Yesterday I received an email from a reader named Mary.
Here’s what it said:
You obviously love music and I do too, I just haven’t really listened to Christian music since Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Carman were practically my only choices. I’m a huge fan of country music and that’s pretty much all I own. I would really love to find some good Christian music to listen to though, I’ve been very convicted lately about what enters my heart through my ears and eyes, and I’m hoping you can help.
Here is the question:
If you had to choose 10 cd’s to take on a cross country road trip (no more than 10!) what would you choose?
Thanks so much!
Oh, Mary – you’re exactly right. I’m slightly obsessed with the music. And about five years ago I really got convicted that I needed to pay more attention to what I was listening to. I still listen to a wide variety of stuff – I like all sorts of music and find it difficult to listen to any one genre exclusively – but I have to say that listening to Christian music on a regular basis has had a huge – HUGE – impact on my thought life.
Also: thanks for the reminder about Carman. Took me right back to youth group circa 1987. Good times.
Anyway, here are the first ten CDs that I thought of when I read your email:
Pages
Alive Forever
The Best of Passion (So Far)
God Speaking
Glory Revealed
A Grateful People
The Twenty-First Time
Tell Me What You Know
Recollection: The Best of Nichole Nordeman
So Far: The Acoustic Sessions
So those are my ten. Until I think of the next ten. And since I’m a huge believer that we shouldn’t let the old hymns fall by the wayside, I’d also suggest having a couple of CDs that feature hymns. Here are two of my favorites:
Greatest Hymns
Hymned No. 1
Not to mention that there is one more CD we should all own because IT IS A CLASSIC, PEOPLE and never goes out of style:
Amy Grant: The Collection
Which brings us to thirteen CDs. There you have it. I did the best I could, Mary.
Finally.
I will also tell you that I’ve been listening to the latest Third Day CD for the last few days, and it is EXCELLENT. It’s called Revelation, and I actually have ten (TEN!) of them to share with you, the internets.
So if you’d like to win one of the new Third Day CDs, leave a comment that tells me your favorite road-trip CD. Doesn’t have to be Christian music – any kind of music will do.
Happy 4th, y’all!
This giveaway is now closed.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Third Day is actually my favorite Christian group of all time. My whole family loves their “Offerings II” cd. We know almost all the songs by heart and since I always drive, my husband and daughters play air guitar and drums during a couple of the songs!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
christian music–jars of clay (the one with “flood” and “love song for a savior”).
anything casting crowns!!
other music–the outfield (“stay the night but keep it under cover…”, the indigo girls (“closer to fine…”), and old drivin n cryin get me singing out loud on a trip!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
gotta be the old, old, old Amy Grant
or the new, new, new Kenny Chesney
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
My favorite road trip cd is the WOW the 90s collection. So nostalgic!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I love Amy Grant. I could sing to her songs all day. :) Also love 3rd Day.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Oh yes, that Amy Grant Collection CD will make your heart soar, won’t it. SOAR LIKE THE WIND. My favorite gift to give friends who are down and in need of a little soul revival. :)
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I can’t leave the house without a David Crowder CD. Also lately I’ve gone back to the first Enter the Worship Circle CD. it’s great! and of course, I’m a fan of 3rd Day!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
It depends on the trip; since we’re going to the beach this weekend it’s probably Jimmy Buffet.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
David Crowder Band & Alabama!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Home by Collective Soul
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Totally David Crowder Band. And/or Tim McGraw.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I always make a mix CD to travel with upbeat music. I thelps to keep me awake!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Chris Rice, Living Room Sessions, Christian music, just piano. That CD convinced me to buy the book and take piano lessons again. A wonderful CD.
Gina
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I love, love, love the needtobreathe CD, The Heat.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
How about my favorite HOLIDAY road trip CDs? All of Amy Grant’s Christmas CDs but especially the first two. Oh, they take me back to the good old days, driving 200 miles, in the dark, to my Grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
I miss that.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Neil Diamond Greatest Hits Vol 1 and 2. I am such a geek.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Greatest hits!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
This world without music would be torment for me!!!
I love it!
Any cd by any of these:
CASTING CROWNS ( Mark Hall is amazing!)
THIRD DAY (Mac Powell is my son’s hero)
DAVID CROWDER BAND (Talk about worship)
CHRIS RICE (this guy can write lyrics)
CHRIS TOMLIN (oooh the worship)
NICOLE NORDEMAN (can you say QUEEN?)
TOBY MAC (make you screamsing he rocks)
LEELAND (this is one talented dude/band)
NATALIE GRANT (beautiful inside/out)
FFH (these people make my heart sing)
I could go on and on…..
GOOOOOO BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!!
LISTEN AND LOVE!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Wow, this is hard. Really hard to narrow it down to one – so I won’t really try that hard!
I love BarlowGirl, especially their debut album. And Casting Crowns. And Third Day.
