MissAravis,
Thanks so much for this info. I have Dark Horses, and heard Restless once, but I am listening to it all starting now. I've already got it preordered.

EDIT:
it's getting late for me so I can't finish the songs yet. I thought the first few were just ok. Good but a little less than what I am used to from them. Restless I really like, Blind Light is very good too, Selling the News is terrific.

Switchfoot's new record is streaming now: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/ ... id=6944961 (all except for the last track, which isn't going to be unveiled early, for some reason)
I just started listening a few minutes ago... The War Inside totally reminds me of Mutemath. I'm curious to hear what you all think after you've listened through it!

I was just coming here to post this! I didn't like it AT ALL when I first heard it, and I was kinda mad that they didn't really sound like the Switchfoot I knew, but I'm listening to it again, and I kinda like it! I'm listening to "Selling the News" right now, and it's pretty cool! The chorus is really neat! I also like "Afterlife", "Blinding Light" and "Rise Above It". I don't like how they did the song "Vice Verses" though. They didn't add the drums in after the first chorus!!! And Drew's guitar solo is GONE!!!! That was my favorite part of the song in this version! I feel bad for not liking it, but I can't really help it. I love Switchfoot, and this is the first time I feel like they sound like everyone else. I guess I'll just have to go along for the ride, though. I'm a true Switchfoot fam through thick and thin, and I'll always love them. This is just something new, and I just gotta see why they wrote these songs. I definitely have some mixed emotions though. I'm kinda torn right now. What do you guys think?

Deas Vail has a new song called "Summer Forgets Me" which is amazing! I love it! They also have a music video for it.

Coldplay also has a new EP out called "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall", which is relly good! It has the title track and Major Minus, and Moving to Mars on it. They also have a new single out called Paradise. So catchy!!

Um, question:

Is Regina Spektor coming out with a new CD?

I saw a picture that said:

Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers
& other short stories by
Regina Spektor

Not really thrilled about the picture itself...it looked dark and creepy.

Just wondering...

@Pendragon: Good stuff! I've really been enjoying both Coldplays newest songs and Deas Vail's "Summer Forgets Me"... The lyrics on the latter are beautiful.

I haven't listened to any of Coldplays new stuff, but I really want to - pretty much the same with Switchfoot. But I saw that video of Summer Forgets me, and I totally fell in love with it. The song is gorgeous, and the video is really cute. I like how they've matured a little.

Well, it's that time of the year again, where I greatly increase the amount of Christian music in my collection.

So, everyone, please recommend me your favorite artists and albums! I also accept artists who are Christian but whose music is not explicitly such.

Hmm . . A few years ago I bought my brother the Casting Crowns Christmas CD, and we all really liked it. It's called Peace on Earth, I believe.
If you like piano music, Jim Brickman has a nice Christmas CD.
And that's all I can think of. xDD

I listened to a little more of Vice Verses yesterday, and I agree that Switchfoot doesn't sound like they did before, and I dislike the change. They just don't sound as interesting. Bujt I'll have to listen to it a lot more to actually decide what I think of it.

Uh, just to make sure I'm clear, I'm looking for Christian music, not Christmas music. I mean, I understand there's overlap, but still.

(For those who can't be bothered to look back a page, I'm accepting recommendations for Christian music, so recommend me your favorite artists and albums. Artists who are Christian but whose works aren't explicitly so are also acceptable.)

I am so sorry. xDD I was confused. Really sorry about that, but I'll have much more to recommend now.
I like a lot of alternative rock bands - Relient K is really good, Switchfoot, Jars of Clay . . and Tenth Avenue North is a really, really good CCM band, my favorite of all time. The Afters, Sanctus Real . . is this at all the sort of thing you're looking for?
Once more - I'm sorry. xDD

Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. Thanks. Any particular albums by any of them?

