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Trending on Billboard Brandon Lake was named ASCAP’s Christian music songwriter of the year on Monday (Nov. 10), while “Praise,” which he co-wrote with Pat Barrett, was named Christian music song of the year. ASCAP’s winning Christian and country music writers will be honored at the ASCAP Nashville Songwriters Celebration on Monday, Nov. 17. Related […]
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Music City and Capitol Hill came together Wednesday night as the RIAA Honors saluted leaders in Christian and gospel music, as well as two senators who have led the fight to protect creators’ rights.
Though it may be a fractious time in Washington, D.C., as the government shutdown and partisan discord continues, there was nothing but good vibes and glorious music at the Recording Industry Association of America’s headquarters.
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“RIAA Honors recognizes artists, industry leaders and policy makers who have made important contributions to American culture,” said RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier, at the packed event. “Over the past few years, we’ve honored pioneers of country music, hip-hop and Latin music, and tonight, we come together to celebrate pioneers in one of music’s most important and meaningful genres: Christian and gospel music.”
At the event, sponsored by Billboard, the RIAA recognized platinum contemporary Christian artist Lauren Daigle as artist of the year, while Nashville-based executives Jackie Patillo, president of the Gospel Music Association and GMA Foundation, and Ed Leonard, president of Daywind Music Group and an executive committee member of the GMA, were honored as industry executives of the year. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Chris Coons (D-DE) were celebrated as policymakers of the year.
Morna Willens, RIAA’s chief policy officer, cited the many pieces of legislation that Blackburn has been behind, as much of her constituency in Tennessee includes the creative community in Nashville. “You want her in your corner when things are rough, and her record from the Music Modernization Act to the NO FAKES Act to her defense of Tennessee’s rights to protect the citizens from AI abuses speak for itself,” Willens said.
Blackburn took the stage and joked that “In Nashville, I can’t go to church, I can’t go to one of the kids’ games, I can’t go to the mailbox, I can’t go out for a walk without seeing somebody that’s a singer, a songwriter, a record producer.” She added that when she first came to D.C. as a U.S. representative, she was surprised to realize “not everyone had an appreciation for the role that intellectual property and the protection of that intellectual property [plays and] why it is so important,” adding, “It is the basis on which so many people make their living.”
Pictured (L-R): RIAA Honors Executives of the Year Ed Leonard & Jackie Patillo,
Artist of the Year Lauren Daigle and Policymakers of the Year Senators Marsha Blackburn & Chris Coons
Daniel Swartz
She mentioned a number of other pieces of legislation she has championed, including 2006’s Songwriters Capital Gains Tax Equity Act and the newly introduced CREATE Act, as well as gave a shout-out to Coons and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tom Tillis (D-N.C.) for their co-sponsorship of the NO FACTS Act, which protects artists and minors against unauthorized AI deepfake impersonations, before concluding, “In other words, we’ve got your back and we’ve got you covered, and it is truly an honor to do that for you.”
Next, Willens lauded Blackburn’s NO FACTS Act co-sponsor Coons as someone who “has earned his colleagues’ respect, on both sides of the aisle, as a principled, substantive and pragmatic leader,” as well as praised his championing of such momentous legislation as the CLASSICS Act and the Music Modernization Act.
Coons noted that protecting music creators is close to his heart: His step-brother has recorded seven albums and his half-sister is an opera singer. He thanked Blackburn for her partnership, stressing the importance of bipartisanship. “At a time when — you might have heard this — there’s division in Congress, it is so wonderful to be able to reflect back what music does for all of us, which is to bring us together and to find common solutions to the challenges that face singers, songwriters, publishers and producers, the whole creative community,” he said. Turning to the NO FAKES Act, he added, “I’m confident, optimistic that we will get it through Congress and to President Trump’s desk this year to protect your voice, your face, your likeness and your music.”
Moving to the industry executives of the year, a video featuring top gospel and Christian artists For King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, Natalie Grant and Jekalyn Carr saluted Patillo, who many of the artists have known for decades — including Grant, who thanked Patillo for signing her when she was a label executive and for introducing her to her husband. Carr thanked her for her “contribution to gospel music” and for “God trusting you with the assignment” to protect and spread gospel music.
Michele Ballentyne, RIAA’s president and chief operating officer, shared seeing firsthand the unifying impact Patillo has had on the gospel community, calling her “a force of nature,” and noting that she has proven to be such a leader that the GMA even named its leadership award after her.
A humble Patillo spoke briefly, praising God’s plan for her, despite her doubts. “I am so grateful that God chose me,” she said. “Every time I’ve wrestled with Him and said, ‘But I’m not qualified,’ He said, ‘Trust me.’ And I’ve never done anything other than facilitate the creation and the furtherance of Christian and gospel music. So I’m honored to be at the table with Mitch and to be able to represent the gospel music trade association at the table for advocacy of all of our intellectual properties.”
Similarly to the video saluting Patillo, an artist package for Leonard featured gospel icon CeCe Winans, Joseph Habedank and Karen Peck of Karen Peck and New River, who noted, “Ed’s vision, integrity and dedication have not only strengthened Daywind, but also enriched the entire Christian and gospel music industry. His leadership has guided artists, writers and labels through seasons of change with wisdom and grace, while his advocacy has ensured that creators are valued and protected.”