My kind of off-beat pick would be Lone Justice – an 80′s alternative Christian band. I love the vocals and the lyrics.
I’d better stop or I’m going to go crazy.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Oh me too me too. I am hooked…..
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Hyperstatic Union! Very funky, Stevie Wonderish.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
jodee messina. heads carolina, tails california, dude.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Great list! Also I just had to say how totally jealous I am of you listening to the Third Day CD! I bet it’s good. ~:-D
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I love Bebo Norman for the long car trips.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Nichole Nordeman is my favorite — oh, and then there’s Point of Grace, Third Day and Casting Crowns. Oh why would you limit it to one cd? Or even 10? Get a MP3 player and load that baby up!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Can’t gon on a roadtrip without my praise and worship cd’s from what we sing in church!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
I love Nichole Nordeman.
Not Christian, but Kasey Chambers makes great road music.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
right now all me and my bunch listens to is the David Cook cd we made by d/l his studio performances off Itunes. xoxo melzie
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
My most recent favorite is “Conversations” by Sara Groves, but I would also take along her other two CDs “Past the Wishing” and “Add to the Beauty”. I guess I’d put together a compilation CD for the road.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I love me some Chris Rice and Keith Urban. I also LOVE the hymns CD by Selah…great stuff!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
A Night In Rocketown – it is a Live recording of all of the artists that were on the Rocketown label at the time:
Michael W. Smith, Ginny Owens, Chris Rice, Cindy Morgan, Watermark …. etc…. in concert.
How could you POSSIBLY go wrong with that?!?!?!?!
PLEASE pick me for the CD!!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Acapella – Set Me Free
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
hey! my favorite road trip cd( that’s a hard one) is anything by Sara Groves. She’s my absolute favorite.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
My husband and I love canadian artist Sam Roberts!
And Keith Urban is great too :)
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I am going to cheat–My favorite road trip CD is a mix I put together of songs I’ve downloaded. It’s everything from worship songs and modern hymns to more upbeat Christian music. Love it!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
David Crowder Band’s A Collision – perfect road trip music!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Probably, I’d have to say:
Toby Mac – Portable Sounds
David Crowder – A Beautiful Collision
Phil Wickham – Cannons
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Since being at Deeper Still this wknd, Mandisa is the CD of choice with Kirk Franklin’s Hero being second. Of course, if the boys are in the car with me we must listen to “Dive” by Steven Curtis Chapman. My husband said they listened to it at least 28 times while I was in Atlanta. I just replied “Welcome to my world.”
I was so excited to meet you during lunch at Deeper Still Saturday. I was so nervous for some silly reason but it was definitely nice to meet you. The wknd was ssssooooo awesome, I feel changed for good.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
My favorite roadtrip CD is one I made myself, with a mix of country, MoTown, jazz, worship music, and contemporary Christian. You could call me a music nut too. :)
Angela
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Oh how fun!!! We like to switch up genre’s too….Here’s mine. NOT dh’s. MINE.
Alison Krauss
ABBA Greatest Hits
Caedmon’s Call
Chris Rice
Chris Tomlin
Hillsong United – I Heart Revolution (my newest)
Jack Johnson
Journey Greatest Hits
Martina McBride
Over the Rhine
That’s just the beginning…
Oh…finally listened to your last podcast yesterday in the mri waiting room. Was DYING laughing. I am so fixin’ to look up Tony Orlando and Dawn and see what Thelma looks like now.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Currently, I always make sure I have plenty of David Crowder & the Glory Revealed CD.
As far as secular, I gotta have some Eagles and Steve Miller Band (greatest hits).
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Just one CD…hmmmm…Are you sure I can’t take my iPod? I guess it would be one of my Jami Smith CD’s. However, I could just as easily take some Third Day, Casting Crowns, Selah, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, etc.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Favorite road trip CD has to my Barenaked Laides Greatest Hits. Their songs are about total nonsense–and they are so fun! Perfect for a road trip!
OK…come on number generator…help Kelley win that little CD. Do I need to send the number generator people some monster cookies or something? : )
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
BooMama – Seriously – only one cd. Like you, my list just grows and grows. We actually have very similar music likes – so I will add another to your list “Hymns Ancient and Modern” that was released by Passion. I love throwing that one in on a good long ride!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Anything by Jon Bon Jovi
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I’m so out of touch with actual albums that I don’t think I can name one, but I love oldies and Christian music. Third Day has some great music.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
It would definitely be Casting Crowns ‘The Alter and the Door’ I absolutely LOVE it and I was blessed to see them in concert not long ago.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Keith Urban
Kenny Chesney
Jason Aldean
Taylor Swift
Hannah Montana
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
What I have to listen to:
Music Machine
What I’d choose to listen to:
Paul Brandt
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Casting Crowns, I think it’s called “The Altar and The Door” Not sure about that though. I don’t pay attention to details (like titles)! :)
LOVE IT!
But it doesn’t matter. ANYTHING by Casting Crowns is wonderful!