I’m getting really irritated at the way every Christian artist has suddenly felt the desire to come out with a worship album. It started as a cool trend where everyone was getting into worship music and it seemed like a soul stretching experience. But not it’s just getting out of hand. Not only are there more money-sucking praise compilations than ever before, but every artist is jumping on the bandwagon and pumping out a worship CD.

Maybe it’s good that worship is a part of so many artists’ lives, but it’s really odd that they suddenly decide to let it out now. “Oh, we’ve always done worship. That’s why we’re doing an album now.” It’s just a coincidence that a worship album will make you a lot of money.

I think it started with Petra in the late 1980s with Petra Praise. Then it started up again when Delirious? released their 2-disc set of worship music. Petra came back with Petra Praise 2 and then the Insyderz came out with Skalleluia, and the worship movement was on. Since then everyone’s been pumping out worship music left and right.

There was Michael W. Smith’s Exodus project, the City on a Hill project, Third Day’s Offerings, Waterdeep’s Enter the Worship Circle, Delirious? came back with Glo and the Insyderz were back for more with Skalleluia 2. Then came complete “worship” bands like Circadian Rhythm and Sonicflood and artists like Matt Redman and Lincoln Brewster. There’s even been a reactionary worship album from Justin McRoberts. This week both Michael W. Smith and Caedmon’s Call announced that they’d be releasing worship albums in the fall, and I’ve heard rumors that Rebecca St. James will follow suit (the source? Rebecca herself during an interview during GMA Week).

And the ultimate sign that worship is becoming it’s own genre? The crappy local bands are now styling themselves as worship bands, cranking out yet more versions of the popular worship tunes.

Call me a cynic, but this is a little much. It feels like God is easily forgotten in all the $14.99 CDs and $18 concert tickets.