Why...Gospel Music Is So Hot!
2007
The fastest growing music segment is not rap; it's not R &B---the fastest growing musical genre not only in America, but in Central Europe, Scandinavia and countries like, Poland (where it is blazing out of control totally!), Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Russia..., is the stirring, pulse-pounding, foot-stomping music that came out of the African-American church and changed American music forever.
Called in the beginning: "Dorsey's" (The late great hymn Black composer Thomas Dorsey), and later dubbed: "Gospel", the music that was confined for years to small and marginal Black churches, has become a half-billion dollar a year industry, holding 6,7 percent of the total musical market in 2007 (up from 4.8 per cent in 2006).
In a national musical poll (June 2006), 21.2 percent of the respondent said their favorite music is Gospel, compared to 9.2 for easy listening, and 6.5 for hip-hop.
One of the clearest indications of the increasing popularity of the Gospel medium is that it has produced crossovers like Yolanda Adams, and Kirk Franklin (who has performed at Finland's number one Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz) to standing ovations. Those two were named top gospel artists in a recent music poll.
Yolanda Adams!
Kirk Franklin!
Other Contemporary Christian artists like
The Winans Family, Pastor Donnie McClurkin are currently the best selling gospel performers of 2006, with cd's consistently debuting at the top of the International Magazine's "bible" for music: Billboard charts.
The Winans!
Donnie McClurkin
The Stellar Awards, Gospel music' premier awards ceremony, is now a major TV annual event in the United States. Not to think of The Annual Dove Awards (The Black Gospel equivlant to the secular Grammy Awards), which is broadcast internationally, and also via the internet. It covers the whole musical style range of Gospel.
If there was any doubt about the full of the field, it was swept away by Michelle Williams of the chart-topping Destiny's Child made her solo debut, not in the patented rhythm& blues style, but in Gospel music.
Why, all of the sudden, is Gospel so hot? One reason, cited by almost everybody, is a need for more christianity. Within recent years people around the word have felt a need for themes of encouragement, hope and salvation.
Pastor Marvin Winans says that. "God has something He wanted to say. When He opens the door, we have a responsibility to walk in"
.
The moral fiber of many countries around the world seems to be really falling apart said another gospel artist. Pastor Winans went on to say that : "Over the course of time, we have gotten away from those christian principles, and now many are coming back to what God would have it be."
Christian-Charles de Plicque, journalist
For: Angel House International Missions Ministries r.f.
Karleby Finland
Christian-Charles de Plicque
www.deplicque.net
(2007)
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