Have you ever heard a new song or artist and just known that you need to buy that album as soon as possible? One of the best things about listening to K-LOVE or Air1 is that you get to hear from so many different acts throughout the day. Eventually, though, you’re going to want to go in-depth with an artist by listening to her full album. That’s where you’ll find some real gems that may never have an official music video or be featured on the radio. Buying albums translates to supporting the artists you love. The best part of the deal is you both get something cool out of it. “But where can I buy Christian music?” It may feel like it’s getting harder to find these albums, but in some ways it’s never been easier. Here are some of our suggestions on where you can buy Christian music.
Depending on where you live, it may be getting more difficult to find physical stores where you can walk in and buy Christian music. If you reside in a fairly large city, you may still have some options, though. The absolute best brick and mortar stores from which you can peruse and buy Christian music will be Christian bookstores like Lifeway. Similar chains like Family Christian and others have fallen on hard times recently, but you can still find some of these Christian bookstores in big cities around the country. What makes them such a quality destination for music lovers? Despite the fact we live in a society that doesn’t care for physical items, favoring digital content instead, these stores have a great selection of music, books, gifts, and more. Shopping here isn’t just about finding the item you need or supporting an artist whose work you enjoy, you’re also helping to keep a Christian business afloat. Did we mention that the prices are generally about the same as what you will find online?
Aside from these beloved institutions, you can often find music at bigger stores like Walmart as well. While Best Buy and other big box stores have essentially rid their shelves of CDs, you may get lucky every now and then. Many stores that favor electronics and entertainment have moved into the realm of mobile phones, tablets, and appliances, thanks in large part to the Internet irrevocably changing the business landscape for movies, albums, and other small items.
Speaking of the impact of the Internet, we know you’re already here browsing the web. Let’s talk about some places online where you can buy christian music. Before we go to some of the bigger digital music outlets, we simply want to remind you that many of the stores we’ve mentioned so far, and others like them, have an online presence where you can also buy Christian music. Stores like Target have a nice list of religious albums on their websites and will likely offer more choices here than in a physical store. Christianbook.com is an online store where you can browse all kinds of faith-filled music (even in vinyl!) and find good prices. Just like Christian bookstores in your town, the website also carries books, games, and other faith-based items you may be in the market for.
To be honest, this is where a large chunk of Christian music sales end up today. With the success of the iPod, and later the iPhone, Apple’s iTunes store has become a hub for music sales. This is especially true thanks to an industry (or perhaps its fans) that is becoming more reliant on individual song sales than full albums. If you want to buy the songs by themselves, you’ll pay anywhere between 69 cents and $1.29. Meanwhile albums will start around $5, but more often reside in the $8-12 range.
A similar setup can be found through Amazon. The mega retailer, which recently joined Apple as one of the U.S.’s two $1 trillion companies, launched a music service years ago. Since this is a relatively small part of Amazon’s business, you might understand why it is basically the exact same pricing model as iTunes. The battle between those who prefer single songs and more traditional listeners who prefer the full album is a much bigger discussion, but iTunes is clearly winning the battle in digital music sales right now.
Let’s get back to physical albums now. Did you realize that just about every artist today has a store on their websites? While no two bands are the exact same, many of these online stores feature apparel, music, signed equipment, and so on. Why not buy Christian music straight from the source? While you’re there shopping, maybe you can find out when your favorite band is playing a show near you or check out the latest music video. If you’re not a big fan of social media, these artist websites are one of the best ways to stay in the know.
If you’ve ever been to a concert, you’ll likely recall passing an area reserved for bands selling merchandise. This is a great way to buy Christian music. At the concert you may be able to get your new CD autographed by the artist or the album may come in a bundle with a T-shirt or hoodie at a discounted rate. You’ll also avoid shipping fees, which are the bane of online shopping. Whether you’re picking up a new album from a band you love or giving the opening act’s CD a try, buying music at concerts is always a plus.
So as you can see, there is more than one way to buy Christian music today. Whether you only want a digital copy or you are someone who values physical albums, you can find the music you love rather easily. A quick Google search of your area should help you to find brick and mortar stores. Or you can find an artist’s website through the same means. Whatever means you use, we hope you continue to support Christian musicians by buying their work.
No matter where you choose to buy Christian music, we can tell you that the K-LOVE Fan Awards is the best place to see it performed live. Each year we bring together the most talented artists and the biggest fans for the ultimate fan experience. Find out how you can be part of it all by clicking on the link below.
We know that making travel plans for you and your family can be a bit of a hassle. That’s why we wrote our own Nashville Travel Guide to help you out. Tennessee’s state capital is one of the fastest-growing cities in America, so come see what all the fuss is about.
