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Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) is a genre of popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The term is typically used to refer to the Nashville, Tennessee-based pop, rock, and worship Christian music industry, currently represented by artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, MercyMe, Michael W. Smith, Third Day, and a host of others. The industry is represented in Billboard Magazine's "Top Christian Albums" and "Hot Christian Songs" charts *, as well as the iTunes Music Store's Inspirational genre. The term "Contemporary Christian Music" originated in the 1970s in reference to the emerging pop and rock "Jesus Music", the musical outpouring of the hippie Jesus Movement of the time. Artists such as Larry Norman, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and Love Song were among the first to express their Christian faith in the form of popular music. There is also a great deal of popular music which lyrically identifies with Christianity but is not normally considered Contemporary Christian Music. For example, many underground punk and hardcore bands deal explicitly with issues of faith but are not a part of the Nashville industry (e.g., Seattle-based Tooth and Nail Records). Also, several mainstream music artists that sometimes deal with Christian themes in their work, such as Bob Dylan, U2, and Creed, fall outside of the CCM genre.
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