Ballentyne recited a litany of music industry organizations that Leonard either leads or is a member of, adding, “I doubt there is a more experienced or accomplished executive out there in the genre.”
Leonard used most of his speech to praise others, including Patillo, whom he said took the GMA “from the ashes to the pinnacle,” and thanked both the RIAA staff and Senators Blackburn and Coons for “saving culture by saving music.” But his most touching moment came when he teared up as he thanked Daigle for her music. He recalled that one of his children, upon finding out he was being honored along with the singer, said, “’You know, Dad, her music got me through some of the toughest times in my life over the last five to 10 years,’ and to be able to say thank you to you publicly is something that is very special to me.”
That sentiment led beautifully into the artist of the year presentation honoring Daigle, which kicked off with a performance by Jon Batiste, who called Daigle “a light in the world. And in these times, we need beacons of light to lead us home,” he said. “You exist in the truth the way that God made us to be, and your music is a reflection [of that.].”
Appropriately, Batiste, seated at a grand piano, then launched into an effervescent, jazzy version of the children’s song and later Civil Rights Movement anthem “This Little Light of Mine.”
Glazier then addressed Daigle, who has more than 20 million units certified by the RIAA and is a two-time Grammy winner, eight-time Billboard Music Awards winner and 12-time GMA Dove Awards winner. “She’s been an unparalleled ambassador for Christian music, growing the genre and reaching new generations, embraced by fans in countries around the world, and proving over and over again that powerful, unapologetic Christian music reflects just as much talent, commitment and musical craft as the biggest hits of any genre ever recorded,” he said, before thanking her for her support of the NO FAKES Act, as well as her work with the International Justice Mission to support the STOP CSAM Act, which addresses online child exploitation and human trafficking.
Daigle, with her father in the audience, spoke of the power of music. “I’m so grateful that music is this bonding agent in a time of division, right?,” she said. “We get to all sit and listen to songs together, and in the process of doing that, we see the world become one. We see the world become whole again, even if it’s for but a moment, and that, to me, is so beautiful.” Admitting she suffered from imposter syndrome and felt that she didn’t deserve the honor, she turned her praise to Jesus. “He is for me. He is not against me. He is for you. He is not against you. And to receive a gift that you don’t deserve, but that you feel so deep to represent that around the world, is the highest of honors,” she said.
Then she let her music do the talking, launching into a heartfelt, beautiful rendition of “You Say,” her 2018 breakthrough hit that spent a record 132 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart, the first time a song had 100 or more weeks atop any of Billboard’s “Hot” charts. She and Batiste then came together to perform an emotional version of “Be Okay,” a song she wrote with Ellie Holcomb inspired by a terminally ill fan who asked Holcomb how to die. Their voices, separately and together, soared through the room, ending the evening on a high note and proving definitively the power of music that so many in the room are fighting to protect.
Nearly a decade before contemporary Christian music (CCM) star Brandon Lake was headlining arenas, topping Billboard’s Christian Airplay charts and winning Grammy Awards, he was a young church worship leader in Charleston, S.C., who just wanted to record an album — and took an unorthodox route to making that happen.
“I did a GoFundMe campaign. I said, ‘If you pledge a certain amount, I’ll tattoo your name on my leg,’ ” explains Lake, 34, as he sits across from me onstage in the sanctuary of Seacoast Church, the Charleston megachurch where he began leading worship as a teenager. He taps his left leg: “So I have 22 last names of folks who donated tattooed on my thigh.”
In 2016, he released the result of that campaign, Closer — and since then, his songwriting skill; gritty, full-throttle vocals; and willingness to address sensitive topics like anxiety and mental health in his music have made him one of the biggest stars in the CCM world. He has released four more albums and dominated Billboard’s Christian music charts, landing 43 entries on Hot Christian Songs, including 2023’s 31-week No. 1 “Praise,” recorded with the collective Elevation Worship.
But though he remains deeply committed to the Christian market, Lake is also looking beyond it. He recently earned his first crossover hit, making his Billboard Hot 100 debut in November 2024 when the raw, soulful “Hard Fought Hallelujah” bowed at No. 51. In February, he teamed with country hit-maker and fellow ink aficionado Jelly Roll for a collaborative version of the song.
“I just wanted to share this with somebody who really gets this story, who’s lived it,” he says of recording the song about hardship-tested faith with Jelly Roll. “Now to see him carrying this song and how we carry it together and it’s impacting so many lives — that’s the goal.” He adds, “We’re in a perfect time for this kind of collaboration to happen… The truth is, all of us are just as messed up — it’s just some of us are good at hiding it and putting a mask on. Everyone’s on a journey.”
Brandon Lake photographed May 22, 2025 in Charleston, S.C.
