​7 Christian songs that everyone’s listening to right now

It was 1997 and I remember feeling rather giddy that ‘Deeper’, a song by Delirious? had entered the Official UK Top 40 charts.

This was a song about God, by a band that was unquestionably Christian. What is happening?! And then nothing really did… As far as the mainstream was concerned, Christian music, whether overt or otherwise, again drifted into the shadows.  

But this time, things could be different. Contemporary Christian music (CCM) has just recorded its best ever year for streams on Spotify, with a 60% growth over a five-year period.

Today, not one but two Christian songs (Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll’s ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ and Forrest Frank’s ‘YOUR WAY’S BETTER’) are in the fabled Billboard Hot 100. The feat has happened once before, but back in 2014, Carrie Underwood’s ‘Something in the Water’ and Craig Wayne Boyd’s rendition of ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ quickly fell of the charts. This time round, Lake and Frank are showing little signs of going anywhere.  

Whether this surge in popularity is a good thing, given the perils involved, is perhaps for another article. But for now, let’s celebrate that songs about Jesus are resonating with people. So with that in mind, here are seven songs and albums making a splash right now…

1. ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ – Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll  

Delve into the world of Christian music and you’re likely to find Brandon Lake pretty quickly – whether that’s performing songs (on his own or with others) or causing controversy for his comments. Even his duet with Jelly Roll for ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ was not without a stir given Jelly Roll’s background. That aside, the song is a resolute declaration of worship amidst tough times, which probably goes someway to explaining its wild popularity, with the song spending 17 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100.

2. ‘Praise’ – Elevation Worship  

One worship song impossible to escape currently is ‘Praise’ by Elevation Worship, the music collective based in Charlotte, North Carolina, whose other popular songs include ‘Graves into Gardens’ and ‘Do it Again’. Personal takes aside (the lyric “Praise is the water my enemies drown in” troubles me a little), the song is certainly connecting with people – as the 171 million YouTube views suggest. It’s perhaps because the song is energetic, declarative and congregational, making it easy to translate into a smaller setting, and such songs are sometimes hard to come by. 

3. ‘The Mighty Name of Jesus’ – The Belonging Co. 

Launched in 2014 with just four people in the basement of a home, The Belonging Co. has seen astonishing growth. Weekly services attract thousands and not only have they produced three full-length albums, they also provide degrees. Their songs are less familiar than the likes of Maverick and Upper Room, but with this song gaining close to 30 million streams on YouTube and Spotify, the church’s reach is beginning to extend far beyond their home in Nashville. 

4. ‘Child of God II’ – Forrest Frank  

‘YOUR WAY’S BETTER’ – which is spending its ninth eight week in the Billboard Hot 100 – is not the only Forrest Frank song making waves. In fact, his whole album is doing the rounds. Child of God II is the perfect playlist for a quintessential hot summer’s day. It radiates happiness and succeeds in making Sunday School-esq lyrics sound cool for all ages, notably ‘CELEBRATION’: “It’s time to clap our hands and stomp our feet; Let’s have a celebration; If you believe that Jesus set you free.”

5. ‘Holy Forever’ – CeCe Winans  

Every so often, a worship song becomes the song of the moment, covered by everyone from Bethel to Elevation Worship, and sung at every other church and Christian wedding. Arguably, that song at the moment is ‘Holy Forever,’ with four versions of it in the current Billboard Top 50 Christian Songs. Leading the way on YouTube with a cool 104 million views is CeCe Winans, the American Gospel singer and winner of 17 Grammy Awards. For an extended nine-minute version of the song, head to Spotify.  

6. ‘Walk Through Fire’ – Ben Fuller  

Perhaps lesser known this side of the Atlantic, Ben Fuller is a singer-songwriter who has a remarkable story. In 2019, he was overdosing on cocaine when he cried out to God. He was invited to church, where he encountered Jesus and later broke free of drug and drink addiction. Walk Through Fire, his latest album, continues to document his transformed life with catchy, country tunes, with notable lyrics including (from ‘Since Jesus’): “Since Jesus, he wrecked the plans of this broken man; Turned a heart of stone to pieces, I ain’t ever been the same.” 

7. ‘Prodigal’ – Josiah Queen 

Aged 18, Josiah Queen was working at a car wash when he offered up a fervent prayer - that a path to express more widely his singer-songwriting gift would emerge. Four years on, helped by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it’s fair to say that prayer has been answered. Last year, his debut album The Prodigal hit number one on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. Earlier this year, he toured Europe, including dates in Birmingham, Belfast and London. With intriguing, Bible-inspired titles such as such as ‘I am Barabbas’, ‘Fishes and Loaves’ and ‘The Prodigal’, Queen’s debut album is well worth exploring.