I was kinda rooting for Casting Crowns’ Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me), which rises 7-2 this week on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart, because if it had gone to #1 this week, it would have been the first time in recent memory that four songs have held the top position in four consecutive weeks. Ah well. Instead, we see You Are More by Tenth Avenue North hold onto #1 for a second week.
New to the Top 10 and Greatest Gainer is Mandisa with Stronger. This is Mandisa’s sixth visit to the Top 10 of the Christian Songs chart. Her first visit was as featured vocalist on TobyMac’s Lose My Soul (she was co-featured with Kirk Franklin). She then made the Top 10 on her own with her solo debut single, Only the World. Shortly after that, Mandisa claimed her first #1 hit, a duet with Michael W. Smith titled Christmas Day; her own single, Christmas Makes Me Cry, a duet with Matthew West, was ensconced at #2. Her sophomore album featured the carrier single, My Deliverer, which also made the Top 10. Stronger is the carrier single off her new CD, What If We Were Real, out April 5.
Sanctus Real’s The Redeemer claims Hotshot Debut honors at #38, while former Selah vocalist Nicole Sponberg claims her latest Top 50 hit, a #46 debut for All Things New. Cloverton’s Take Me Into the Beautiful rounds up the debuts at #48.
1. (1) You Are More Tenth Avenue North
2. (7) Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) Casting Crowns
3. (3) This is the Stuff Francesca Battistelli
4. (4) Children of God Third Day
5. (8) I Refuse Josh Wilson
6. (2) I Will Follow Chris Tomlin
7. (6) Your Love Brandon Heath
8. (5) Beautiful MercyMe
9. (15) Stronger Mandisa
10. (10) 7×70 Chris August
