Christian Fans TURNED on Jars of Clay for This...

the story of Jars of Clay's difficult rise to fame and their difficulty in appeasing their christian fans and going mainstream.

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In 1993, four students at Greenville College - Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason, and Matt Bronleewe - formed Jars of Clay, taking their name from 2 Corinthians 4:71

The band members, who were studying contemporary Christian music, initially formed out of friendship rather than career ambitions.
Rise to Fame After winning the 1994 Gospel Music Association Song Contest in Nashville, record labels began aggressively pursuing the band, even calling their dorm payphone1. Having only played 7-8 shows, they signed with Essential Records. Matt Odmark replaced Bronleewe, who left to finish his studies.
Their 1995 self-titled debut album, produced by Adrian Belew, launched them to mainstream success. The single "Flood" reached #37 on the Hot 100, received heavy MTV rotation, and helped the album achieve double platinum status1
. By November 1995, it became the fastest-selling Christian rock album in history.
Controversy and Criticism
The band's crossover success created significant tension within the Christian community. Their decision to perform in bars and clubs (up to 300 shows annually) and appear in secular media drew criticism from Christian fans1
. Some Christian retailers pulled their records, while some mainstream radio stations were hesitant to play a Christian band.
To maintain their spiritual grounding, the band:
Brought a pastor on tour
Met with Christian accountability groups
Removed The Samples from their tour for using profanity
Second Album
Their 1997 follow-up album "Much Afraid," recorded in a French castle, reached #8 on the Billboard album chart1
. While not matching their debut's commercial success, it still achieved platinum status and produced four Christian chart-toppers, including "Crazy Times," which crossed over to mainstream alternative radio.
Musical Evolution
The band married gospel with alternative rock, drawing inspiration from artists like Toad the Wet Sprocket, Jimi Hendrix, Rich Mullins, and The Beatles1
. They viewed themselves as a rock band that happened to be Christian rather than a Christian band, emphasizing their desire to reach broader audiences without compromising their faith.
Throughout their early career, Jars of Clay navigated the delicate balance between maintaining their Christian identity while pursuing mainstream success, facing criticism from both secular and religious audiences but ultimately establishing themselves as pioneers in crossing these musical boundaries.