I suppose as people start recommending me artists, I should list the albums I already have for each one:

513FREE: nothing
The Afters: nothing
Andrew Peterson: nothing
BarlowGirl: How Can We Be Silent
Ben Reactor: nothing
Britt Nicole: nothing
Cadia: nothing
Casting Crowns: nothing
Daylight Worship: nothing
Hawk Nelson: Live Life Loud
Jars of Clay: Jars of Clay, Good Monsters
Josh Wilson: nothing
Jump5: nothing
Lanae Hale: nothing
Needtobreath: nothing
Relient K: Mmhmm, Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Sanctus Real: Fight The Tide
Switchfoot: The Beautiful Letdown
Tenth Avenue North: Over and Underneath, The Light Meets The Dark

This post will be edited as I get more recommendations.

*randomly pops into the thread on a whim*

Wow, I'm kinda surprised at the mostly negative reception of Switchfoot's latest album so far. I personally like what I've heard; Restless, Blinding Light, Selling the News, Thrive, Dark Horses, and Souvenirs are my favorites. Selling the News is just sheer brilliance, and I think Souvenirs is probably my new favorite Switchfoot song; it's so beautiful!

@ stardf: A Christian artist I (very) highly recommend is Josh Wilson. I own his first and third albums (Trying to Fit the Ocean in a Cup, and See You), both of which are excellent, and I hope to buy his remaining album (Life is Not a Snapshot) before too long. All of his albums are equally good, in my opinion, although he has certainly grown as a musician and songwriter since he released his first album in 2008, and the songs on his latest album (released earlier this year) show a great level of emotion and maturity. (Not to mention the fact that he played nearly 20 of the instruments used on his latest album, which only serves to further cement my belief that there is no instrument that this guy cannot play.) Anyways, really great stuff. His music has impacted my life on a level that is nothing short of God-sent.

Related side note: I got to see Josh perform live a few weeks ago, and it was incredible! He's amazing live, as well as very fun; he loves to get the crowd involved. He played a collection of songs from all of his albums, and also did a new Christmas song that he will be releasing later this year; it's called 'Jesus is Alive', and you can listen to a live version here (not my video, btw):

Yeah, totally being added to my collection of Christmas music once it's released.

--- flambeau

stardf29: I will recommend a few...

Needtobreathe - The Outsiders (they also released a new album this week, but I think everyone should be introduced to them through this one. You can't go wrong with any of their albums, though.) Check out one of their songs on Youtube

Ben Rector - Something Like This (Ben Rector is an absolute genius when it comes to catchy, piano-driven, pop songs.) Ben Rector on Youtube

Andrew Peterson - Counting Stars (Peterson is easily my favorite songwriter. The way he can paint a picture with a song is truly extraordinary.) I like this song of his on Youtube

^Andrew Peterson is on a Christian label, Ben Rector is independent, and Needtobreathe is on a secular label. All are Christians, though.

EDIT: Oh, and I second flambeau's Josh Wilson recommendation. See You is a great album.

Anyone listened to Gungor's new album? I've heard (though, I haven't confirmed this, yet) that the title, Ghosts Upon the Earth was inspired by The Great Divorce. I've listened to a couple of songs and it sounds like they've really built on their last album (which was also excellent).

Finally, Needtobreathe's latest album, The Reckoning. It's definitely not the same type of album as The Outsiders. Rather than jumping out at you on the first listen, it asks for repeat listens to appreciate the excellent musicianship and lovely songwriting. At least, that's what I think (I'm on my fourth listen and still discovering new things I hadn't noticed before). So far, my favorite songs are: "White Fences", "Drive All Night", "Keep Your Eyes Open", "Able", and "Angel at My Door". I highly recommend The Reckoning.

Some Christian music I reccomend:

-Say It and The Lost Get Found by Britt Nicole. Both of these are amazing albums. I think The Lost Get Found is a little better than Say It but just barely. Her genre is Pop/Rock. I've heard her referred to as a Christian alternative to Ke$ha. I don't see very many similarities in style myself but I can see why people would think so.

