With a country/southern feel, this quintet present a great first track to get the toes tapping with anticipation to what the rest of the album brings. MercyMe offer up their hit in “Greater”, and while I probably would’ve loved to have seen their most recent hit “Flawless” make the WOW Hits 2016 list, “Greater” is nevertheless a great song, about us declaring that He who is in us is greater that he who’s in the world. Songs like “I Am Not Alone” ( Kari Jobe), “Jesus Loves Me” ( Chris Tomlin), “Because He Lives” ( Matt Maher), “Soul on Fire” ( Third Day) and “Even So Come” ( Kristian Stanfill) have all received heavy airplay throughout the year, and all are present on disc 1, each of their melodies in their own way reminding us all of God’s presence and power, and our own reliance on Him in every aspect of our daily lives. Glancing through the first Disc of WOW Hits 2016, we are immediately drawn to the worshipful nature of the album in general, as opposed to the pop/AC atmosphere of WOW Hits 2015 Disc 1. Has that been the case on this year’s compilation? Read on and find out. Maybe if they did stick with the original plan, and released WOW Hits 2 after WOW Hits 1 like it was originally planned, maybe, just maybe, songs would be more timely, and the album would be more about actual hits throughout the year than years before, artists would be recognised that were previously overlooked, and the same artists that have been on WOW albums for an eternity would make way for newer lesser known artists.
And as I glance through this year’s WOW Hits, I stop to wonder. Why they did something like that, I’m not sure. WOW has been in circulation since 1995, rivalling its mainstream counterpart NOW That Is What I Call Music!, and while the WOW brand briefly decided to abandon its yearly compilation to move towards a three year album with WOW Hits 1, it quickly abandoned that project too, and released WOW Hits 2009 that year as well. I tend to be excited, or at least intrigued, whenever the song list for a WOW Hits album releases. Songs are either untimely, while other tracks, artists and even labels are shunned altogether.Įach year Capitol Christian Music Group, Word Label Group and Provident Label Group come together to deliver a supposed ‘must-have’ album, and one that’ll always have its critics and compliments, depending on who you’d ask. Yet with the claim that this album is the one-stop album for any Christian music fan, the album sadly falls short.
I know I can sound ominous when I state that the WOW brand has been always a step or two behind what current radio hits are at the moment, but when I look at this year’s song list for WOW Hits 2016, supposedly the best 39 tracks of this year, I smile to myself and think- sure this album is a great album, and looking at songs alone and keeping the tag of ‘the best songs of the year’ out of my mind, I’d give this album a 4/5.
0 kommentar(er)