Will Crooks
Lake’s Hot 100 debut comes as CCM is having a major moment on the all-genre chart. “Hard Fought Hallelujah” and Forrest Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” appeared simultaneously on the chart this year — the first time in more than a decade that two CCM songs were on the Hot 100 at the same time. The last time a non-holiday song recorded by a primarily CCM artist reached the Hot 100 was Lauren Daigle’s “You Say,” in 2019.
Those breakthroughs occurred amid an overall rise in consumption of CCM over the past 18 months. According to Luminate, in the first half of 2024, sales of track-equivalent albums, streaming-equivalent albums and on-demand audio for the genre grew 8.9%, with CCM ranking as the fourth-fastest-growing musical genre after pop, Latin and country. The music’s broadening sounds, as well as increased collaborations between CCM and secular artists over the past several years, have helped CCM songs become more heavily integrated into mainstream playlists: Spotify has noted that during the past five years, CCM experienced a 60% growth rate globally and a 50% growth rate in the United States on its platform, as artists previously confined to the genre started to penetrate mainstream spaces.
That strong upward trajectory owes in large part to a new generation of CCM artists such as Lake, Frank, Josiah Queen and Seph Schlueter. They relish crossing genre lines: Frank’s music, for instance, is more rooted in pop and hip-hop, while Lake’s songs anchor worship lyrics aimed at church congregations in a range of sounds including rock, blues and country. And they are also digital natives who have been intentional in harnessing the power of social media and streaming to widen the genre’s audience; a viral TikTok dance clip, for instance, gave Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” a major streaming boost.
Lake was among Luminate’s top five CCM artists in the first half of 2024, and his star has only risen since then. During his appearances at CMA Fest, held June 5-8, a social media clip of him and Jelly Roll performing “Hard Fought Hallelujah” earned over 1 million views, while a clip of the audience singing Lake’s hit “Gratitude” a cappella during a separate CMA Fest appearance earned more than 3 million views in just over 48 hours. The success of “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” in particular, has put Lake — and his faith-centered message — before broader and more mainstream audiences than he ever dreamed of: performing on American Idol, joining Jelly Roll onstage at Stagecoach in front of 75,000 fans, playing the Grand Ole Opry and CMA Fest.
From the start, collaboration has been key to Lake’s success. Closer was circulated in church and worship music circles, leading him to some of his first songwriting connections, like Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Nate Moore and Maverick City Music co-founder Tony Brown, with whom he co-wrote Cobbs Leonard’s Grammy-nominated 2019 song “This Is a Move.” Other early co-writes included team-ups with worship music collectives Maverick City Music, Bethel Music and Elevation Worship; all helped Lake expand his sound. Alongside more traditional-sounding worship anthems, his 2021 album, House of Miracles, included the soulful rock song “I Need a Ghost.”
Later that year, Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens,” co-written by and featuring Lake, topped the Christian Airplay chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. “That’s when the floodgates opened,” he recalls. “I was getting calls from everywhere, asking me to do a concert or do collaborations — I can’t even remember how many collabs I’ve done, songs I’ve written with other people that were like, ‘Let’s just do it together.’ ” At the time, Lake notes, he didn’t even have a manager. (Since 2021, he has been with prominent CCM management company Breit Group.) “I literally kept all of my dates I said yes to in my Notes app,” Lake explains. “My manager now has that framed, I think, because of how much we’ve grown. I learned so much being around so many of my heroes.”
In 2023, Lake cemented his solo hit-maker status when “Gratitude” topped Hot Christian Songs for 28 weeks. Since, he has continued notching solo and collaborative hits, including “Fear Is Not My Future” with Maverick City Music and “Love of God” with Phil Wickham. (He’ll tour arenas and stadiums with the latter this summer.) And on June 13, he released his fifth studio album, King of Hearts, on Provident Entertainment.
Sonically, the album finds Lake deepening his exploration of diverse genres, including country (“Daddy’s DNA,” “Spare Change”), gospel (“I Know a Name,” with luminary CeCe Winans) and hard rock (“Sevens”), and features additional collaborations with writer-producer Hank Bentley and Christian rapper Hulvey, among others.
And amid the run-up to releasing King of Hearts, Lake launched another major project. In early 2025, CCM supergroup Sons of Sunday debuted, featuring Lake alongside Moore, Steven Furtick, Pat Barrett, Chris Brown and Leeland Mooring. The group has already notched four entries on Hot Christian Songs, and its self-titled debut album bowed at No. 3 on the Top Christian Albums chart upon its release in May.
“My favorite things I’ve ever created were created in community, so I think that’ll be a huge piece of my future,” Lake says. “I’ll roll with anybody who wants to go after the same things, who has the same values as me.”
Brandon Lake photographed May 22, 2025 at Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Will Crooks
As his star rises, he has stayed close to his South Carolina roots. Instead of moving to Nashville, the epicenter of the CCM industry, Lake lives with his wife, Brittany; their three sons; and a menagerie including cows, mini-donkeys and two dogs on a sprawling rural property just outside Charleston. Much of King of Hearts was recorded in a three-room Charleston studio owned by Lake’s longtime collaborator, producer-writer Micah Nichols. And even when he’s on the road, Lake makes a point of staying connected to his hometown: In 2022, he concluded the first leg of his first headlining tour with two sold-out shows at Seacoast Church; next May, he’ll wrap his 48-city King of Hearts tour at Charleston’s 12,000-seat Credit One Stadium.
But regardless of venue size or location, Lake’s goal remains the same. “When we go out on tour and it’s this huge production, huge lights and sound, I’m not doing anything other than just having church — just maybe a few more lights in cool moments,” he says with a chuckle. “It’s entertaining, but really, I want [concertgoers] to be able to say, ‘I went to the King of Hearts tour, and my life has forever changed.’ ”
What do you recall about your first time performing?
I’ve been a part of [Seacoast Church] since I was probably 13 or 14 years old. They encouraged me and gave me opportunity after opportunity to learn and fail and grow. This is where I learned how to write songs. Someone overheard me singing in a small group in someone’s living room and asked me to sing. I sang for the first time at church, and I remember feeling so vulnerable, which to this day I still do. It’s this love-hate relationship every time I step out on the platform, especially on tour — it’s like the weight of the night feels like it’s on my shoulders, but at the same time, I try to remember it’s not about me: People are coming to hear these songs and have a real experience with God.
Will Crooks
Early in your career, you started working with popular worship collective Bethel Music. What was it like making that transition from leading worship at your local church to being on a larger tour with a collective?
Going from local church to being on tour in front of thousands of people overnight was a dream come true and, in the same season, writing with all my heroes. Everybody that was on my bucket list of getting to write with them, it all happened in the span of a few weeks. What came quickly after that was a valley — I never expected what it would do when I came home and came off that high. That taught me a lot. I did a whole record around mental health [2022’s Help!]. I’d never experienced depression, anxiety, panic attacks ever in my life until I came home from all my dreams coming true, but my adrenaline was just totally shot. I just went into this super-dark place, and it wasn’t long, but it was long enough to be like, “I need some help.” I had to relearn to go to God first and most, to fix what was going on.
I’ve had to learn over the past few years how to tour and record and balance family and this career the healthy way. There’s a reason why I only tour on the weekends. [The King of Hearts tour comprises four-show runs that are booked for Thursdays through Sundays.] My wife and I discuss every opportunity I get to make sure that we’re on board as a family. I want to be 50 years old and still be able to tour. That’s why I have a health coach, a performance coach. I’m trying to get healthy in every aspect of my life.
Sonically, King of Hearts is the most varied album of your career. Why was that important to you?
Touching on different genres isn’t something I set out to do. I’ve been a sponge and soaked up the gold from people I’ve been surrounded by. Growing up, [I listened to] Christian music and James Taylor. I’d come home from school and turn on CMT [Country Music Television]. So I grew up around country [music] and discovered rock’n’roll later. I had a metal garage band for a little while and just loved all genres of music. I was trying to learn from all these different expressions of music … So now when I go write a song, I’m less focused on “What does this need to sound like?” and more on “What am I feeling right now?”
“Sevens” is the most rock-leaning song on the album. What was that writing/recording session like?
We went to a Royal Blood and Queens of the Stone Age concert down the street from this studio, and a few days later, I just wanted to write a big-riff rock tune. I picked up a guitar, started playing and [writer-producer] Micah [Nichols] and I started chasing it. The chorus that you hear is the demo vocal from the day we wrote it. I would say 70% of King of Hearts is filled with demo vocals.
How did Jelly Roll come to be on “Hard Fought Hallelujah”?
I released [the solo version of] this song, and then I felt like, “This is too special to not share this song with somebody.” Thinking about the lyrics, I was like, “Man, I think Jelly Roll would resonate with the story of this song.” I’ve been so inspired by his story, the things he’s overcome. I remember seeing him sing “Believe” with Brooks & Dunn [at the 2024 CMA Awards], and I just bawled my eyes out. It gave me all the faith to reach out. The craziest part of that is he had already heard the song on TikTok and loved it. We hopped on the phone, and we didn’t talk music for the first hour. We just instantly became like brothers and talked about life, parenting, touring, family. It was a real friendship off the bat. There’s a reason why he is on top of the world right now, and it’s not just because his songs are amazing — it’s because he’s amazing.
You have stayed close to your roots in Charleston. Have you been tempted to move to Nashville?
I love Nashville, but I like it being a home away from home. [Charleston] is where my roots are and being here with those that remember the 15-year-old Brandon, they know me the best. I want to make music that gives people faith and hope to keep going, and the people I’ve surrounded myself with, they get that the best. So it makes the most sense to stay here.
As your career has grown beyond CCM in terms of music listener recognition, has there been any kind of backlash or criticism from music listeners or the industry?
I think historically, any time something has shifted outside of what had been done previously, it can make people take pause and maybe be even a bit uncomfortable with it … or make it feel like it’s an either-or situation. And if you only are using Instagram as a metric, I can see why someone would maybe want to position it that way. But I don’t think of it that way … To me, this is a lifestyle and teachings that live through music, and however that is connecting and wherever that is connecting, I will always want it to be as much and as far as possible.
CCM is having a moment on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Hard Fought Hallelujah” and Forrest Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” charting simultaneously. Why do you think the genre is surging?
