Recently Worship Leader published their list of the top 20 most influential albums on worship of the past 20 years. It is a very cool list, but I walked away thinking there were a few very odd choices. Of course this kind of list is subjective, but there were people on that list that haven’t even impacted the corporate worship of the church just yet. They are too new.
As I chatted with my friend Mike Mahoney on the list and we decided that, since it was subjective to say which CD’s have influenced worship as a whole, we would instead create lists of the top Albums that have influenced our personal worship styles on and off the stage.
My top 10 influential CD’s on my worship musical style
- Delirious: Cutting Edge – a brilliant CD and the day modern worship changed forever with the first crack of the snare in “did you feel the mountains tremble”
- Klaus Kuehn: Healing waters – This CD like no other just brings me into the throneroom
- The Choir: Love songs and Prayers – My favorite Christian band of all time with inspiring lyrics and the greatest guitar sounds
- At the Foot of the Cross: Vol 1 Clouds, Rain, Fire – This CD may have been the first album to mash ancient and modern worship together. With tons of different artists it meshed so many styles and still to this day sounds relevant
- Paul Baloche: Open the Eyes of my Heart – I was surprised this was not on the list above. This album was so rich!
- David Crowder Band: Illuminate – This CD introduced us to so many worship songs I still play. Hands down my favorite CD from crowder
- Vineyard: More than ever – A live CD with worship leader Robbie Rieder. I love all the songs on this album. “dwell” “sweetly broken” “more than ever” “bless his name” .. not a bad song
- Daniel Bashta: Sounds of Daniel Bashta – This CD blew my mind and I am so happy to have new prophetic “WAR” worship
- Misty Edwards: tie between relentless and Always on his mind – Misty stirs my soul and teaches me to listen when I lead
- Charlie Hall: Flying into Daybreak – Charlie was never afraid to push boundaries with his lyrics, direct it towards God and yet at same time make it accesible.
- Kings X: Faith Hope Love – Pure rock, melodic, and Solo’s for God. What could be better
- IONA: Journey into the Morn – One of those albums that somehow transport you in worship to another world.
- Matt Redman: Facedown – Real, authentic stripped down.
- Saviour Machine: Saviour Machine 1 – A christian goth CD that has taught me space, layering and power
- Sojourn Music: Over the Grave – The best modern workings of hymns… a perfectly crafted CD
- Red Letter: Red Letter Live – More modern hymns that have stylistically changed the way I play
- Ex Nihilo: Ex Nihilo Live – More modern hymns that have stylistically changed the way I play
- Brian & Jenn Johnson: We Believe – I love the sincerity of this CD and crave for this type of deep worship
- Sojourn Music: Split EP – Sojourn singlehandedly brought the art of folk and real doctrine worship back into my playing
- Phil Wickham: Singalong – The best Live worship CD of all time. one guy… one guitar and tons of people pouring out to God!
Of course there are more bands and CD’s having an impact on my worship style and will continue to, but these had the biggest impact.
How about you? What would be your top album influences on your worship style?
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