Author CCM Magazine Staff

Ever wondered what artist development looks like from the perspective of a major label A&R rep? How do they define a true artist versus simply a great musician? Maybe you're just curious about the role of A&R in the label system...Take a revealing look inside the mind of an A&R rep from one of...

Official Rules

We tend to be in "highlight" mode lately. After all, a brand new year is approaching and overflowing with new opportunities for independent artists. To gear up for 2012, we recap some of the most important topics we've discussed with Michael Blanton throughout 2011. Should you invest in a manager...

Life has a way of "smoothing out the edges", of using our struggles to shape our hearts. As artists we have to be faithful to create in the middle of the chaos, to be communicate honestly through the pain and unknown. Before you know it, your lyrics take on more depth, your melodies seem more...

Every once in awhile you come across a musician that has an uncanny ability to create a sound so unique that is not only could cross genres but also attract an audience with varied tastes, ages, and backgrounds. Multiply that by five and you get Fades Away, a worship hard rock band formed by...

As an artist, one of the greatest struggles is determining how to get noticed by the right people in the music industry--and the reputation A&R has earned for itself is true: earning the attention of a label's artist development representative is an enormous task. However, there is a light...

Like CCM Indie on Facebook for a chance to win two Stephen Curtis Chapman tickets, a 4-CD set of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (plus bonus DVD), OR one free advertisement for you or your band in our New Music Exclusive!

Amethyst Heart is a Christian rock band from Northern Virginia with a mission to bring a positive message of hope to a lost and dying world. We are influenced by our love of the classic rock of the 70's, the hair metal bands of the 80's, and the alternative rock bands of the 90's.

Judy Edwards takes an in-depth look at Matthew West's hit "Heart of Christmas".

Each songwriter is given a different set of spiritual gifts. Read on as Krissy Nordhoff (writer of Natalie Grant's Your Great Name) explores why songwriting can be the best delivery method for your unique gifts.