Crowdfunding Replacing Labels?

Many articles have been written on the impact of crowdfunding on entertainment.  Has crowdfunding begun to replace labels in the Christian market?  Below is a partial list of artists who've gone this route in recent years:

Artists who have been on labels fairly recently, but are now cutting out the middleman with crowdfunding:
Thousand Foot Krutch (Kickstarter)
Jars of Clay (PledgeMusic)
Disciple (Kickstarter)
Manafest (PledgeMusic)
Fireflight (PledgeMusic)
Jimmy Needham (Kickstarter)
Audrey Assad (Kickstarter)
Abandon (Kickstarter)
Hawk Nelson (Kickstarter)
Mike Farris (Kickstarter)
Seabird (Kickstarter)
33Miles (Kickstarter)
Beckah Shae (Kickstarter)
Anthem Lights (Kickstarter)
The Monks (Kickstarter)
Gungor  (Kickstarter)
The Vespers (Kickstarter)


John Elefante (Kickstarter)
Steve Taylor (Kickstarter)
Guardian (Kickstarter)
Bryan Duncan (Kickstarter)
The Choir (Kickstarter)
John Schlitt (Kickstarter)
Out of the Grey (Kickstarter)
Crystal Lewis (Kickstarter)
Bloodgood (Kickstarter)
Michael Roe (Kickstarter)
Big Tent Revival (Kickstarter)
Pillar (Kickstarter)
Carman (Kickstarter)
Daniel Amos  (Kickstarter)
Christafari (Kickstarter)
OC Supertones (Kickstarter)
Natalie LaRue (Kickstarter)
Cherri Keaggy (Kickstarter)

Fresh off labels:
Warren Barfield  (Kickstarter)
Scott MacIntyre (Kickstarter)
Chris Sligh (Kickstarter)
Robbie Seay Band (Kickstarter)
Children 18:3 (Kickstarter)
The Sonflowerz (Kickstarter)
Benjamin Dunn (Kickstarter)
Samestate (Kickstarter)
Sevenglory (Kickstarter)
Tal & Acacia (Kickstarter)
Above the Golden State (Kickstarter)
After Edmund (Kickstarter)

Did we forget anyone?

Stephen Baldwin Set to Star in a new Kickstarter-funded Sitcom, Rock And A Hard Place

Grammy-winning vocalist John Schlitt is set to join actor Stephen Baldwin in a new sitcom, Rock And A Hard Place, slated to go into production in the Spring. The faith-based television project features Schlitt in the role of John, the maintenance man at Solid Rock Church, where Baldwin's character is the pastor.

The sitcom, which has reached its initial Kickstarter goal to produce the pilot, is currently in Phase Two as the production team strives to make a "reach goal" of $100,000. The deadline for contributions is 9 p.m. E.T. Thursday, January 16.

The story line centers around Baldwin's character, Pastor Darren Keaton, who has a young daughter, a live-in mother-in-law, a slowly declining congregation in a northern Illinois church. When Pastor Keaton learns he has become the new owner of Hard Knocks, the bar directly across the street from his church home, Solid Rock Church, he suddenly finds himself between "a rock and a hard place." The pastor questions how his congregation will respond, how the church elders and staff will treat him, and how a devoutly religious man pastoring a church can possibly be allowed to own a bar? Pastor Darren finds he must look up for the answers, even more now than ever.

"Rock And A Hard Place is a comedy sitcom extravaganza," Baldwin says. "It's an outside the box, kooky, funny, Christian comedy of a heightened quality."

Joining Baldwin and Schlitt in the cast are Braxton Cosby (Bill Cosby's nephew), Eddie Steeples (My Name is Earl), and actress Lindee Link (Christian music singer Twila Paris' cousin). Grammy nominee Bryan Duncan wrote and performed the theme song for the new TV project. Darren Marlar is the series creator, producer, writer and also acts in the show.

Best Male Christian Vocalists of All Time

Below is our list for the best male Christian vocalists of all time.

This list is not just based on vocal prowess, criteria also include song quality, impact on industry, ability to play an instrument and/or craft a song, and of course my personal bias...

10.  Matthew West
9. Ken Tamplin
8. Michael Tait (also of dc Talk & Newsboys) & Kevin Max (also of dc Talk and Audio A)
7. John Elefante
6. Michael Sweet (also of Stryper fame)

5. Michael W. Smith

4. Jeremy Camp
3. Bryan Duncan

2. Steven Curtis Chapman

1. Russ Taff

Honorable Mentions:

Brandon Heath

Charlie Peacock

Chris Tomlin

Mark Schultz
Phil Keaggy
Todd Agnew
Warren Barfield

On the way to establishing post-band career:
Peter Furler (of Newsboys)
John Schlitt (of Petra fame)
Martin Smith (of delirious?)

To make the list manageable, we've also excluded vocalists who are primarily fronting a band without a body of solo work.  That list is here.

Thoughts?

25 Best Christmas CDs of All Time

Amended and expanded list based on new releases and continued consumption:

25 Best Christmas CDs of All Time

25. Harry Connick Jr. - When My Heart Finds Christmas
24. Relient K - Let It Snow Baby... Let It Reindeer
23. Michael McDonald - In the Spirit
22. Bryan Duncan - A Nehosoul Christmas
21. Jewel - Joy: A Holiday Collection
20. Faith Hill - Joy to the World
19. BarlowGirl - Home for Christmas
18. MercyMe - The Christmas Sessions
17. Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs
16. Amy Grant - A Christmas Album
15. Various - Christmas (1988 Sparrow compilation)
14. Michael W. Smith - Christmas
13. Bing Crosby - White Christmas
12. Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song
11. Elvis Presley - It's Christmas Time
10. Ginny Owens - Bring Us Peace
9. Russ Taff - A Christmas Song
8. Avalon - Joy
7. Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
6. Steven Curtis Chapman - The Music of Christmas
5. Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas
4. Amy Grant - Home for Christmas
3. Jaci Valesquez - Christmas
2. Michael W. Smith - Christmastime
1. Bryan Duncan - Christmas is Jesus