShowChristianity Today, Russell Moore
The SkyePod
The SkyePodSkye Jethani

Recent Guests

John Darnielle
Lead singer of The Mountain Goats, author and musician.
The Mountain Goats
Episode: John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats on Sound Opinions
Charles Norman
Brother of Larry Norman, known for his work in Christian rock music
Episode: Solid Rock's Great Lost Album (ft. Steve Scott and Charles Norman)
Steve Scott
Avant-garde artist and musician
Solid Rock Records
Episode: Solid Rock's Great Lost Album (ft. Steve Scott and Charles Norman)
Todd Fadel
Musician and owner of the All Ages Venue Meow Meow
Episode: The Art of Not Having an Endgame (ft. Todd Fadel)
David Dark
Cultural critic and author of Everyday Apocalypse
Episode: The Prayer Trade Apocalypse (ft. David Dark)
Gabriel Wilson
A musician with a background in Christian music and worship leading
Episode: Delirious vs Nirvana (ft. Gabriel Wilson)
Aaron Carnes
Author of In Defense of Ska and host of the podcast by the same name.
In Defense of Ska
Episode: The CCM to Ska Pipeline (ft. Aaron Carnes)
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
Musicologist and correspondent for Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Episode: Music at the Charlie Kirk Memorial (ft. David Gate and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis)
David Gate
Poet and essayist
Episode: Music at the Charlie Kirk Memorial (ft. David Gate and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis)

Hosts

Andrew Gill
Co-host and producer known for his work in music journalism and insights into the Christian rock scene.
Leah Payne
Co-host, author, and historian specializing in contemporary Christian music and its cultural significance.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 252 ratings
  • Good lord david dark

    For a guy who whines so much about capitalism you sure are desperate to sell your book

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Chaychay3939
    Canada16 days ago
  • Edit: 5 stars

    Great podcast, great people. Enjoy!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    boxofoddities2
    United Statesa month ago
  • Compassionate and cathartic

    I cannot say enough good things about this podcast. I also grew up in the Christian rock sub culture, and was deeply affected by it in many negative and positive ways. I really appreciate that the hosts of this podcast are simultaneously critical and affectionate toward the subculture they are exploring. The interviews are fantastic, and I feel like I get to make friends with the artists that formed me. If I’d known how many Christian artists were grappling with the same questions I was, I might... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kristofer_D
    United States2 months ago
  • Such a great listen

    I love this podcast! It’s very niche, for those of us who grew up in the ccm community (cult?) of the 90s and 2000s, but it’s both nostalgic and healing in many ways.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BotharMe
    United States4 months ago
  • Subversive

    I started listening to an episode about the Christian punk rock and ska era. I was so excited. It was very interesting and reminiscent. Then halfway through we started sneaking in gender ideology within the church. There’s a lot of subversive messaging in these podcasts. I was disappointed. You could almost tell by the NPR style editing that this was a potential outcome. Highly disappointed. Could’ve been great otherwise. Always sneaking sexual deviancy into Christianity. it should’ve been no sh... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Coinymccoinface
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The production quality and storytelling are praised, highlighting the thoughtful examination of the cultural implications of Christian music over the years.
Listeners appreciate the podcast's ability to reignite nostalgia for Christian music and culture from their youth, often describing it as therapeutic and relatable.
There are mixed perspectives, with some critiques focusing on perceived biases or the framing of certain historical narratives, suggesting a divide in how the content resonates with varying viewpoints on faith.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats on Sound Opinions
Q: Why do The Mountain Goats mean so much to you in your life?
The emotional resonance connects deeply with listeners, particularly their song 'This Year' which resonated during the pandemic.
Solid Rock's Great Lost Album (ft. Steve Scott and Charles Norman)
Q: How did you meet Larry Norman who produced these two albums?
I met Larry through mutual friends and eventually after exchanging songs, we began to talk about creating music together.
The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: Is there anything that you like now that fits the loose categorization of Christian music?
Chris mentions that while he does listen to some artists and albums like Little Kid's 'Transfiguration Highway', he hasn't actively sought out new Christian music recently.
The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: Did you ever find any critical art that scratched that itch?
Chris reflects on the lack of critical discourse around Christian music, sharing that he realized he enjoyed discussions that came with indie and mainstream rock, but found little equivalent in Christian rock circles.
The Discourse Meets Carman (ft. Chris DeVille)
Q: What was your growing up situation with as far as music and Christian Rock?
Chris DeVille shares that he grew up in an evangelical household where he was exposed to Christian music while also exploring secular acts. He discusses his experiences attending church and how his taste shifted towards indie rock as he grew older.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content explores the intricate relationship between contemporary Christian music (CCM) and its lasting influence on individuals and culture, particularly among evangelical communities. Through interviews with artists and industry figures, the discussions reflect on the heyday of CCM during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s while addressing its implications on personal identity, spirituality, and societal perceptions. Often interlaced with humor and nostalgia, the narratives also tackle significant themes such as purity culture and conservative politics, presenting a full spectrum of experiences related to this music genre. For anyone looking to understand the complexities and contradictions within the Christian music scene—or those seeking ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
2. The Holy Post
3. The Russell Moore Show
4. The SkyePod
5. The Esau McCaulley Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 2 years ago and published 53 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. John Darnielle
2. Charles Norman
3. Steve Scott
4. Todd Fadel
5. David Dark
6. Gabriel Wilson
7. Aaron Carnes
8. Kelsey Kramer McGinnis

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days