Music Mondays - Manufacturing Controversy over a "Baby"

The 80's and 90's were curious times in the Christian music world.  Legitimate stars were being made. Some were even gaining larger audiences, beyond just the Church.

Yet, for those first mega-stars of the CCM world, any hint of "going secular" was met with automatic backlash.  One of those trailblazers was the queen of CCM, Amy Grant. Looking back, it's apparent her albums were less and less overtly Christian but it was "Heart in Motion" that was her pop music breakthrough. And it was the the #1 single "Baby Baby" that catapulted her to superstardom and put a target on her back for some.

This song made her the first Christian artist to record number one hit on the US pop charts. But not only did she get flack for selling out to the world, her video received criticism because it showed her interacting with a guy who wasn't her husband. 
Despite her assertions that her newborn was the inspiration for the song, some Christians tuned her out and dismissed the idea that a Christian could make quality 'worldly' music without morally compromising.

I personally think she handled herself pretty well through it all. Yes, her personal story would include a divorce that brought out a lot of critics. And while some of these criticisms might be justifiable, for me, this is all about what happens when we put our Christian heroes on pedestals and expect perfection.

She might be a cautionary-tale, but she's definitely a trail-blazer and an artist who's established an excellent career - both in the secular and sacred music realms.