I think the reason why Christian music is probably more consumed now than years ago is because there’s a greater level of hunger for what’s real and what’s true. The fact that American Idol did a whole night around Easter, I think it just goes to show people are desperate for something that is going to lift their spirit. And I’ve got too many stories — I think what keeps me going, and I think what would keep a Forrest Frank going and what keeps a Josiah Queen writing these songs, is getting flooded with testimonies. People are hungry for authenticity. They’re not just looking for entertainment. They’re looking for an encounter with something that’s real. There’s nothing more real than God.
Following the recent sexual assault accusations against Contemporary Christian Music star Michael Tait, Hayley Williams is speaking out against the genre as a whole for allegedly enabling his behavior for years.
Sharing a screenshot of The Guardian‘s Friday (June 13) investigation into the former Newsboys member’s actions, the Paramore frontwoman wrote in a statement on her Instagram Story, “The amount of things i have to say and the amount of people i know who were likely changed forever by this man and by the industry that empowered/enabled him …”
“I grew up around this,” Williams continued. “I am not afraid of any of these people — most of them have written me off anyway by now. How many stories like this from this VERY small corner of the music industry will we hear before we realize that [capitalizing] on people’s faith and vulnerability is the ‘sin?’”
The pop-rock singer’s post comes about a week after Christian news site The Roys Report published findings from a two-and-a-half-year investigation into Tait, with three men claiming that he groomed and sexually assaulted them between 2004 and 2014. Sources also detailed how Tait had allegedly long abused drugs and alcohol, despite years of encouraging sobriety and abstinence in his music.
Days later, Tait said he was “ashamed” and confirmed that there was truth to the allegations, writing in a response, “For some two decades, I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way … I will simply call it what God calls it — sin.”
But on Friday, The Guardian‘s piece — in addition to sharing more details about how Tait allegedly secretly drugged and molested a minor — expanded upon how the CCM industry at large allowed for his behavior to go unchecked, the same thing Williams emphasized in her post.
“This is a man who’s entire faith identity is built upon a faulty structure of self-hatred, to please a system that would rather cover up abhorrent behavior for 20+ years (and make money off of it) rather than accept that being gay is not the problem,” she wrote in her statement. “I hope the ccm industry crumbles.
“And f— all of you who knew and didn’t do a damn thing,” Williams added. “I bet I’ve got your number. and btw if you’re not angry too then maybe its time to question why.”
Tait got his start as part of the group DC Talk, which found groundbreaking success on the charts in the ’90s. He joined Newsboys in 2009, remaining there up until he abruptly stepped down from the band in January.
At the time, remaining bandmates Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis and Adam Agee wrote in a joint statement that they were “grateful for the extended season Michael has had with Newsboys” — but following the publication of The Roys Report‘s piece, the four musicians wrote on Instagram, “We are horrified, heartbroken and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the past fifteen years.”
In his statement, Tait admitted that he’d “deceived my family, friends, fans and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life” for years before seeking treatment at a center in Utah.
“I was, for the most part, living two distinctly different lives,” he added earlier this week. “I was not the same person onstage Sunday night that I was at home on Monday … By His grace I can say that for the past six months, I have lived a singular life, one of utter brokenness and total dependence on a loving and merciful God.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Former Newsboys member Michael Tait, who abruptly left the Contemporary Christian Music group in January, is speaking out about allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use brought against him over the past week.
In a lengthy Instagram post titled “My Confession, Michael Tait, June 10, 2025,” the singer-songwriter — who was also a founding member of Christian rap and rock trio DC Talk — directly addressed the reports, writing, “Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true. For some two decades, I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it– sin. I don’t blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them.”
Tait noted that following his departure from Newsboys, he spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah, saying, “I was not healthy, spiritually or physically, and was tired of leading a double life.” He said he has been “clean and sober” since his time at the center, though he adds, “I still have lots of hard work ahead of me.”
He wrote, “I’m ashamed to admit that for years I have lied and deceived my family, friends, fans and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life. I was, for the most part, living two distinctly different lives. I was not the same person onstage Sunday night that I was at home on Monday. … By His grace I can say that for the past six months, I have lived a singular life, one of utter brokenness and total dependence on a loving and merciful God.”
He also said that he is “committed to continuing the hard work of repentance” and that he will be doing so “quietly and privately, away from the stage and spotlight.”
He wrote: “I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life. I can only dream and pray for human forgiveness, because I certainly don’t deserve it. … Still, I want to say I am sorry to everyone I have hurt. I am truly sorry. It is my hope and prayer that all those I have hurt will receive healing, mercy and hope from the Merciful Healer and Hope-Giver.”
Last week, The Roys Report published what it called the results of a two-and-a-half-year investigation into allegations against Tait. The report included accounts from three people who claimed that Tait groomed and sexually assaulted them while on tour or at Tait’s home; the accusers alleged that the incidents took place between 2004 and 2014, while the report claimed that other sources said Tait had also been involved in drug use.
Current Newsboys members responded to that report last week, encouraging victims to come forward and stating, “We are horrified, heartbroken and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the past fifteen years.”
