The Billboard Top Christian Albums ranks the best-performing Christian music albums of the week in the United States. The chart was titled Top Contemporary Christian Albums until 2003 and was renamed to the Top Christian Albums on issue date August 16, 2003. [3] The data is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each album's weekly physical (CD, vinyl and cassette) sales. Throughout the decade, a total of 129 albums claimed the top spot of the chart.
WOW albums were the most successful of the decade. Twelve albums spent a total of 75 weeks atop, with two albums topping the year end charts.
† | Best-performing album of respective years |
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The following artists have spent at least ten weeks atop the chart, with at least three albums:
The following albums have spent at least ten weeks atop the chart throughout the decade:
Album | Wks. | Artist(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
The Beautiful Letdown | 38 | Switchfoot | [24] |
Satellite | 35 | P.O.D. | [25] |
Precious Memories | 22 | Alan Jackson | [26] |
Songs 4 Worship: Shout To The Lord | 20 | Various artists | [27] |
Mountain High... Valley Low | 16 | Yolanda Adams | [28] |
WoW-2001: The Year's 30 Top Christian Artists And Hits | 16 | Various artists | [29] |
The Altar and the Door | 13 | Casting Crowns | [30] |
The Fight of My Life | 11 | Kirk Franklin | [31] |
WOW Hits 2007 | 10 | Various artists | [32] |
Hero | 10 | Kirk Franklin | [33] |
Flyleaf | 10 | Flyleaf | [34] |
"Take My Breath Away" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film Top Gun, performed by American new wave band Berlin. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1986.
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album is a soundtrack album from the film of the same name, released on November 17, 1992, by Arista Records. The album's first side features songs recorded by American singer Whitney Houston, who starred in the film, while side two features the work of various artists. Houston and Clive Davis were co-executive producers of the record.
"One Sweet Day" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and American vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on November 14, 1995, as the second single from the former's fifth studio album, Daydream (1995) by Columbia Records. The artists co-wrote the song with Walter Afanasieff, who co-produced it with Carey. Lyrically, the song speaks about the death of a loved one, how the protagonist took their presence for granted and misses them, and finally about seeing the person in heaven. The artists wrote the song about specific people in their lives, being inspired by sufferers of the AIDS epidemic, which was globally prevalent at the time.
The Beautiful Letdown is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Switchfoot, released on February 25, 2003, by RED Ink Records, and later re-released through Sony Music. It marked the band's first release on a major label and their first release with keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas. The album was produced by John Fields and Switchfoot and recorded over a span of around two weeks; all songs on the album were written either in part or entirely by lead singer Jon Foreman.
"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Written by Adams, Michael Kamen, and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the power ballad was the lead single for both the soundtrack album from the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Adams's sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). The single was released on June 17, 1991.
"Meant to Live" is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. "Meant to Live" was released to radio on January 27, 2003. The song peaked at number five on the US Modern Rock chart and U.S. Adult Top 40 chart, number six on U.S. Top 40 radio, and number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It is the first track on the group's 2003 major-label debut album The Beautiful Letdown, and was also featured in the UK version of the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack. In April 2005, the song was certified gold in the United States. The single is generally regarded as the song that helped the band achieve mainstream success.
"Back at One" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Brian McKnight, taken from his fifth studio album of the same name (1999). The single was released on August 9, 1999.
"I Try" is a song co-written and performed by American musician Macy Gray. The song was released on September 27, 1999, as the second single from her debut album, On How Life Is (1999). It is Gray's most successful single to date, peaking at number six in the United Kingdom, number five in the United States, number two in Canada, and number one in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.
"Glory of Love" is a 1986 song performed by Peter Cetera, which he wrote and composed with his then-wife Diane Nini and David Foster. The song was recorded by Cetera shortly after he left the band Chicago to pursue a solo career. Featured in the film The Karate Kid Part II (1986), it was Cetera's first hit single after he left the band, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was included on his album Solitude/Solitaire (1986), which Michael Omartian produced.
Thankful is the debut studio album by American duo Mary Mary. It was released on May 2, 2000, through Columbia Records in the United States. Chiefly produced by Warryn Campbell, the album is gospel music with stylings of contemporary R&B. It produced the smash crossover hit "Shackles ", which reached the top ten in seven countries and the single "I Sings", which was also a significant hit. Thankful established Mary Mary as one of the leading artists in contemporary Christian music, and won the duo the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album at the 43rd awards ceremony as well as a Dove Award, a Lady of Soul Award, and a Stellar Award.
Almost There is the first studio album by the American Christian rock band MercyMe. Produced by Pete Kipley, it was released on August 14, 2001, by INO Records. After releasing six albums as an unsigned band, they decided to pursue a record contract because it became too difficult to sell albums, book shows, and manage themselves. The band was assigned to work with Kipley, who had not produced a major project before. Four songs on the album had previously appeared on their self-released albums; the rest were newly recorded songs. Critics have characterized the music on the album as contemporary worship and pop rock, with a more radio-friendly sound than the band's self-released albums.
"You Were Meant for Me" is a song written by Steve Poltz and American singer-songwriter Jewel and performed by Jewel on her first album, Pieces of You (1995). It relates the singer's incomprehension of a failed relationship and her inadequate attempts at moving on with her life.
"I Need You" is a song written by Dennis Matkosky and Ty Lacy. Performed by American country pop artist LeAnn Rimes, it was released on July 25, 2000, as a single from Jesus: Music from and Inspired by the Epic Mini-Series. The song spent 25 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 11, and it was also successful outside the US, reaching the top 20 in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. A music video was released in 2000.
The discography of American alternative rock band Switchfoot consists of 12 studio albums, four live albums, three compilation albums, five video albums, 10 extended plays, 43 singles, nine promotional singles and 39 music videos. The band, originally called Chin Up, consists of singer/guitarist and primary songwriter Jon Foreman, bassist Tim Foreman, drummer Chad Butler and synthesizer/keyboardist/guitarist Jerome Fontamillas. Lead guitarist Drew Shirley left the band in February 2022.
"Heaven" is the debut single of American rock band Los Lonely Boys. The song was written by brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, who comprise the foundation of the band, and it appears on their multi-platinum self-titled album.
Top Christian Albums is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that ranks the best-performing Christian albums in the United States. Like the Billboard 200, the data is compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales, as well as on-demand streaming and digital sales of its individual tracks. The chart was introduced on the magazine issue dated March 29, 1980, under the title "Best Selling Inspirational LPs". The current name was adopted on August 16, 2003, in an effort to "streamline" chart titles. The first number-one album was Candle's Music Machine. Amy Grant's Age to Age, released in 1982, topped the chart for 85 consecutive weeks, the longest for any album on the chart.
Lauren Ashley Daigle is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. After being signed to the label Centricity Music, she released her debut album, How Can It Be, in 2015. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart, has been certified Platinum by the RIAA and produced three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart.
Native Tongue is the eleventh studio album by American alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on January 18, 2019, through Fantasy Records. Native Tongue peaked at No. 41 in its opening week on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Christian albums chart. At the 50th Dove Awards, Native Tongue won Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year.
Jennifer Louise Johnson is an American Christian worship singer, songwriter and worship pastor. She is a co-founding member of Bethel Music, and is one-half of the husband-and-wife worship duo, Brian & Jenn Johnson. She is also a senior worship pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, and a Senior Overseer of WorshipU, an online school of worship under Bethel Music which she co-founded with Brian Johnson.
Note that we have streamlined the name of the latter album list, dropping the word 'Contemporary.'