When did christian music come about?

Answer 1

Christian Music has been around for as long as music has been around. (One could say, it's been around longer than Christians have...because technically that's true.) Songs giving praise or petitions to God have been recorded in history for thousands and thousands of years- think Moses. What "came about" was mainstream/secular music. Though, perhaps, more accurately, the distinction between Christian and mainstream music is what 'came about'. Throughout history, at times when the Church ruled as a government, and most people attended church (if not actually practice their faith) the distinction wasn't as it is now. Certainly, there were types of music that were not accepted in the church, but were enjoyed elsewhere. Christian music was the norm and secular the exception. It seems these two have switched- secular music is everywhere, while "Christian music" is only listened to by christians (basically).

It may be easier to ask when specific genres of christian music came about (gospel, worship, rock, reggae, heavy metal, hip hop etc etc etc).