Prior to his work with Newsboys, Tait was also known for his work as part of the groundbreaking CCM trio DC Talk from 1988 to 2001. Alongside fellow DC Talk members TobyMac and Kevin Max, Tait found success with songs such as “Jesus Freak” and the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Between You and Me.” Their 1995 album Jesus Freak rose to No. 16 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy for best rock gospel album.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Contemporary Christian Music group Newsboys responded to recent allegations of sexual assault and drug use against former lead singer Michael Tait, who abruptly stepped away from the group in January.
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On Wednesday, The Roys Report published what it referred to as a two-and-a-half-year investigation into allegations against Tait. The outlet claims it spoke with more than 50 sources, including three people who claim that Tait groomed and sexually assaulted them while touring or at Tait’s home. The accusers allege that the incidents took place between 2004 and 2014. Multiple people in the report also claimed that Tait was involved in drug use.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the group’s four current members — Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips and Adam Agee — responded to the allegations, writing, “Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait. While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated by even the implications.
“First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories,” the band’s message continued. “If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault. The four of us are husbands and fathers. Between the four of us, we have fourteen children. Our wives and children have made many sacrifices while we have dedicated our lives to playing music together that glorifies God. We are horrified, heartbroken and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the past fifteen years.”
Tait has not released a public response to the allegations contained in the report, and Billboard has not yet successfully reached him or a representative. A Newsboys rep did not respond to comment beyond the band’s statement.
Tait stepped down from his role in Newsboys in January just days before the group launched the second leg of their Worldwide Revival Nights Tour. At the time, Tait issued a statement, saying, “I have made for me what is a monumental and heartfelt decision that it is time to step down from Newsboys. This decision does not come lightly and has been a shock to even myself, but amidst prayer and fasting, I have clarity that this is the right decision.” He joined Newsboys as their lead singer in 2009 following the exit of Peter Furler.
Tait is also known for his founding role in the groundbreaking CCM group DC Talk from 1988-2001. That group, which also included TobyMac and Kevin Max, had such hits as “Jesus Freak,” “What If I Stumble?” and the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Between You and Me.” Their 1995 album Jesus Freak, with its pop and hip-hop fusions, reached No. 16 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and won a Grammy for best rock gospel album. In 2000, the band went on hiatus, and Tait launched a decadelong solo career before joining Newsboys.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Forrest Frank’s Child of God II arrives at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart (dated May 24). Released May 9, the 20-song set earned 33,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending May 15, according to Luminate.
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Frank adds his second Top Christian Albums No. 1, as Child of God II dethrones his Child of God after 35 weeks on top beginning last August (the third-most weeks at No. 1 among all titles this decade).
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Concurrently, “Your Way’s Better,” which is on the deluxe version Child of God and the new Child of God II, ascends a spot to No. 1 on Hot Christian Songs, where it’s Frank’s first leader. The track, which the Fulshear, Texas, native and Pera Krstajic co-wrote, drew 7.9 million official U.S. streams (up 3%) and likewise lifts 2-1 on Christian Streaming Songs, also marking Frank’s first No. 1. Plus, track sold 2,000 downloads. On Christian Airplay, it climbs 22-19 for a new best (1.1 million audience impressions, up 29%).
The single, which went viral on TikTok, previously became Frank’s first solo hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Notably, Frank is the first artist to lead Top Christian Albums and Hot Christian Songs simultaneously since Brandon Lake on the Nov. 4, 2023, charts. That week, his Coat of Many Colors blasted in at No. 1 on Top Christian Albums as “Praise You Anywhere” rose to the summit on Hot Christian Songs.
Concurrently, Child of God II enters the all-genre Billboard 200 at No. 12, bestowing Frank with his highest rank. Child of God, his lone prior entry, arrived at its No. 28 peak last August.
Three years after initially earning a top 20 pop hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 as part of the duo Surfaces, singer-songwriter Forrest Frank began to compile contemporary Christian music hits. He’s become one of the genre’s fastest-rising artists, melding elements of pop, hip-hop and gospel on songs such as “No Longer Bound,” a collaboration with Hulvey, which cracked the top 20 on Billboard‘s Hot Christian Songs chart. But it’s the ebullient, summer-ready “Your Way’s Better” that becomes Frank’s first solo Hot 100 entry — the hit has reached a No. 61 high on the chart and crowns Hot Christian Songs for the first time this week (charts dated May 24). Meanwhile, his recent team-up with country artist Thomas Rhett, “Nothing Else,” resides at No. 4 on the same chart.
Frank originally released the pop-inflected “Your Way’s Better” in October 2024, but the song’s success was spurred by TikTok momentum earlier this year, thanks to a viral TikTok dance that both resonated with fans — and took Frank, then on a social media hiatus, by surprise.
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In the past year, Frank has released music at a dizzying speed, stoking fervor in the industry and his growing fan base. His July 2024 album, Child of God, was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album and nominated for top Christian album at the Billboard Music Awards. By that November, he returned with a deluxe version of the album; on May 9, he released its follow-up, Child of God II. The two installments currently hold Nos. 1 and 2 on Top Christian Albums, with his more recent project leading the chart.
