1995: The Best Year Ever? The Top 30 CCM Albums of 1995 (Part 2)

Welcome back to part 2 of our top 30 albums of 1995 countdown. We appreciate all the feedback we received for the first article in this series. If you missed part 1, click here. Before we dive into the top 10 of 1995 here are a few stats that may be of interest to our readers:

We had a total of 67 albums nominated by our 7 voters. Only 30 made the list, but the number of albums nominated shows the depth and quality of releases in 1995.

Only four albums appeared on all 7 lists. Not surprisingly, these four albums finished 1-4 in our rankings.

Eight albums appeared on 6 lists and six more appeared on 5 lists.   

Six different albums received a first-place vote, and only 1 album received more than one first place vote. This album is our number 1 of the year and if you keep reading you will find out who took our top spot!  

Finally, we included a Spotify playlist to celebrate the music featured in these articles. Unfortunately, several of the albums on our list are not on most streaming platforms. So, if you notice certain artists missing from the playlist, that is why.

Enough chit chat, let’s get to the top 10!

---

10. Starflyer 59 – Gold

Starflyer 59’s second full-length album solidified Jason Martin and company as the shoegaze tour de force. Soaring layered guitars with a haunting voice are Martin’s signature sound and nobody does it better. This album was my number 2 album in this listing, but I’ll take a top 10 listing. My favorite songs are “A Housewife Love Song”, “Dual Head Juanita”, and “One Shot Juanita”, though there’s not a bad song here. (Chris Coppenbarger)

• Highest Ranking – 2
• Appears on 4 out of 7 lists

9. Vigilantes of Love – Blister Soul

I’ve wasted nearly 30 years overlooking this album. My brothers have always been huge fans of Bill Malonee and Vigilantes of Love, but their music has never really hit me the same. I respected Malonee’s lyrical brilliance. I even loved a few of their songs, but for reasons I can’t quite articulate, I simply did not connect to their sound.

And then, as I was working on my personal list for this article, I got smacked in the face by Blister Soul. When we put articles like this together, I do my due diligence. I listened, really listened, to every album from 1995. Even albums that I never really loved. Because it’s deeply unfair to allow my preconceptions to define my current opinions. And those change all the time.

When I say this album smacked me in the face, I want you to truly understand what I mean. From the opening title track, I sat there at my desk with my jaw firmly on the floor. I have heard this album numerous times but this time it felt new and fresh and revelatory. This was an album I chose to listen to out of respect for my brothers, knowing full well it had no chance of making my top 30. It ended up in my top 10.

That should tell you everything you need to know about how good it is. But if you need more, Blister Soul is just good American rock and roll with deep, insightful lyrics. It has a lived-in feel – close your eyes and you can see the band jamming out these tunes in the studio in real time. But that doesn’t make it sound messy at all. It’s technically assured all the way around. It’s filled with rollicking guitars, exceptional harmonica work, and some lovely organ by the great Phill Maderia. And Malonee’s lyrical prowess warrants a listen on its own.

If you haven’t given this one a chance before, or if it’s been a long time since your last try, start with “Skin” then work your way through “Bethlehem Steel”, “Bolt Action”, “Real Down Town”, and “Five Miles Outside Monroe”. I’m glad I gave Blister Soul another chance. It didn’t deserve my apathy. It’s way too good of an album for that. (Phill Lytle)

• Highest Ranking – 4
• Appears on 5 out of 7 lists

8. Adam Again – Perfecta

This is not an easy album. It’s loud, sad, and more than a little angry and bitter. My guess is, most Adam Again fans are not as high on it as our voters, preferring their earlier offerings such as Dig or Homeboys. Songs about a failed marriage are not exactly “easy listening” but what Gene Eugene and company give us in Perfecta is heartbreaking honesty and transparency.

The music is typical Adam Again, except heavier and rougher around the edges, which perfectly complements the emotional weight found in the lyrics. With that said, some of the album’s strongest offerings are the ballads, which hit even harder due to their intimacy and compositional simplicity. Some musical journeys should be complicated and difficult, forcing the listener to confront emotions they would rather avoid. Perfecta lays open its wounds and asks us to find ourselves in the middle of all that pain. It is very much a journey worth taking.

This was also the band’s final album, with lead singer and primary songwriter Gene Eugene passing away five years later in his recording studio. For the observant listener, that fact adds to the general sense of melancholy and sadness that permeates so much of the album. (Phill Lytle)

• Highest Ranking – 1
• Appears on 6 out of 7 lists

7. Michael W. Smith – I’ll Lead You Home

One could argue that Michael W. Smith’s run of albums from 1988’s i 2 (EYE) to 1998’s Live the Life is the most impressive decade in the history of CCM. And nestled toward the back end of that incredible streak is perhaps his strongest album, I’ll Lead You Home.

This masterpiece from 1995 has everything you would want from a Michael W. Smith album. Incredible arrangements. Beautiful melodies. Insightful and poignant lyrics. And Michael’s unwavering drive to create something timeless and meaningful.

The entire album is top notch, but starting from the title track, it becomes something truly special. First, the title track is one of the best songs he ever made. The building tension, the slowly expanding sonic landscape, the impossibly beautiful message. It’s a perfect song. Then, instead of simply churning out more pop goodness, MWS decided a trilogy of piano-led, lushly orchestrated songs were what the album needed most. He follows that trilogy with more four more adventurous numbers, taking left turns when right turns seem to make the most sense. That creative spirit permeates the entire album.

This sense of adventure and creativity is what defined his music for decades and I’ll Lead You Home is perhaps the best example of this. (Phill Lytle)

• Highest Ranking – 6
• Appears on 6 out of 7 lists

6. Dimestore Prophets – Love is Against the Grain

This was the first release from a band whose career was much too short. Dime Store Prophets did everything well, except for, apparently, marketing. The vocals are emotionally stirring, the lyrics challenge listeners to consider social issues deeply, the guitar is raw and aggressive. While it is one of the finest examples of mid-nineties post-grunge rock and roll, the band was at its best when it slowed down. With every bit of the emotional power of the Counting Crows, this album will make you cry. (David Lytle)

---

As we began working on this article, I had a pretty good idea what my top 5 to 6 albums would be, but I wasn’t sure of the order, or which one would finish number 1. So, I listened to each of my favorites a few times and came away convinced that Love is Against the Grain is my top album of 1995.

I find it remarkable that the band was this confident in their sound on their debut album. The heart-on-his-sleeve sincerity in Justin Steven’s vocal delivery coupled with the depth and maturity of his lyrics keep me coming back for more. It doesn’t hurt that this album features not one, but two of my all-time favorite songs (“Hitler’s Girlfriend” and “Daddy’s Gun”). Here’s hoping it will one day be available on streaming platforms so a wider audience can experience its greatness. (Michael Lytle)   

• Highest Ranking – 1
• Appears on 6 out of 7 lists

5. DC Talk – Jesus Freak

Ten singles. Ten! And most of them went to #1 in their respective formats. 2x platinum in sales. Yup, this iconic record has long been counted among the greatest CCM albums, of all-time. Few Christian albums matched the mass fervor it inspired or the group’s meteoric rise from one release to the next. Whatever your opinion today, Jesus Freak was undeniably impactful. Christian music had never heard a fusion like its rap, rock, harmony, and soul blend. Each track stands alone while fitting a grunge-lite aesthetic opportunistically drawn from the 1991 mainstream explosion.

Few CCM albums hit with the seismic force that Jesus Freak did in 1995. D.C. Talk delivered a statement: audacious, raw, and irresistibly catchy, blending alternative rock grit, hip-hop swagger, and pop sensibility. From the defiantly resolute title track to the soaring melodies of “Just Between You and Me,” the socially conscious punch of “Colored People,” to the aggressive energy of “So Help Me God,” the album felt immediate and daring. And don’t forget about the cover of Charlie Peacock’s “In the Light,” which they made their own, or “What If I Stumble?,” and “What Have We Become?” which remain quietly devastating explorations of faith, doubt, and fragility. I find that they resonate now more than ever.

Layered over its audacity is the complex legacy of its creators—their faith journeys, controversies, and uncompromising vision—which adds a retrospective tension that only amplifies the album’s impact. But decades later one thing is for sure, Jesus Freak remains audacious, flawed, and unforgettable. (Josh Balogh)

• Highest Ranking – 2
• Appears on 6 out of 7 lists

4. The Prayer Chain – Mercury

In 1995, Christian Rock was at an unprecedented level of popularity. This year gave us the massive debut album by Jars of Clay, as well as Jesus Freak by D.C. Talk. The post-grunge sound was now mainstream and youth group kids were buying the t-shirts. When it seemed the whole world was going in one direction, The Prayer Chain took a sharp left turn. They, the band that introduced distortion into Christian music, made the most creative, strangest, and least marketable album they could have made. 

Mercury is a masterpiece of avant-garde modern rock. I’ve often wondered what these guys were listening to when they made this album and if Radiohead was listening to Mercury when they made OK Computer. (David Lytle)

• Highest Ranking – 2
• Appears on 7 out of 7 lists

3. Sixpence None the Richer – This Beautiful Mess

This Beautiful Mess is an album I’ve only grown to love more with each passing year. “Within a Room Somewhere” was the first SNTR song I ever heard, and I was hooked from the start. It took more time with the rest of the album, but at present day This Beautiful Mess is one of a trio of albums by the band that I own on vinyl and return to often. We’re talking five-star worthy, so I’m delighted that the album is so high on this list.

Featuring jangly guitars, delay pedal, strong bass work, poetic lyrics, and an angelic female vocal courtesy of Leigh Nash this is a band and album to treasure. It’s also the kind of record that gets under your skin and draws you back. Other highlights are “Love, Salvation, the Fear of Death” what a bass riff!), “Angeltread” (that guitar tone!), “Disconnect” (that hook!), and “I Can’t Explain” (the passion!). If you haven’t spent time with Sixpence or TBM thinking “Kiss Me” from their 1997 self-titled album was the best they had to offer, you MUST give them another shot. This is the band at the top of their alt-rock game and essential listening for 90s CCM fans. (Josh Balogh)

• Highest Ranking – 2
• Appears on 7 out of 7 lists

2. The Waiting – Blue Belly Sky

In my opinion, The Waiting’s first real release was their best. The lyrics are Christian music at its best. Songs about substitutionary atonement, general revelation, death to sin, and worship are placed alongside the quirky and bizarre. Musically the album is a fun 1990’s pop-rock, that at the same time, refuses to be cliché. The album was produced by Gene Eugene (Adam Again) and his creativity is profoundly felt. This album is accessible and fun while still being compelling musically and lyrically. (David Lytle)

---

I remember browsing the CCM section of Tower Records (look it up, kids!) in the late fall of 1995. The guy who worked the music section of the store was clearly a fan of Christian music and was eager to talk about different albums with me. I remember him liking the newest Michael W. Smith record and not liking the newest Petra record, but the album he absolutely RAVED about was Blue Belly Sky by The Waiting. I had already heard a couple of the tracks on the radio and was a fan of their sound, so it did not take much convincing for me to purchase the CD, and I am glad I did.

So, if you worked at Tower Records in Nashville in 1995 and happen to be reading this article, I just want to say, THANK YOU! (Michael Lytle)

• Highest Ranking 3 (3X)
• Appears on 7 out of 7 lists

1. Jars of Clay

In October 1995, Jars of Clay’s self-titled debut hit my 14-year-old world like a revelation, forming my view of music and faith. I was captivated by the blend of introspective lyrics, confident acoustic strums, and gorgeous strings that wove raw vulnerability with glimmers of hope. After catching the artful “Flood” music video at youth summer camp a few months earlier, I was eager for more of their sound. The album delivered beyond expectations.

The opening track, “Liquid,” with its unmistakable acoustic guitar, Gregorian chants, and powerful drum kick, melted my teenage brain and left a lasting mark. It remains my favorite Jars of Clay song. “Love Song for a Savior” was a simple, heartfelt tune for youth group sing-alongs, while “He” boldly addressed child abuse on a mainstream CCM record. The violins in “Boy on a String” are a standout highlight, but “Worlds Apart” steals the show. Its slow-burn build and stream-of-consciousness lyrics create a deeply evocative payoff. What a record!

This album is mine, but I will share. It’s the one I turn to in any season, always in the mood for its comfort and depth. A gift in 1995, it continues to nourish my soul nearly thirty years later. Here’s to many more! (Josh Balogh)

---

When I think of 1995, one of the first things that comes to mind is that being the year that I got my first CD player—A Sony Discman that I could take with me anywhere! (Which I did.) 

When I think of that Discman, I also think of the CD that likely spent the most time in it, Jars of Clay’s self-titled debut album. It had everything I needed, from catchy rockers (“Flood”) to gorgeous ballads (“Worlds Apart”). 

While this album is certainly sentimental, it’s also just flat-out good music. Though the Discman is long gone, 30 years on, I still enjoy putting this album on, and even get excited, hearing “Liquid” come through my headphones. 

Though 1995 was loaded with excellent tunes, I really can’t help but feel like this is the perfect album (at least, to me) to top this list. (Eric McClanahan)

• Highest Ranking 1 (2X)
• Appears on 7 out of 7 lists

---

Closing Thoughts

Thank you so much for following along. We hope you enjoyed this look at the best Christian music from 1995. We absolutely loved putting it together. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on any of our social media platforms.

We would like to say a special thank you to our guest contributors, Josh Balogh, Eric McClanahan, Chris Coppenbarger, and Caleb the Spy for helping us create the best possible list. As mentioned previously, we’ve included a Spotify playlist below so you can listen to some of our favorite tracks from these incredible albums. And as usual, please like and share this article. It really helps.

Finally, please consider subscribing to Rambling Ever On. You can find where to do that by scrolling down a little bit more. As a subscriber, you will receive our articles directly into your inbox the moment we publish them. This will ensure you never miss any of our wonderful content.

Thanks, and God bless!