Since November 2015, when Aleteia launched our music section – named “Cecilia” for the patron saint of musicians – we have been on a mission to revolutionize the soundtrack of our culture. We have consistently promoted real artists who speak the truth, who create beautiful music, and who inspire us.
The best part about the Christian music genre is that you can find any style of music within its wide scope. In what other genre can you find folk songs, rock songs, and classical?
However, we recognize that most Christian artists rarely reach the mainstream playlists. With that in mind, and in honor of our 2-year anniversary (and in the spirit of our evangelical mission), we’ve assembled a list that includes some of the top Christian artists, as well as some up-and-comers you may have missed.
Audrey Assad – Help My Unbelief
Audrey Assad (@AudreyAssad) belongs at the top of any list of Christian artists. She has been producing high quality worship songs for the last 15 years. Her pieces are wonderful tools for prayer, often tackling some of the more difficult aspects of faith. Her music frequently sounds ethereal, making it a great assist for meditation. Assad’s newest album drops in 2018, but you can hear “Wounded Healer”, her first single from it here.
Brother Isaiah – Jacob’s Song
Brother Isaiah made headlines with this introspective acoustic track which was inspired by an encounter with a homeless man in New York City. Brother Isaiah is a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, a community that produces and promotes music from Franciscan artists as part of their very street-focused ministry. They also produced Father Tansi’s debut album.
Dana Catherine – My Savior in Me
Dana Catherine released her debut album, Glorious Horizons, in 2015. Although she is still young, this promising artist is already one of our favorites. Her voice is easy, her music is fun, and the girl knows how to write a hook. This earworm is bound to play through your head all day.
Dana wrote “My Savior in Me” on the way home from a Holy Hour. She credits her inspiration for the tune to the Holy Spirit.
Joe Zambon – O Little While
Joe Zambon (@JoeZambonMusic) has been active as a musician since 2005. He took a post working at his campus chaplaincy after college, a position he still continues to hold today. He has released 6 albums and has performed all over the world.
Joe Was born with webbed fingers on each hand. When he was three years old, doctors asked him why he wanted them separated and he answered “To play piano.” Two surgeries later he started piano lessons and never looked back.
Matt Maher – Glory
No list of Christian artists should ever be complete without Matt Maher (@MattMaherMusic). He has produced some of the most popular Christian songs of the last decade. Along with his music videos, Maher has been releasing explanation videos, to give his fans a look into his creative process and describe his inspirations.
The Mosleys – Come Back
The Mosleys are a husband-and-wife songwriting duo who got their start after winning an open mic contest. The prize was studio time, and they used it to record their first EP. Since then they have released a full length album called Ordinary Time. They have been married 16 years and are the proud parents of five young children.
RabelzTheMC – Novena
Melvin “Rabelz” Windley (@Rabelzthemc) is an independent Catholic Hip-Hop artist who is making some really modern music. As a rapper his flow is excellent and his lyrics are smart and exhibit a deep understanding about his faith. We loved how he used an organ for his beat. It gives the tune an eerie tone while keeping the imagery church-bound. Read our exclusive interview with Rabelz, here.
Father Rob Galea – Breakthrough
Father Rob Galea (@FrRobGalea) is a Catholic priest who produces the most hip Catholic music around. His music is bound to “Breakthrough” the boundaries of his genre to reach a wide audience. His hooks are hot and his background beats are so savvy that they belong on a dance floor right now.
His single “Dominoes” was especially impressive. We would not be surprised to hear it crossover into mainstream pop airplay.
Mathias Michael – Amplified
This is the title song from Mathias Michael’s latest EP. He got his start when he won “Top Talent” at the National Catholic Youth Conference. With his prize of studio time he recorded some of his songs and has been growing in popularity ever since. His folk style could compete with bands like The Lumineers or Mumford and Son. He’s @mmichaelmusic on Twitter.
Alanna Boudreau – Controlled Burn
Alanna Boudreau (@AlannaBou) is a true artist. Her lyrics are deeply introspective and it is clear that she puts a lot of time and effort into her craft. An intellectual, she loves to read and finds inspiration from authors such as Tolkien, Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Lewis, von Hildebrand, Wojtyla, and Tolstoy, to name a few.
PJ Anderson – Mercy, Mercy
PJ Anderson was woken in the middle of the night with the inspiration to write “Mercy, Mercy,” which became the title track for his fifth studio album. Two months later Pope Francis declared 2016 the Jubilee Year of Mercy and Anderson knew it was no coincidence. He performed this song at the World Youth Day in Poland. His handle is @Peejanderson on Twitter.
Luke Spehar – All is Gift
Luke Spehar (@LukeSpehar) has been writing songs since he was 16 years old. In his college years he discerned a potential call to the Catholic priesthood, a topic that inspired his second album, No Other Way. His prowess on the guitar gives his music a virtuoso feel, while his voice is perfectly suited for folk music. We expect Luke to become wildly popular in the near future.
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And today we celebrate...