Religious » Contemporary Christian » Alternative CCM

Alternative Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is musically similar to adult alternative pop/rock -- namely, it is a pleasantly mellow variation on '80s jangle pop -- but lyrically, it often concerns religious matters. Alternative CCM appeared in the mid-'90s, after alternative music entered the mainstream following the success of R.E.M., Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. In 1995, Jars of Clay were the first alternative CCM group to make significant inroads in the secular charts.