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christelijk

Christelijk

Netherlands · 1960s

Happy Chill Sentimental Epic Romantic

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Description

Christelijk (Dutch for 'Christian') refers to the broad genre of Christian music produced in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium). It encompasses a wide variety of styles ranging from traditional hymns (psalms and gezangen) to modern Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), worship, pop, rock, and folk.

The genre is characterized by lyrics in the Dutch language that express Christian faith, praise, worship, and biblical themes. It serves as a key element in church services, youth events, and festivals, bridging the gap between secular musical trends and religious expression.

Sources: Spotify, Wikipedia, Discogs, Rate Your Music, MusicBrainz, and other online sources

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Influenced by

Christian (often shortened to Christian music or CCM in market terms) is an umbrella genre for popular and worship-oriented music whose lyrics explicitly express the Christian faith. It blends contemporary songwriting and production with devotional intent, ranging from pop and rock to folk, country, and modern worship anthems designed for congregational singing. While rooted in centuries of church music and hymnody, the modern "Christian" genre coalesced in the late 1960s United States with the Jesus Movement, later building its own labels, radio networks, and touring circuits. Today it includes radio-friendly CCM, stadium worship, youth-focused pop/rock, and stylistic fusions that carry Christian themes into nearly every mainstream style.

Folk is a song-centered acoustic tradition rooted in community storytelling, everyday life, and social history. It emphasizes clear melodies, simple harmonies, and lyrics that foreground narrative, protest, and personal testimony. As a modern recorded genre, folk coalesced in the early-to-mid 20th century in the United States out of older ballad, work song, and rural dance traditions. It typically features acoustic instruments (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica), strophic song forms, and participatory singing (choruses, call-and-response).

Gospel is a family of Christian sacred music that emerged from African‑American church traditions in the United States. It centers the voice, communal participation, and a message of faith, hope, and testimony. Musically, gospel is characterized by call‑and‑response, powerful lead vocals answered by choirs, rich harmonies, handclaps, and a propulsive backbeat or 12/8 shuffle. Typical ensembles include voice, piano or Hammond organ, drums, bass, and guitar, with occasional horns. Harmonically it blends simple I–IV–V frameworks with blues inflections and sophisticated chord extensions, turnarounds, and modulations that heighten emotional intensity. The genre encompasses several streams, notably traditional Black gospel, Southern (white) gospel rooted in shape‑note singing, and contemporary/urban gospel that integrates R&B, soul, and hip‑hop. Its sound and spirit have profoundly influenced American popular music—from soul and R&B to rock and roll.

Hymns are strophic, text-driven songs of praise, devotion, or instruction intended for congregational or communal singing, most closely associated with Christian worship. They typically use clear, memorable melodies, regular poetic meters, and straightforward harmonies so that large groups can sing together with ease. While the concept of a hymn as a sacred song predates Christianity (e.g., in Ancient Greek and Jewish traditions), Christian hymnody coalesced late in the 4th century with Ambrosian practice in Milan and then expanded through Latin and Greek liturgical cultures. Over time, hymn singing moved from monastic and cathedral settings into congregational life, especially after the Protestant Reformation, where metrical psalms and vernacular hymns became a defining feature of worship. Modern hymnody ranges from chant-like, modal melodies without accompaniment to robust, four-part chorale harmonizations with organ, and even contemporary arrangements that adapt classic hymn texts and tunes to newer popular styles.

Pop is a broad, hook-driven style of popular music designed for wide appeal. It emphasizes memorable melodies, concise song structures, polished vocals, and production intended for radio, charts, and mass media. While pop continually absorbs elements from other styles, its core remains singable choruses, accessible harmonies, and rhythmic clarity. Typical forms include verse–pre-chorus–chorus, frequent use of bridges and middle-eights, and ear-catching intros and outros. Pop is not defined by a single instrumentation. It flexibly incorporates acoustic and electric instruments, drum machines, synthesizers, and increasingly digital production techniques, always in service of the song and the hook.

Kerkkoor is a Dutch church-choir tradition centered on congregational Christianity, where a dedicated choir (often men’s, mixed, or youth) performs hymns, psalm settings, and sacred songs within or inspired by Protestant church life. The sound typically emphasizes clear text delivery in Dutch, homophonic choral writing (block chords), and supportive organ accompaniment, although a cappella passages and occasional orchestral/ensemble accompaniment also occur. As a “genre” label in modern catalogs, kerkkoor usually refers less to a single musical style and more to a repertoire ecosystem: Dutch hymnody and psalmody, devotional songs, and choir arrangements intended for worship services, church concerts, and religious community events.

Praise & Worship

Praise & worship is a strand of contemporary Christian music designed for congregational singing in church services, conferences, and worship gatherings. It typically features a modern band (vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums), singable melodies within a comfortable range, and lyrically direct, "vertical" address to God. Songs favor clear hooks, memorable choruses, and simple harmonic movement (e.g., I–V–vi–IV) to enable wide participation. Stylistically, it draws on gospel, contemporary Christian music, and pop/rock balladry, often building dynamically from intimate verses to anthemic, hands-raised choruses. The genre has spread globally through church movements, recordings, and licensing (e.g., CCLI), shaping the sound of modern worship across denominations.

Nederpop is a broad term for pop and rock made in the Netherlands, most often sung in Dutch and characterized by strong hooks, sing‑along choruses, and accessible storytelling. While it includes a range of sounds—from guitar‑based pop rock to synth‑driven new wave and even reggae‑tinged rhythms—it stays centered on melody and lyrical immediacy. The style coalesced as a recognizable movement in the late 1970s and surged in the 1980s, when bands adopted new wave textures and occasional ska/reggae grooves. In the 1990s and 2000s, nederpop became mainstream adult pop, with polished production, emotive ballads, and stadium‑sized choruses, often addressing everyday life, love, and social themes.

Has influenced

Vlaamse Kinderliedje

Vlaamse kinderliedje refers to Dutch-language children's songs produced in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium). The style blends catchy, easy-to-sing pop hooks with topics and vocabulary tailored to preschool and primary-school audiences. In practice, these songs are strongly tied to children’s television, live shows, and character-driven franchises, so they are written to be memorable after a single listen, to work with simple dance moves, and to be performed by costumed acts. Lyrics emphasize rhyme, repetition, and clear narratives about everyday life, friendship, animals, school, and imagination, all delivered in family-friendly Flemish Dutch. Musically, the idiom is bright, major-key pop with uncomplicated harmonies (I–IV–V–vi), steady four-on-the-floor or light shuffle grooves, and sparkling, synthetic textures. Choruses are short and anthemic, often designed for call-and-response and group participation.

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