Christian and “traditional” pop songs are rising on U.S. music charts, reflecting what some analysts call a broader cultural shift toward conservative values in entertainment, according to recent reports.
Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” described by Semafor as “a folksy melodramatic ballad about faith and love,” is the No. 1 song in the country and has spent 20 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Warren, a professing Catholic, also recently released the worship song “Bloodline” alongside Jelly Roll.
“Don’t you forget, God’s not done with you yet/ When it feels like you’re losing the war in your head, just know this isn’t the end/ Oh, my brother, you don’t have to follow in your bloodline,” read the lyrics.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
The song’s success is not an isolated case. Several Christian and country artists have also landed major chart placements this year.
Christian musicians Brandon Lake and Forrest Frank are among those experiencing increased mainstream visibility. Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” has been on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, and Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” recently marked its 10th week on the chart and sparked a viral TikTok trend. In May, Billboard reported the songs were the first faith-based hits to reach the Hot 100 in over a decade.
Frank, the top-ranked new artist on last year’s Billboard Christian charts, started his music career in 2017 as one-half of the secular surf-pop group Surfaces. Seven years later, he was named New Artist of the Year at this year’s GMA Dove Awards and nominated for a Grammy Award.
“Jesus is my Savior, and I’m alive when I worship Him,” he told The Christian Post of switching to Christian music. “Once I started making Christian music and worshiping Him, going back to making pop music is like air. There’s no substance in it for me personally. The fact that I get to wake up every day and worship Jesus and then just record it, and other people get to worship Jesus, too, it is so fulfilling and so life-giving, and I’m here to stay.”
According to Billboard, CCM had its biggest streams on Spotify in 2024, experiencing a 60% growth rate globally over the past five years.
“Christian music is making a serious comeback,” Billboard wrote.
Country star Morgan Wallen continues to dominate as well. His latest album, I’m the Problem, shattered streaming records in May and held the top album spot for five weeks. Wallen also has multiple songs in the Hot 100’s top 10. Artists like Thomas Rhett, Jelly Roll and Shaboozey have also found crossover success with country-pop hits.
American pop music feels “far more safe, far more traditional, and far more conservative,” pop music commentator and podcaster Sam Murphy noted.
This year’s season of “American Idol” featured multiple contestants openly discussing their Christian faith. Breanna Nix, a Christian singer and finalist on the show, recently reached the No. 1 spot on Apple’s Country chart with her single “Higher.” The song surged to the top following her third-place finish in the show’s 23rd season.
“American Idol” also aired a special three-hour Easter episode titled “Songs of Faith,” featuring gospel and worship performances by contestants and judges.
Judge Luke Bryan told Billboard magazine that Carrie Underwood, a professing Christian, has had “a little something to do with” the increased visibility of gospel and Christian music on the show.
“She’s never shied away from her spirituality and Christian beliefs, and she’s done it through music, and it’s been a part of her artistry. And the kids this year have showed [sic] up with more of that maybe than in years past, and that’s been something really, really special to watch,” Bryan said. “I’m sure she probably thinks, ‘Am I making a difference?’ but it showed this year.”
In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Grammy Award-winning artist Natalie Grant advised younger artists, especially as CCM sees increasing crossover with mainstream music, to embrace the “long road of obedience” and refrain from getting “weary of doing good,” as advised in Galatians 6.
“Don’t take the shortcut,” she said. “Stay on the long road of obedience, surround yourself with community, stay plugged into a local church. … Have people that are asking you the tough questions. None of us are built for the spotlight.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
