Casting Crowns

It is impossible to reduce Casting Crowns’ music to a tidily packed description, and that’s exactly why they’re one of CCM’s great success stories of the 21st century. After signing with Beach Street Records in 2003, the Georgia outfit evolved to craft a multifaceted sound that appeals to every stripe of Christian music fan. Soul-searching alternative youth, old-school gospel traditionalists, those who are suckers for gorgeously inspirational pop ballads—they all have a place under Casting Crowns’ big tent. This unique gift to be all things to all believers can in part be explained by their origin story. Although singer/songwriter Mark Hall certainly is the band’s guiding hand, Casting Crowns have been a large and diverse collection of musicians ever since coming together as a student worship band in 1999. Drop into their catalog at any point, whether it’s their now classic debut (produced by mentor and influence Steven Curtis Chapman) or one of their worship-oriented sets, and you’ll encounter epic rock guitars blended with orchestral strings and keyboards, as well as folksy banjos plucked alongside accordions. Casting Crowns’ all-encompassing sound is intentional by design, serving to enhance the big-picture messages that are a cornerstone of Hall’s lyrics. The composer has written no shortage of iconic anthems, including “Who Am I” and “Praise You in This Storm,” in which questions of human frailty and God’s love are universal enough to be appreciated by any Christian regardless of church affiliation.