Christian rock (occasionally abbreviated CR) is a form of rock music played by bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the concept of the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands. Much Christian rock music has ties to the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) scene, while other bands are independent. The Christian rock genre is most popular in the United States, although some Christian bands have worldwide popularity. Related subgenres of Christian music include Christian alternative rock music, Christian metal, Contemporary Christian Music and Christian punk.
The 1990s saw an explosion of Christian rock music, heavily inspired by the success of U2, as well as by the musical style of grunge bands such as Pearl Jam and Nirvana (which were not Christian bands). Other influences were Death Cab for Cutie and some of the Indie rock scene, along with some Britpop influence, especially from Oasis[citation needed]. Many of the popular '90s Christian rock music bands were initially identified as Christian alternative rock, including dc Talk, Newsboys, Jars of Clay, Audio Adrenaline, and others. Outside anglophone countries, bands like Oficina G3 (Brazil), Rescate (Argentina) and The Kry (Quebec, Canada), have achieved considerable success. Some also incorporated rap, punk or heavy metal.
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the demise of Creed and the success of Christian-inspired nu-metal and metalcore acts like P.O.D. and Underoath saw a shift in the Christian rock music scene.
