Christian electronic dance music

Christian electronic dance music, also known as CEDM, Christian EDM, Christian dance music, CDM, or Christian electronic music is a genre of electronic dance music and Christian music. Its musical styles closely mirror non-Christian EDM; however, the CEDM culture's lack of drug use and emphasis on positive lyrics (often focused on Christianity-based principles) distinguish it from non-religious counterparts. EDM.com wrote "the [CEDM] culture can feel quite welcoming."^[1] Many live concerts and events have been held in Christian churches^[2][3] in addition to traditional venues such as Lumination,^[4] Creation Festival and LifeLight Music Festival.^[5] CEDM has also been incorporated into some Christian worship routines.^[6][7][8]

CEDM
Stylistic origins	Contemporary Christian music EDM gospel music Christian hip hop dubstep trap house trance drum and bass techno hardstyle chiptune
Cultural origins	Early 2000s, US
Typical instruments	Computer synthesizer sequencer vocals drum machine digital audio workstation

Popular figures

 

CEDM band G-Powered performing live in 2010.

During the late 2000s and early 2010s several Christian electronic artists rose to prominence in Christian music and general popular music, those include G-Powered, Owl City, Kye Kye, & David Pataconi.^[9][10] Other mainstay artists in the genre include Capital Kings, LZ7, DJ Flubbel,^[11] Gawvi,^[12] Hillsong Young & Free,^[13] Andy Hunter^[14] LE37,^[15] NONAH,^[16] Ocean Avenue,^[17] Oiwolf,^[18] Matthew Parker, Bryson Price,^[19] Re5a,^[18] Red Letter Hymnal,^[20] Reyer,^[21] Tony Foxx,^[22] and Transform DJs.^[23]

CEDM also includes other subgenres included in EDM, such as dubstep, techno, deep house and trance.^[24] There also is a perception of genre-blending between CEDM and Contemporary Christian music.^[25][26][27] A significant number of artists from this genre tend not to reference themselves as solely Christian music due the crossover with other genres,.^[9][10] There also is a perception of genre-blending between CEDM and Contemporary Christian music, such as Christian hip-hop musicians Andy Mineo, Lecrae, and Kanye West.^[25][26][28]

Reception

In September 2014, Hallels.com conducted an interview with CEDM artist Matthew Parker, and claimed that some in the Christian community deem dance music as, "music of the devil", to which Parker replied, "I don't believe any rhythms, melodies, chords, or harmonies are inherently evil and belong to the devil. Frankly, I think that's stupid."^[29]

Zurich Lewis of the Biola University Chimes wrote an article aimed at Christians distinguishing the harmful elements of the EDM culture (such as drug use) from the musical style of the genre itself.^[30]

In 2014, Matt Shea of Noisey wrote a tongue-in-cheek blog post, saying "Nay, the Lord has spoken, and he has done so through womps...Hallelujah!"^[31]

Radio

Usually broadcast on Christian radio broadcasts- such as the Effect Radio Network, additionally, there is one Major FM Radio Station, Victory 91.5 FM in Atlanta, and a slew of smallerinternet radio stations that specifically broadcast CEDM, such as Radio U Fusion: EDM,^[32][33] NRT Radio Remix,^[34] God's DJs,^[35] URLive, and GLOW.^{[36][37][38][better source needed]} NRT Radio and David Thulin partnered to create a CEDM radio show, The Reconstruction, which seeks to promote Christian EDM.^[39]

References

1. . EDM.com. September 27, 2014. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
2. "Clarendon Church to Host 'EDM' Show". ARLnow.com – Arlington, Va. Local News. October 15, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
3. "Deuteronomy meets Deadmau5 as church DJs seek exaltation". Washington Post. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
4. Saptarang. "Lumination Music Fest". Lumination Music Fest. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
5. Jones, Gabriel (September 16, 2015). "Talking to the Capital Kings". decentchristiantalk. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
6. "Why are millennials flocking to Toronto's C3 church? | Toronto Star". thestar.com. April 28, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
7. "Wait Upon the Drop". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
8. "ABOUT". fearlessbnd.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
9. Frochtzwajg, Jonathan (January 22, 2014). "Do Portland-area electro-pop act Kye Kye a favor: never call them a Christian band". Oregon Live. The Oregonian. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
10. Vivaldo, Josephine (June 25, 2011). "Interview: Owl City's Adam Young and His God-Inspired Music". Christian Post. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
11. CCMFocus, Artikelen. "Ontwikkelingen binnen de Christelijke dance muziek". CCMFocus. Admin. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
12. "Exclusive Interview with Rising EDM Artist Gawvi | The Smoke Signal". April 13, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
13. PH, One Music. "Hillsong Releases New Album for the Youth". One Music PH. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
14. "Hillsong Young & Free and the World of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) - chvnradio.com". www.chvnradio.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
15. "LE37 Songview for ASCAP and BMI". BMI. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
16. "NONAH – Alive (CEDM)". ChristianDance.eu. August 14, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
17. "EDM Artist Ocean Avenue to Release 'Paradise' ft. Serena Sun". ccmmagazine. May 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
18. Shea, Matt (February 18, 2013). "Christian Dubstep Is Kind Of a Big Deal". VICE. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
19. W, Chris. "Bryson Price". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
20. "🎧 EDM and Christian Music – It can be done well... – TheOverflow.com: Streaming Christian Music". TheOverflow.com: Streaming Christian Music. January 17, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
21. "Reyer". IntelliChristian! Music. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
22. "DJ Flubbel Albums :: NoiseTrade :: Paste Magazine". Paste Magazine. May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
23. Hatmaker, Julia (June 27, 2014). "This is what a Christian rave looks like: Creation 2014". pennlive. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
24. "CEDM: Discover New Christian Electronic Dance Music Songs". EDM Sauce. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
25. ""God's Great Dance Floor," Or, Why You Don't Need Ecstasy to Have an Ecstatic Good Time". Ethnomusicology Review. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
26. "Not Your Mother's Christian Playlist". Odyssey. May 3, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
27. "Winter Jam 2016: Crowder headlines annual Christian music tour". Spokesman.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
28. "Winter Jam 2016: Crowder headlines annual Christian music tour". Spokesman.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
29. Hallels (October 2, 2014). "Christian EDM Artist Matthew Parker Talks with Hallels About His New Album "Shadowlands" : Exclusives : Hallels". www.hallels.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
30. "Engaging electronic dance music culture". The Chimes | Biola University. April 29, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
31. "Christian Dubstep Is Kind of a Big Deal | NOISEY". NOISEY. February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
32. "RadioU | Fusion". radiou.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
33. "Listen to RadioU Fusion: EDM on TuneIn". TuneIn. Retrieved June 9, 2017.^{[permanent dead link]}
34. "NRT Radio Remix, Christian Online Radio, Dance, Electronic, EDM, Christian EDM | NRT Radio Network". www.streamlicensing.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
35. . www.godsdjs.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
36. . Archived from the original on September 9, 2016.
37. . September 9, 2016. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
38. . November 16, 2016. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
39. "Christian Dance: From 'Worship Trance' to Daft Punk – Attack Magazine". Attack Magazine. May 6, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2017.