When Amy Grant became popular in Christian music I read that when she released the Unguarded album in 1985 people claimed that it was actually her first pop oriented album and that Amy hoped to attract the pop music audience with the release of the Unguarded album. Because I've always thought that her Heart In Motion album from 1991 was Amy Grant's first foray into the pop music market. I think that when the Heart In Motion album was released Amy Grant knew that this album would be the first step to attracting the pop market. Then once House Of Love came out in 1994 Amy knew she was headed in the right direction because pop music seems easy to crossover when you are in the Christian music market. But I think with the Behind The Eyes album released in 1997 Amy Grant changed her sound and aimed at the pop charts but the album has a folk music sound to it which she still has today. But if you look at Amy Grant's career I have to say she is much more successful in the pop market
Bestie

in 1985 when 'Unguarded' came out, CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) was on a roll with artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and even Stryper making inroads into secular "crossover" music. The music was deemed good enough to be on par with whatever was shown on MTV. I'm recalling that Amy Grant was aware of it, but did not /,, allegedy, intentionally go out to court the "secular" marketplace. Still, she seemed to have a "crossover" sensibility nonetheless. Was she intentionally courting the secular field? It's hard to say. What was going on between 1985 and 1991 with 'Heart In Motion'? For one thing, she said she was never intent on singing strictly for Christians early on.

I believe after the surprising success of Unguarded Amy Grant knew that she had found her genre that suited her but even though she was happy in the pop market I think the Lead Me On album from 1989 showed that Amy Grant still aimed at the Christian audience. But I think why Heart In Motion was a strong seller was the album had big hits like Baby Baby and with the video of Baby Baby showed that Amy had a new image because she is seen with a guy who's supposed to be her crush in the video. But when her second Christmas album Home For Christmas came out the song Breath Of Heaven "Mary's Song" showed that she still had her Christian moves. But if you listen to Amy Grant's House Of Love album she still uses Christian elements in some of the songs. But with her folk sound today she has found her way back to Christian music
Bestie

What do you mean "hoping to"? Amy Grant absolutely did have success on the pop charts!

Ed.