“That’s kind of a theme for me in my career,” Frank tells Billboard, calling while on the road during the second part of his sold-out Child of God tour. “I love pushing the boundaries, and I feel like my career is busting myths.”
Below, Frank talks about “Your Way’s Better,” Child of God II and Christian music’s current Hot 100 surge.
How did “Your Way’s Better” come about?
I was having a hard day and had gone for a drive. I remember pulling into my neighborhood and that chorus came spilling out. It was just a prayer that ended up having a melody with it. I recorded a voice memo of it on my phone and didn’t do anything with it for a few months. Then, backstage at [Frank’s 2024 Child of God tour], I pulled out my laptop and produced the beat for it. Then, my producer friend PERA came out to a session and we were jamming on this song and I said, “What if you play something kind of somber?” He starts playing it, and I freestyled the melody [and] some of the words that ended up on the track.
You released “Your Way’s Better” last October, but a dance that went viral on TikTok and social media helped boost it. How did that happen?
It was my 12th- or 13th-highest streaming song at a daily rate — it was not making a big splash. There’s a couple, David Myers and Bridgette [Nicole], and they post a new dance almost every day to different songs, and it was one they did [in February]. What’s interesting is that I was taking a social media break — I had posted maybe three times in a four-month period. At first, I didn’t really engage with it, but then I saw a significant jump in my streams. I’m seeing these kids doing the dance, and it’s kind of like this vacation Bible school type thing, [learning] the dance to go with the song and do the hand motions and stuff. It is like that energy, but not in an enclosed church space. It just kind of feels like it’s across the whole world.
You just released your new album, Child of God II, on May 9, just 10 months after Child of God, and six months after its deluxe edition. Why did you want to drop another full album so soon?
They say you have to upload a song about a month before it comes out to make sure that all the distributing partners have enough time to add it to playlists and can properly program. I remember a year or two ago thinking, “Is that really the case?” So, I uploaded music closer to the deadline, like 48 hours before a release and it made it on [Spotify playlist] New Music Friday.
With Child of God, I had a song with Connor Price called “Up!” and that splashed and two weeks later, we released “Good Day,” which became the next biggest one. We kept dropping songs every two weeks because that’s the pace I was writing music. Rather than hold back music for months, why not just put everything out there and see what happens? I feel like life is short: My time and moment is finite to a degree, so if I’m excited about these songs and the fans are excited, why would I hold stuff back?
There are a lot of crossover efforts between contemporary Christian music and country happening now, such as your collaboration with Thomas Rhett on “Nothing Else.” Why do you think that’s the case?
I think including God is pretty common in country music, [but] I’ve noticed that transition in my heart and the fullness I get to experience in praising God specifically. I think the country space is starting to feel that as well. I could see in the next year or two, a lot of the A-list country artists just making straight-up Christian worship songs.
With Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” also on the Hot 100, what’s your take on the surge in Christian music’s popularity?
I think it’s just the people. Yes, it’s the artists who are expressing their genuine love for God, but also, it’s the consumers that are supporting it and championing it. With my tour, there’s this family thing going on: We didn’t expect for families to come to the show, but “Your Way’s Better” has become the music for the car ride, the music on the way to school. It was like an invisible market. I knew that there was kind of a starving family market, but here it is.
A version of this story appears in the May 17, 2025, issue of Billboard.
Say your prayers: Christian music is making a serious comeback.
On the Billboard Hot 100, dated May 10, two Christian songs are making waves: Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” ranks at No. 44 in its 11th week on the chart (after reaching No. 40 last week) and Forrest Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” jumps from No. 72 to No. 62 in its second week.
Lake and Frank have both emerged as breakout stars in the Christian music world, thanks in part to their growing popularity across social media platforms like TikTok.
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Lake has charted 42 songs on the Hot Christian Songs chart, all since 2019. Nine of those reached the top 10 and six hit No. 1. Three of those hits, including “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” spent 20-plus weeks on top.
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Frank, meanwhile, first broke onto Billboard’s charts in 2020 as half of the pop duo Surfaces (alongside Colin Padalecki), thanks to their viral hit “Sunday Best.” The TikTok-friendly song climbed to No. 19 on the Hot 100 and even found success at radio, reaching the top 10 of Pop Airplay. Since then, Frank has pivoted to Christian music and quickly became a force in the genre. He’s logged 34 entries on the Hot Christian Songs chart, including six top 10s: “Good Day” (No. 2 peak in 2024); “Up!,” with Connor Price (No. 8, 2024); “Never Get Used to This,” with JVKE (No. 6, 2024); “The Present” (No. 9, January); “Nothing Else,” with Thomas Rhett (No. 4, March); and “Your Way’s Better.” No other artist has charted more songs on the ranking since the beginning of 2022. He also finished 2024 as Billboard’s No. 1 top new Christian artist.
Frank’s album Child of God has also dominated the Top Christian Albums chart, spending 34 weeks and counting at No. 1, making it the fifth-longest-leading No. 1 album this century. He released the set’s follow-up, Child of God II, Friday (May 9).
