"WOW" is a series of annual compilation albums featuring contemporary Christian music. Originally simply called "WOW" immediately followed by the coming year, a change to "WOW Hits" followed by the coming year was made when the "WOW" brand was extended to include the additional collections mentioned below.[1] The WOW franchise represents the most successful collections of Christian music ever issued.
Released in late 1995, "WOW 1996" was the first in the WOW series and the first recording put together by the three major Christian record companies of the time: Word Records (now Word Entertainment), Sparrow Records (now part of EMI Christian Music Group), and Reunion Records (now part of Sony's Provident Label Group). Still today, after each submitting label agrees to a reduced master royalty, the final decision on the tracks to be included is made by committee. Production, marketing, and distribution for the "WOW Hits" series is handled by EMI Christian Music Group.
Comprising songs submitted by each partner label, the annual "WOW Hits" releases have typically been double CD sets. Beginning in 2008, however, "WOW" began releasing separate single-disc collections spread throughout each year, rather than a two-disc collection toward the end of each year. In addition to "WOW Hits," which focuses on the most popular pop and pop-rock music, plans call for edgier single-disc "WOW Rock Hits" and "WOW Pop Hits" collections released twice a year.
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WOW Essentials was first released in August 2008. It contains twelve songs that are "essential to Christian music life." The first album features songs from Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and many others. The focus of this series is to showcase favorite and well-known songs picked from the most recent years.
WOW Essentials consists of the following albums:
WOW Series is the first and most successful series of WOW collections.[2] It contains the following albums:
WOW Hits is the second and also the most successful series of WOW collections.[3] In the year 2000, it was rebranded from WOW Series to WOW Hits. It contains the following albums:
In 2008, the WOW series contemplated releasing three single discs per year instead of the annual double discs fans of the series were used to. Only one disc was ever released in the spring of 2008 before reverting back to the annual format. That disc was WOW Hits 1. It is not known why the publishers decided to return to the annual format instead of the three-disc format, which was inspired by the Now That's What I Call Music! series, which releases 3 discs annually.
The WOW Gospel are released annually, beginning with WOW Gospel 1998. The focus of this series is gospel. The compilation has been issued every year since 1998.[4]
The series consists of the following albums:
Since the release of WOW Gospel 2003, a major metropolitan city that has been influential in the field of gospel music has been honored. For instance, New York, NY was honored due in part to the September 11, 2001 tragedy, and so on. The exception is WOW Gospel 2009 in which the United States of America was honored due to the previous year's election.
The WOW Worship series was released annually beginning with WOW Worship Blue in 1999. The focus on this series is praise and worship. The first album featured songs performed by the worship leaders who wrote them, such as Darlene Zschech's "Shout to the Lord". It is a partnership between Integrity Music, Maranatha Music and Vineyard Music.[5]
After several years, they switched to a contemporary Christian music format, where CCM recording artists perform praise and worship songs in their style.
The series consists of the following albums:
WOW Christmas is released sporadically, beginning in 2002. It is a series of compilation albums featuring Christmas music as recorded by contemporary Christian music artists.[6]
The series consists of the following albums:
WOW The 90s was released in 1999. All of the songs in this collection were contemporary Christian music hits during the 1990s. Marketing and distribution responsibilities for this title was delegated to Word Entertainment.
WOW Gold was released in 2000. It was a single 2-CD/2-cassette collection of contemporary Christian music from the 1960s to the time it was released. Marketing and distribution responsibilities for this title in the WOW Hits series was relegated to Brentwood Records (now Provident Music Group).
A single disc released in the year 2000, a special issue for Feed the Children.
WOW Next 2007 was a free ten-song CD given to anyone who bought any WOW compilation CD.
WOW Hymns was released in March 2007. It is a two-disc compilation album of thirty modern and classic hymns that were recorded by popular Christian musicians. The album features songs by Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin, Nichole Nordeman, David Crowder Band, and many other well-known groups and singers. An accompanying songbook was also released by Word Music.
WOW New & Next (2010) and WOW New & Next (2011) were 12-song CDs showcasing new artists that was sold, or given free to anyone who bought any WOW compilation CD.
The WOW The Videos series is released annually beginning with WOW 1998-1997 - Top 25 Videos; it consists of DVDs of music videos.
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