500 Albums That Christian Young Adults (18-35) Should Hear (Part I)

Author:
LaZeric Freeman
Updated date:
Mar 10, 2022

I was that loner kid who read comics when everyone else was playing, listened to the B-sides and watched old movies ... Now I write about it

500-albums-that-christian-young-adults-18-35-should-hear — microsoft publisher

Have I even listened to 500 albums in my life time? If you multiply times every genre .... At least. But strangely enough, in just the Christian music industry, the albums have racked up ... And it never ceases to amaze me how each album can make you feel different things. How certain songs are like different colors of the rainbow; able to incite different moods, vibes, etc.

I'm the type of person who can find at least one song in each musical genre that I can find appealing. So one of the things that I love about Christian music is that every genre can be a sub-genre within this world.

There are R&B artists. There are Jazz artists. There are Country artists. There are Techno and Blues and even Celtic artists. What an amazing development. But on that same token, artists in Mainstream music -- from time to time -- will produce tunes that extol the same virtues as those of Gospel music wordsmiths.

Listed below are a hundred of the 500 albums that I believe that Christian (and non Christian) young adults should hear for their own personal edification.

Bryant Pugh - "God Will Take Care of You"

500 - 491

500. Bryant Pugh and Friends - Bryant Pugh

499. Say You Believe - Deliverance

498. More Than Life - Hillsong United

497. Glory Grooves - Various Artists

496. Sacred Journey - First Call

495. New & Used Hits: The Best of Apologetix - Apologetix

494. The Collection - Acappella

493. Live & Blessed - Soul Children of Chicago

492. Growing Up - Soul Children of Chicago

491. Best Days - Tamela Mann

* First Call may be seen as the Christian industry equivalent of MANHATTAN TRANSFER

*Apologetix is a parody band in the same vein as WEIRD AL YANKOVICH; able to transform songs from R&B, Pop and Rap with the greatest of ease

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Sixpence None The Richer - Sixpence None The Richer 1997

490 - 481

490. Gotta Feelin' - Olandra Draper

489. Family Affair - Hezekiah Walker

488.Testify:Gospel Box - Various Artists

487. Here Right Now - Tasha Page Lockhart

486. Always There - Harold Rayford

485. Sunday Morning Jam - Quiet Time Players

484. Thankful - Mary Mary

483. The Nu Nation Project - Kirk Franklin

482. Sixpence None The Richer - Sixpence None The Richer

481. Return - The Winans

* Sixpence None The Richer was a strange duck to me in the beginning of their career. With an alternative, college radio type of sound in the early 90s that I wasn't sure if I liked. But then the strange decision to record Kiss Me which ended up on the She's All That original soundtrack (as well as featured on the hit show, Dawson's Creek) and then covering THE LAS tune There She Goes served them well; granting them entry onto stages that may have eluded them otherwise.

God's Property (1997)

Erica and Tina of the dynamic duo, Mary Mary

480 - 471

480. God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation - Kirk Franklin

479. The Ultimate Collection - Nicole C. Mullen

478. The Wonder Of It All - Grant Goodeve

477. It Makes Me Glad - Glass Harp

476. Always On Time - Fred "Rerun" Berry

475. Hattie B's Daughter - Dorothy Norwood

474. 1 Girl Nation - 1 Girl Nation

473. Intoducing Ayiesha Woods - Ayiesha Woods

472. Not Afraid - Stephanie Smith

471. The Hits - Out Of Eden

470 - 461

470. Valley Of Decision - Christafari

469. Heaven - BeBe & CeCe Winans

468. I'll Be Thinking Of You - Andrae Crouch

467. The Lady - Vickie Winans

466. Get A Jump On Eternity - Various Artists

465. Full Tank - Ben Tankard

464. Brotherly Love - Daniel Winans

463. Marvin Sapp - Marvin Sapp

462. The Book of David Vol. 1: The Transition - Dave Hollister

461. Life - Christopher Lewis (Compendia, 2007)

Michael W. Smith - "I Will Be Here For You"

