Maxx Recordings and Storysong are two new record labels that are pushing contemporary Christian music further into the limelight and making it more appealing to a mainstream audience.
According to USA Today, these two creative Nashville record labels are trying to make a connection with fans of the Top 40 pop music. Barry Landis, president and chief executive of marketing company Ribbow Media Group, has no doubt that his company would succeed in doing so.
"In the midst of the success that Christian music is enjoying right now, you've got these two new models, and they are fresh and they are different," he said.
Industry veteran Mitchell Solarek, the brains behind Maxx Recordings, has included boy band 3for3 and young female singers slash songwriters Kolby Koloff and Riley Clemmons into his roster.
Solarek's artist management firms represent Natalie Grant and Danny Gokey, two big names in the Christian music industry. He hopes that his new label will manage to appeal to older listeners.
"I think Solarek is probably right that there's a void right now in Christian music, and I think he's probably the right guy to pursue this," Landis said. "He's had great success with Plus One, he's had great success with Danny Gokey. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to build a young artist's career, but he's got the experience and the eye for talent."
On the other hand, Storysong is co-founded by Mark Wagner, and is a spinoff of Leadership International, a Christian non-profit organisation that serves pastors and church leaders in Africa.
Wagner said the great thing about his label's music is that majority of its earnings will help provide orphans in Africa with education, clothing, and other basic needs.
Maxx Recordings and Storysong might have different backgrounds and musical perspectives, but they have a singular goal, and that is to make Christian music even more popular.
The Gospel Music Association recently revealed that 68 percent of Americans have listened to Christian or gospel music in the past month. Artists from that genre have even ventured into reality television shows, and partnered with big companies such as Cracker Barrel, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola.