- BarlowGirl, Another Journal Entry, How Can We Be Silent, Home For Christmas, Love and War, and Our Journey ... So Far (compilation album) by BarlowGirl. This is one of my favorite bands. The later CD's are better, in my opinion, particularly HCWBS and LW although all of the CD's are amazing. They're genre is Rock.

-WOW Hits CDs give a huge variety of artists and styles. This CD is a compilation of Christian hits (duh) from the last year.

-Jump5. I used to love this band a lot but not as much anymore just because my tastes have changed. Most of their music is not overtly Christian but it is clean and has good messages about loving yourself and staying grounded. A few of their CD's are Accelerate, Dreaming in Color, Jump5, and The Very Best of Jump5 (compilation album). This band's genre is Disney Pop. (Is that even a genre? It's descriptive so I guess it counts).

-Lanae Hale. I got Lanae Hale's CD Back & Forth for free in a giveaway. I'm not a big fan: it's not my style, but I know a lot of people who like her a lot. I do like a couple of the songs on the CD ok though. Her genre is Pop.

-Cadia. Cadia is a two-girl band who aren't super well known. They have one self-titled CD out which I think is amazing. It includes a cover of Martina McBride's This One's For the Girls which I love. One of the few songs I've found where the cover is better (in my opinion) than the original. They're a Pop band.

-Casting Crowns. This band is amazing! They have several CD's out: the two I have are Casting Crowns and Lifesong. They're Soft Rock, I guess. (It's hard to classify)

-Daylight Worship. I got Daylight Worship's one album We are Weak//He Are Strong (I know, that second 'are' is kind of weird) free on NoiseTrade. It's Worship music.

-Hawk Nelson. This band is Christian but their lyrics aren't explicitly so. I have one album: Letters to the President. I like it really well. My iTunes classifies them as Adult Alternative whatever that means. I would call them on the line between Rock and Hard Rock.

-513FREE. I'm not sure if this is the actual name of the band or not. Anyway, I got their album, 513FREE - EP, on NoiseTrade as well. This is Rock/Worship.

----------

On a side note: any reccomendations of music on NoiseTrade would be greatly appreciated. Specifically Country, Christian, or even Pop if you found some that was really good.

Well, I've pretty much heard most of Vice Verses. (Switchfoot's newest album, which is releasing next Wednesday, or Tuesday, can't remember which ) Mind you, I haven't heard all of it. But what I've heard of it?
Why don't I put it this way. Hello Hurricane took my breath away. I figured nothing could beat it: my gosh, Vice Verses has completely blown me away, and I haven't even heard the whole album yet! This is the best one yet, for sure. I can't wait to hear the whole thing!

And Dark Horses? One of the greatest songs of all time. Easily. Switchfoot continues to amaze me. I'll never know how they get better every album.

@flam Yes! Someone who agrees with me! All those songs are amazing; especially Thrive, Selling the News, and Dark Horses.

I can't wait to see what Switchfoot comes up with next.

Sanctus Real: The albums of theirs that I've listened to and enjoyed, are "The Face of Love", and "Pieces of a Real Heart." I liked both of them, but I found the former more interesting - it's a little more rocky, as well. They both have some really good songs on them, though.
Switchfoot: I really would reccomend that you get Hello Hurricane and Oh Gravity - they're my favorite albums by them, and they just have some really amazing, stunning songs.
Casting Crowns: Lifesong is my favorite album of theirs (my family owns several). It has all my favorite songs (Free, Prodigal, Lifesong), and really captures them as a band, in my opinion.
Brandon Heath: I haven't listened to too much of him, but I really love what I've heard. Most of his songs are fairly simple, but really beautiful, and with great lyrics.
Tobymac: If you like something a bit more lively, any of his albums are great - I really like some songs from Tonight. If you like a little bit of the feel of hip hop (and just a little rap) interspersed with your music, I think you'd like him.

A lot of the artists I especially like, aren't Christian - the members are, and you can catch a few hints, but they're played on pop and rock stations. OneRepublic is my huge favorite, Coldplay, Secondhand Serenade, Lifehouse . . .