Christian music has historically had a limited presence on the Hot 100. Dating to when Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart adopted its current multimetric methodology on Dec. 7, 2013 — blending U.S. streams, radio airplay and sales — 52 Christian songs have charted on both the Hot 100 and Hot Christian Songs. But there are some important caveats.
Of those 52 songs, 34 were by Kanye West from his albums Jesus Is King or Donda and one was by DJ Khaled featuring West and Eminem (“Use This Gospel [Remix]”) — both were, of course, already long-established hip-hop acts with a core fanbase outside of Christian music. Another six were religious-themed holiday songs (Carrie Underwood’s “Silent Night,” for example).
That leaves us with just 11 Christian songs that are not tied to the holidays or crossover rap acts:
Artist, Title, Peak Year on the Hot 100:
Carrie Underwood, “Something in the Water,” 2014Craig Wayne Boyd, “The Old Rugged Cross,” 2014Hillsong UNITED, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” 2014Jordan Smith, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” 2015NEEDTOBREATHE feat. Gavin DeGraw, “Brother,” 2015Jordan Smith, “Mary Did You Know,” 2016Avril Lavigne, “Head Above Water,” 2018NF, “Let You Down,” 2018Lauren Daigle, “You Say,” 2019Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” 2025Forrest Frank, “Your Way’s Better,” 2025
And there may be more on the way. Two additional Christian tracks are climbing Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 ranking — which lists the 25 songs just below the Hot 100 that haven’t yet debuted: Elevation Worship’s “Praise,” featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown and Chandler Moore (No. 20; currently No. 3 on Hot Christian Songs) and Forrest Frank’s “Good Day” (No. 23; peaked at No. 2 on Hot Christian Songs last year).
What makes this specific chart week extra notable for Christian music, though, is that it’s just the second time (since 2013) that two Christian songs are charting simultaneously. It only happened once before on Dec. 27, 2014, when Underwood’s “Something in the Water” and Boyd’s “The Old Rugged Cross” charted together. The latter song, however, spent a week on the chart before dropping off. Unlike that week, Lake’s hit has significant longevity and Frank’s is still on the rise.
For Provident Label Group, which finished 2024 as Billboard‘s No. 1 Top Christian Label and whose roster included Lake and genre powerhouse Elevation Worship, pivoting their marketing efforts to younger demographics has been key to their success.
“Over the past few years, we’ve focused on investing in the future of the genre instead of just seeking to repeat past successes,” said marketing & brand strategy vp Mat Anderson. “For Christian music to thrive in the next 5-10 years, we must attract younger audiences seeking sonically diverse music that authentically reflects their faith and life experiences. We’ve partnered with young artists who offer unique perspectives, enabling them to shape the genre’s future rather than molding them to fit its past. This approach by Provident and others has been highly successful, as the genre’s rapid growth over the past three years demonstrates that Christian music is resonating with new audiences and reengaging previous ones.”
Christian music has, in fact, been rising — and it’s part of a broader trend. According to Luminate’s 2024 year-end report, Christian/Gospel is one of the fastest-growing genres among young audiences in the U.S., with the average listener is spending 19% more time with Christian/Gospel music than in 2022.
Bell Partners Worldwide has acquired Tennessee-based Christian label Gotee Records’ label operations and Emack Music Publishing arm. The partnership marks the launch of a new division, Bell Partners Christian Music, aimed at expanding the global reach of Christian music artists.
Gotee executives Joey Elwood and Toby McKeehan (tobyMac) will continue in leadership roles at Gotee as well as at Bell Partners Christian Music, with Elwood serving as CEO of the latter.
Producers Todd Collins and Elwood, along with Grammy-winning artist tobyMac, founded Gotee Records in 1992. The label has launched the careers of artists including Christian hip-hop pioneers GRITS, Christian R&B group Out of Eden, Relient K (“Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been”), Jennifer Knapp, SonicFlood (“I Could Sing of Your Love Forever”) and Jamie Grace. Gotee’s current roster includes Jon Reddick (“God Turn It Around”), Cochren & Co. (“Money Can’t Buy”), Terrian (“In The Arms”), Ryan Stevenson and Joseph O’Brien.
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Bell Partners Worldwide is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with operations across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The multifaceted music company specializes in rights management, publishing, synchronization, licensing and label services.
“This isn’t an exit strategy — it’s a strategic evolution,” Elwood said in a statement. “After many discussions with Bell Partners, we saw the potential in combining our 30 years of independent label experience with Bell Partners’ global infrastructure. This partnership allows us to elevate Christian music on a worldwide scale, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”
Hayden Bell, founder/CEO of Bell Partners, added, “We are excited to welcome Gotee Records into the Bell Partners family. Joey and Toby have built an amazing company that has been a cornerstone of the Christian music industry, and I couldn’t wish for better partners as we move forward. This partnership not only strengthens our commitment to nurturing talent but also underscores our dedication to expanding the global influence of Christian music. Together, we will unlock new opportunities for artists, empower their voices, and share their inspirational messages with audiences around the world.”