460 - 451

460. Freaked: A Gotee Tribute to DC Talk's Jesus Freak - Various Artists (Gotee Records, 2006)

459. One Way Conversations - Hollyn

458. Look Up Child - Lauren Daigle

457. The Gospel Truth - Otis Clay

456. Now Is Not Forever - B. Reith

454. You Brought The Sunshine - The Clark Sisters

453. I Am Persuaded - Fred Hammond

452. Tomorrow - The Winans

451. Change Your World - Michael W. Smith

Amy Grant - "Wise Up"

450 - 441

450. Unguarded - Amy Grant

449. Decisions - The Winans

448. Mountain High, Valley Low - Yolanda Adams

447. The Evolution of Gospel - Sounds of Blackness

446. Mercy - Andrae Crouch

445. Live In Atlanta - Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship

444. Show Up - The New Life Community Choir featuring John P. Kee

443. Kirk Franklin and The Family - Kirk Franklin & The Family

442. Highly Recommended - Helen Baylor

441. Broken - William Becton

The Rance Allen Group - "Miracle Worker"

440 - 431

440. Phenomenon - The Rance Allen Group

439. Conqueror - The Clark Sisters

438. The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin - Kirk Franklin

437. Ron Winans Family & Friends IV - Ron Winans Family & Friends

436. Live From London & More - Donnie McClurkin

435. Butterfly Kisses (Shades Of Grace) - Bob Carlisle

434. Go West Young Man - Michael W. Smith

433. Straight Ahead - Amy Grant

432. Deliverance - Fred Hammond

431. Songs 4 Worship: Shout To the Lord - Various Artists

* Along with MICHAEL W SMITH, AMY GRANT and KATHY TROCCOLI, it is always a treat with a artist primarily known in the Christian field is able to break into the consciousness of the Mainstream demographic by scoring a Pop hit.

Such was the case with Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses, which peaked at #1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, #13 on the US Adult Top 40, #16 on the US Mainstream Top 40 and #45 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.

Needless to say, an artist can have hundreds of hits in their own demographic, but one hit on a Mainstream chart makes you a one hit wonder; earning you the distinction of having at least one song that a whole generation will think of when they hear your name. It boggles the mind.

Bass player, singer, producer, songwriter. Many artists in the Mainstream R&B world totally idolize the one and the only, Fred Hammond

430 - 421

430. Aurora - Aurora

429. Essential 80s: Rock Gospel

428. No Greater Love - Keith Staten

427. Dedicated - Lexi

426. He's Alive - Don Francisco Collection Vol. 1 - Don Francisco

425. Heroes - New Jersey Mass Choir

424. Saved By His Love - The O'Neal Twins

423. Love & War - Barlow Girl

422. Adoration: Live In Atlanta - Richard Smallwood

421. The Ultimate Collection - Shirley Ceasar

Aurora - Aurora (2000)

420 - 411

420. Down Memory Lane - James Cleveland

419. Take 6 - Take 6

418. Introducing The Winans - The Winans

417. From The Heart - Keith Staten

416. Glorious Day - Derrick Brinkley

415. Number 7 - Commissioned

414. Jesus Loves Ya - Jon Gibson

413. 10th Anniversary Rededication Concert - Southeast Inspirational Choir

412. Angie & Debbie - Angie & Debbie

411. It Remains To Be Seen - Mississippi Mass Choir

Kathy Troccoli - "Everything Changes"

410 - 401

410. Pages Of Life: Chapter I and II - Fred Hammond/RFC

409. Love Alive - Walter Hawkins

408. Everlasting Love - CeCe Winans

407. Take The Message Everywhere - Andrae Crouch

406. Stand Still Until His Will Is Clear - Wilmington Chester

405. Go Get Your Life - Donald Lawrence

404. Live In New York - Hezekiah Walker

403. Pure Attraction - Kathy Troccoli

402. Lead Me On - Amy Grant

401. Still Standing - The Williams Brothers

This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.