For the first time in Christian music history, the genre of rock is the new "pop".

AN EDITORIAL in its June issue Nashville's CCM magazine spoke about the development of Christian rock music. It said, "For the first time in Christian music's history, the genre of rock is the new 'pop'." The article by CCM's managing editor J Swartzendiuber went on to say, "In recent weeks, the top 20 of the Christian sales chart has boasted rock acts such as Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, Third Day, Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, David Crowder Band and Newsboys. Christian radio tells the same story about rock's reigning popularity. In fact, at press time, new modern rockers Building 429 lay claim to the number one single, 'Glory Defined', on both the adult contemporary and pop charts, according to Radio & Records. The historically adult-orientated AC format is also charting Tree63, Delirious?, Audio Adrenaline, Todd Agnew and Sonicflood in its top 20. The pop chart entry Building 429 is followed immediately by singles from Delirious?, Switchfoot and Todd Agnew, giving rock bands the top four songs. Only a few years ago, such artists would have only featured in the Christian rock chart. With the move of rock into the Christian music mainstream, that chart is also more progressive, its current top five boasts singles from FM Static, P.O.D., Number One gun, Seventh Day Slumber and Blindside."