To embrace the future, we must first discover the past. Although Contemporary Christian Music as we know it is still on the rise, the Christian music industry has a deep and rich decades-long history. Whether you listened to Petra as a child or grew up on Chris Tomlin, Christian music has birthed many memorable artists and bands. Every week, we want to take you on a trip down memory lane as we reminisce about some of the most influential albums to have ever touched our ears.

A BANNER YEAR
2006 was a big year for music, so big that it's almost impossible to go a week without mentioning yet another beloved Christian album from a decade ago. For this week's installment, I wanted to highlight three special releases from 2006 that capture the essence of what 2006 was about.

First up is a light-hearted side project from Trevor McNevan, frontman of Canadian rockers Thousand Foot Krutch. By 2006, FM Static had been around for three years and already had put out a successful album in 2003's What Are You Waiting For?. 

With the release of Critically Ashamed three years later, the duo of McNevan and fellow TFK-er Steve Augustine hit their sweet spot, greatly improving upon what initially made FM Static such a fun break from the heaviness and seriousness of Thousand Foot Krutch: their timeless ability to capture the painfully awkward experience of growing up as a teenager in America.

Packed to the brim with tongue-in-cheek pop culture references and stories of heartsick first crushes, Critically Ashamed is a blast to listen to, but still has its fair share of somber moments. "Tonight" paints a touching and hopeful picture of love, loss, and grief that still resonates with fans over ten years later, while "Waste of Time", the album's lead single, is a vulnerable look into the confusion of discovering one's own faith.

That same week, Showbread put out their much-ballyhooed album Age of Reptiles, a departure from the hardcore screaming the band was known for, instead focusing more on catchy melodies and electronic elements. I was never a huge Showbread fan myself, but I did enjoy staying up into the wee hours of the night to catch the video for "Oh, Emetophobia!" on the late night music video programs. I'm not going to explain what emetophobia is, but if you're feeling brave, feel free to look it up. Either way, be sure to check out the video attached below.
 
HELLO, GOODBYE
How does one of the biggest bands in Christian music history say goodbye? By going out in a blaze of glory.

Audio Adrenaline stunned the world in 2006 when they announced that they would be disbanding due to ongoing vocal issues with lead singer Mark Stuart. However, the group didn't let this get them down, instead choosing to finish their career on a high note by releasing a compilation album of fan-favorite songs that same year called Adios: The Greatest Hits.

Adios was a bittersweet farewell for the band that "once opened for DC Talk," but the addition of two new songs--"Goodbye" and "Blaze of Glory"--helped soften the blow. Included in the compilation were legendary Audio Adrenaline songs spanning the band's first eight albums such as "Big House", "Never Gonna Be As Big As Jesus", "Get Down", "Hands and Feet", and "Ocean Floor." Though Stuart was done, the band wasn't, as Audio Adrenaline would return again in 2012 and is on its third lead singer since the relaunch. If you want a taste of the current Audio A, check out our review of Sound of the Saints here.
 
Speaking of lead singer changes, it's hard to believe it's been exactly two years since Family Force 5 frontman Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds stepped down, passing the vocal duties to younger brother Jacob "Crouton" Olds. Time Stands Still was a fresh start for the fivesome as they signed to Word Records and added new member Teddy "Hollywood" Boldt to the line-up. 

The album, which released on Aug. 5, 2014, was an foray into an amalgam of different genres from worship to pop to hip-hop to rock, all while never losing the signature Family Force 5 quirkiness that fans had come to know and love. The transition between singers was seamless, and the Crouton era began. 

I would argue that the best thing to come from Time Stands Still was the music video for "BZRK"--another stellar and hilarious entry in a long list of classic Family Force 5 videos. After that, if you're in the mood for more Family Force 5 goodness, be sure to check out the video-game inspired video for "Sweep The Leg", also from Time Stands Still.