福音音乐（Gospel）：历史上美国的黑人农奴接受了基督教的信仰之后，常在田里祈祷，希望减少劳动的痛苦。不久便演变成即兴的音乐表演。在奴隶制废除之后，黑人们组织了自己的教堂，并把这种音乐形式作为教堂活动的一种。20世纪中期，猫王把福音音乐引进到自己的风格中，之后汽车城唱片公司将这种音乐商业化。70年代后期，福音音乐逐渐流行化，并采用流行音乐的制作和造星方式，演变成当代基督教音乐。主要的福音音乐艺术家有艾瑞莎·弗兰克林、苏珊大妈、维南斯家族和柯克·弗兰克林。

可称为当代最具代表性的曲目，大概是非《奇异恩典》莫属了，作词者是约翰·牛顿牧师（John Newton 1725-1807）生于英国伦敦，他一直在教会工作到81岁才退休，一生就像歌词一样，是它真实的写照。这首赞美诗逐渐在美国黑人基督教社会流传，最初选用过20多种曲调，到1835年选用了歌曲《新不列颠》的曲调，流传至今天。

Gospel music is a music genre in Christian music. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music usually has dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century, with roots in the black oral tradition. Hymns and sacred songs were repeated in a call and response fashion. Most of the churches relied on hand clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Most of the singing was done a cappella. The first published use of the term ″Gospel Song" probably appeared in 1874. The original gospel songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root, Philip Bliss, Charles H. Gabriel, William Howard Doane, and Fanny Crosby. Gospel music publishing houses emerged. The advent of radio in the 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music. Following World War II, gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate.