Newsboys are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of which have been certified gold. As of 2023, the band consists of lead vocalist Michael Tait, drummer and percussionist Duncan Phillips, keyboardist and bassist Jeff Frankenstein, guitarist Jody Davis and bass guitarist Adam Agee. In addition to performing music, the band has appeared in the films God's Not Dead, God's Not Dead 2, and God's Not Dead: A Light In Darkness.
Step Up to the Microphone is the seventh studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in 1998 through Star Song Communications. It was the Newsboys' first album following the departure of lead singer John James in 1997, with Peter Furler and Phil Joel subsequently sharing lead vocal duties.
Devotion is the eleventh studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in November 2004. It is a follow-up album to the band's first worship-oriented project, Adoration. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Top Christian Albums chart, and at No. 56 on the Billboard 200 charts. Several Christian artists made guest appearances on the album, including Rebecca St. James, Bethel World Outreach Choir, Stuart Garrard, and Jon Ellis of Tree63.
"What Hurts the Most" is a song written by American songwriter Jeffrey Steele and English songwriter Steve Robson. Initially recorded by country music artist Mark Wills in 2003 on his album And the Crowd Goes Wild, it was covered by Bellefire a year later. The first version to be released as a single was by pop singer Jo O'Meara in 2005, from the album Relentless. Later that year, country band Rascal Flatts covered the song as well, releasing it as the first single from the 2006 album Me and My Gang, topping the U.S. country and adult contemporary charts with it. German band Cascada later had international chart success with the song in 2007. It was also covered by Eden in 2008.
MercyMe is an American contemporary Christian music band founded in Edmond, Oklahoma. The band consists of lead vocalist Bart Millard, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul.
Casting Crowns is the first studio album by American Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Produced by Mark A. Miller and Steven Curtis Chapman, the album was released on October 7, 2003, by Beach Street Records. It incorporates a pop rock and rock sound, with the main instruments used in the album being guitar, keyboard and violin. Casting Crowns received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom praised the album's lyrics and production quality. It was nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year at the 35th GMA Dove Awards, while its singles were nominated for and received various awards.
Peter Andrew Furler is an Australian musician, songwriter, producer and record executive, best known as the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the Christian rock band Newsboys.
Take Me to Your Leader is the sixth studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in 1996. It was both the last Newsboys album to feature lead vocalist John James and the first to feature bassist/vocalist Phil Joel. The album won a Dove Award in 1997 for its packaging, and was also nominated for "Rock Album of the Year", "Rock Recorded Song of the Year" and "Short Form Music Video of the Year". The album was also recognized with a Grammy nomination for "Best Rock Gospel Album". It is also the band's the first album as a sextet.
Love Liberty Disco is the eighth studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in 1999. In stark contrast to the band's usual pop rock sound, Love Liberty Disco focuses on 1970s era-inspired sounds and disco.
Going Public is the fifth studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in 1994. The album was the band's second commercial success, and it featured "Shine," one of their most popular songs.
Not Ashamed is the fourth studio album by Australian CCM band Newsboys, released in 1992. The album was the Newsboys' first commercially successful album, with "I'm Not Ashamed" becoming a hit on Christian radio. With this album, producer Steve Taylor started co-writing many of the band's songs with Peter Furler, who also began sharing lead vocals duties with then-primary vocalist John James.
"So Long Self" is a song written and performed by Christian rock band MercyMe. "So Long Self" is musically a song with a lyrical theme revolving around a figurative breakup with one's self. "So Long Self" was released as the lead single from the band's 2006 album Coming Up to Breathe.
Coming Up to Breathe is the fourth studio album by Christian rock band MercyMe. Released on April 25, 2006, by INO Records, the album was intended by MercyMe to be edgier than their previous albums. Coming Up to Breathe sold 58,000 copies its first week, MercyMe's biggest sales week at the time. It debuted and peaked at number one on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, number five on the Rock Albums chart, and number thirteen on the Billboard 200. It also appeared on the Alternative Albums chart in 2007, peaking at number thirteen. Coming Up to Breathe was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2007, signifying shipments of over 500,000 copies.
Peace on Earth is the first Christmas album by American Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Produced by Mark Hall and Mark A. Miller, it was released on October 7, 2008. Intended by Hall to bring out the worshipful aspect of Christmas, the album does not have songs relating to secular Christmas traditions, instead featuring a mix of traditional Christmas carols and original songs. As co-producer, Hall attempted to differentiate the album from their previous ones by attempting to use creative ideas they had not tried before, and he also wanted to utilize the band's female members in a broader and more visible role on the album.
In the Hands of God is the thirteenth studio album by Christian band Newsboys. It was released on 5 May 2009, being the last album the band released before the departure of singer and founding member Peter Furler. It also features the return of Jody Davis, after a five-year hiatus, the first album on which keyboard player Jeff Frankenstein took on some production duties, and is the first album to feature any recording with Michael Tait as lead vocalist since singing guest vocals on "The Fad of the Land" from their 2002 live DVD Thrive: From The Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame. Tait later replaced Furler.
"Halfway Gone" is a song by American band Lifehouse. It is the first single released from their fifth studio album, Smoke & Mirrors (2010). It was first released via digital download in the United States and Canada on October 26, 2009. It was then solicited to mainstream radio on January 12, 2010. Several remixes of the song were later released on iTunes on April 6, 2010 in an album called Halfway Gone Remixes. The song was a commercial success, charting in Canada, the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. The accompanying music video portrays Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade singing most of the lyrics in a park, and also features band cohorts and various people lip-syncing the lyrics as the song plays.
The Generous Mr. Lovewell is the sixth studio album by Christian rock band MercyMe. Released in May 2010, the album is a concept record revolving around a fictional, allegorical character, 'Mr. Lovewell', and the overall theme of love. Produced by Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala, the album met with positive critical and commercial reception. The album sold over 88,000 copies its first week and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Christian Albums chart.
Welcome to the New is the eighth studio album from contemporary Christian music band MercyMe, which was released on April 8, 2014 by Fair Trade Services and Columbia Records, and the producers are David Garcia and Ben Glover.
Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil is an American alternative rock supergroup formed in 2010 by singer Steve Taylor with drummer Peter Furler, guitarist Jimmy Abegg, and bassist John Mark Painter. Taylor formerly saw success as a new wave singer during the 1980s and early 1990s, and also fronted the short-lived band Chagall Guevara. However, by the mid-1990s he abandoned performing music and transitioned into work as a record producer, songwriter, and film-maker. In 2010 Taylor, who was frustrated at the slow pace of his fundraiser for his feature film Blue Like Jazz, collaborated with Furler, Abegg, and Painter to record the song "A Life Preserved" for the film's soundtrack, and began recording other material. Taylor, Abegg, and Painter then featured on the Peter Furler song "Closer", under the name "Steve Taylor & Some Other Band", on Furler's album On Fire. With those collaborations as a starting point, Taylor relaunched his career as a performing musician, and the lineup was branded as Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil. The group released a studio album entitled Goliath on November 18, 2014 to critical acclaim and modest commercial success. In 2015, Daniel Smith of Danielson, with whom the band had been touring, joined on in a collaboration touted as Steve Taylor & The Danielson Foil. Under this incarnation, the group released the EP Wow to the Deadness on February 5, 2016, and toured until February 12. A live album under this incarnation of the band was also released, and the band also contributed to the soundtrack for the 2020 film Electric Jesus.
Run to the Father is the second studio album by American Christian musician Cody Carnes. The album was released on March 13, 2020, via Capitol Christian Music Group. The deluxe edition of the album was released on February 5, 2021. Carnes collaborated with Hank Bentley, The Creak Music, Austin Davis, Jeremy Edwardson, Jeremy S.H. Griffith, David Leonard, Dan Mackenzie, Jacob Sooter, McKendree Tucker, and Colby Wedgeworth in the production of the album.
