NASHVILLE, Tenn. – July 22, 2004 – CCM Magazine, the preeminent Christian music magazine covering Christian music for more than 25 years, has partnered with Creative Trust Workshop (CTW) and Integrity Publishers to launch a new music series, CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music.
The series will feature four music recordings produced by Creative Trust Workshop and a book published by Integrity Publishing based on CCM Magazine's selection of the 100 best songs ever recorded by Christian music artists.
“This is the essential collection of Christian music songs, compiled not only for their importance to Christian music, but for their impact on the lives of artists and music fans,” said Roberta Croteau, associate publisher of Salem Publishing, publisher of CCM. “And, we’re incredibly excited to also have a companion set of CDs for the book, a first of its kind.”
CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music, published by Integrity Publishers, will arrive in stores in early October. The book will reveal the ranking of the top 100 songs that were chosen by a group of journalists, industry experts and Christian music fans via an Internet survey. Each of the 100 songs is featured with intriguing details, interviews, facts and photos, providing context and insight into that song’s impact in Christian music and on music fans.
“Integrity Publishers is pleased to be able to present the book, CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music,” said Rob Birkhead, senior vice president of marketing for Integrity Publishers. “Every fan of Christian music can name the song or songs that have impacted their lives in small ways and in life-changing ways. The book is full of these kinds of memories and reminds us why Christian music is so powerful.”
Four music recordings are scheduled to be released between September 2004 and June 2005. Each 2-CD volume, produced by Creative Trust Workshop, will feature 25 songs selected from
the top 100 list (not in ranked order). Two of the songs on each CD volume will be tribute cuts recorded by current top new artists. The remaining songs on each CD of CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music will be the original recordings of the top songs.
“It is a privilege for Creative Trust Workshop to produce the recordings for CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music,” said Gabriel Vasquez, director of marketing for CTW. “We hope these CDs will become every Christian music fan’s definitive greatest hits collection. And, we believe the tribute cuts on each CD will revitalize classic songs as newer artists’ provide fresh, contemporary interpretation of the songs that personally impacted their lives,” said
CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music, Vol. 1 is set for a September 28th release. A&R for the project was overseen by John Mays (Point of Grace, Nicole Nordeman, Wes King). Creative Trust Workshop’s Warren Barfield covers the Keith Green classic “Oh Lord You’re Beautiful,” on Vol. 1, and Word Records’ Across the Sky will do a re-make of the classic Benny Hester song “When God Ran.” Both songs, which were produced by Jim Cooper (Building 429), will be released to radio as singles, with the Across the Sky song debuting first in August and Barfield’s rendition of “Lord” bowing in September.
The complete listing for CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music Vol., 1 is:
“Awesome God” Rich Mullins
“Testify To Love” Avalon
“People Get Ready Jesus Is Coming” Crystal Lewis
“Praise the Lord” Imperials
“Consuming Fire” Third Day
“Lead Me On” Amy Grant
“Where There Is Faith” 4Him
“The Warrior is a Child” Twila Paris
“In the Light” Charlie Peacock
“We Are His Hands” Whiteheart
“The Great Adventure” Steven Curtis Chapman
“More Power To Ya” Petra
“God of Wonders” City on a Hill
“Say the Name” Margaret Becker
“Place In This World” Michael W. Smith
“Stand” Susan Ashton
“Rise Again” Dallas Holm
“Alive” P.O.D.
“We Will Stand” Russ Taff
“Heaven” BeBe & CeCe Winans
“What If I Stumble” dcTalk
“Stomp” God’s Property featuring Kirk Franklin
“The Great Divide” Point of Grace
“He Reigns” Newsboys
“Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful” Warren Barfield (originally recorded by Keith Green)
“When God Ran” Across the Sky (originally recorded by Benny Hester)
CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music Vol., 2 is scheduled for release on December 28, 2004. CCM’s Vol. 3 is set for a March 16, 2005 release, followed by a planned June 1, 2005 release of CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music Vol., 4.
CTW, Integrity Publishers and Salem Publishing will collaborate on an aggressive marketing campaign aimed at promoting both the book and CDs. Marketing efforts will focus on brand positioning and awareness. The main theme of the campaign, “What Song Changed Your Life,” features personal testimonies of the impact of Christian music on fans of all ages and backgrounds. “What Song Changed Your Life?” will be featured in advertising and marketing materials. Joint retail positioning will be a key component of the marketing campaign, as will radio, which will be serviced with at least one single from each of the four scheduled CDs, providing awareness for the CCM’s Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music CDs and book over a two-year period.
“We plan to pursue retail positioning that make the book and CDs essential partners for consumers thinking about buying one or the other. That means merch and end caps that include both the book and CDs,” said Birkhead.
“Additionally, we will definitely emphasize the CCM brand in all marketing. CCM is recognized for its authority and influence on the subject of Christian music and we know that consumers will trust that a brand carrying the CCM name will be essential reading and listening,” added Vasquez.