After two months at #1, Casting Crowns’ Glorious Day (Living You Loved Me) finally relinquishes its hold on the Billboard Christian Songs chart’s #1 spot, slipping to #3. Who replaces the veteran act at the pinnacle? Contemporary Christian solo female singer Mandisa, whose Stronger becomes the first #1 single for a solo female singer since Francesca Battistelli’s Free to Be Me in 2009. Rising up two notches to a new peak at #2 is Christian singer-journeywoman Laura Story, whose Blessings earns her her highest solo hit single. This is the first time since Billboard launched its Christian Songs chart in 2003 that two solo women have pulled the 1-2 slots on the survey. I am confident Story will go to #1 with Blessings, so it merely remains to be seen how long Mandisa can stay atop the chart. (I’m guessing three weeks at most.)
The Greatest Gainer this week is The Way by Jeremy Camp, up 15-8 this week. It is Camp’s latest Top 10 hit, following the Top 10 success of previous single Jesus Saves. New to the chart are Third Day (Trust in Jesus, #35), Kutless (Amazed, #48), Skillet (pictured, Lucy, #49), and Robbie Seay Band (O Great Love, #50).
1. (2) Stronger Mandisa
2. (4) Blessings Laura Story
3. (1) Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) Casting Crowns
4. (6) You Loved Me Anyway Sidewalk Prophets
5. (3) I Refuse Josh Wilson
6. (5) Listen to the Sound Building 429
7. (7) You Are More Tenth Avenue North
8. (15) The Way Jeremy Camp
9. (8) Reach Peter Furler
10. (9) Your Love Brandon Heath
