Recently in Christian music year in review Category

Radio and Records released their 2008 Year End Charts, and here's a peek at the most played songs on Christian radio formats:

Top 5 Gospel songs:
1) Never Would Have Made It, Marvin Sapp
2) Work It Out, Troy Sneed Presents Bonafide Praisers
3) I Trust You, James Fortune & FIYA Black
4) He's Done Enough, Beverly Crawford
5) Jesus, Shekinah Glory Ministry

Top 5 Christian AC songs:
1) You Are Everything, Matthew West
2) Let It Fade, Jeremy Camp
3) Call My Name, Third Day
4) God With us, MercyMe
5) You Reigh, Mercy Me

Newcomers Tenth Avenue North finished 2008 as the best selling new Christian artist, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The band sold nearly 60,000 copies of their debut album Over and Underneath, and was the only new artist to break the 100,000 digital download mark, after the album dropped in May. In addition, the band is the only new artist to have two No. 1 radio singles with, "Love is Here" and "By Your Side" both topping radio charts in 2008. The band was also named Best New Artist in the Christianitytoday.com 2008 Readers' Choice Christian Music Awards.

That's a great debut for this melodic pop-rock band. For more info, visit Tenth Avenue North's website.

Visit Beliefnet's Christian music blog, Gospel Soundcheck, daily for the latest news on your favorite Christian music artists as well as mainstream artists with ties to Christian music.

I can't believe it's the last day of 2008. Where did the year go?

I'm not good at keeping New Year's Resolutions, but last year I made a resolution to read the entire Bible in 2008. And with one more entry to go, I'm going to complete my resolution.

And I learned something very important in my reading. Of all the things God talks about, the one thing He repeats over and over and over and over and over and over: above all, He wants us to act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Justice, mercy, compassion, humility, righteousness. THESE are the things the Bible stresses, over sacrifice and songs and worship, because when we're executing justice, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and showing mercy and compassion, we are worshipping God.

So in 2009, my goal is to live as much as possible executing justice, showing mercy, and walking humbly with God, loving Him with all of my heart, soul and mind, and loving my neighbor.

Did you make a New Years Resolution? Are any of you heading to Times Square for New Years? (Do tell us about it!)

What are some of your favorite Christian music artists resolving to do in 2009? Brian Mayes, at the Nashville Publicity Group, sent over a list from some of the artists they work with. I thought maybe you'd like to see their New Year's Resolutions!

I recently did a Christian Music Year in Review post, wrapping up some of the stories that readers were talking about on the Gospel Soundcheck blog since I started writing back in June. Here are a few more memorable moments from 2008:

Can you believe that 2008 is almost over? Seems like just yesterday I was ringing in the New Year!

I thought it would be fun to take a look back as some of the bigger stories in Christian music - at least the stories you were talking about on the Gospel Soundcheck blog. Because the blog didn't even start until June 2008, it's really more like a half year in review, but with so much going on, it's still tough to recap it all. (Just to clarify: I'm only recapping stories from June through December. For a list of more highlights from the rest of the year, visit my post 2008's memorable moments in Christian music.)

But I'll try. Here are a few highlights from 2008: