Hillsong Music Australia

Hillsong Music is Christian music produced by Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia as well as offshoot churches, Hillsong London and Hillsong Kiev. Hillsong albums are released and distributed by Hillsong Music Australia. The main groups are Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, Hillsong Young & Free and Hillsong Kids.

History

Hillsong Church's popularity in Christian praise and worship music stems from the inauguration of the Hillsong Conference in the late 1980s and the first publication of choruses written by Hills CLC members, especially Darlene Zschech. Their first live worship CD The Power of Your Love was released in 1992. Since then, live praise and worship albums have been produced each year. Other music series include the Worship series, United, Youth Alive, Hillsong Kids and Instrumental series. They have also released two Christmas albums and several compilation albums.^[2]

Popularity

Some Hillsong songs have distinct gospel influences. Hillsong Music titles regularly feature in the top 25 of most songs sung in all reporting countries recorded through the CCLI website.

People Just Like Us was the first Christian album to achieve gold status in Australia as well as the first to go Platinum.^[3] To date, all Hillsong live worship albums have achieved Gold status in Australia. In 1996, Hillsong Music reached international prominence with the release of Shout to the Lord produced by Integrity Music. This was Integrity Music's first live worship album featuring a female worship leader – Darlene Zschech.^[4]

The 2004 Hillsong live worship album For All You've Done, debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Record Industry Association album charts. There was some controversy about this outcome as almost all of the albums were sold at Hillsong's annual conference held in early July. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) have defended the outcome noting that the album sold more copies than any other record on sale in Australia that week. As of December 2011, Hillsong has sold more than 12 million records across the globe, following its first release in 1991^[5] and a quarter of all contemporary songs heard in Australian churches in 2011 were written by Hillsong.^[6]

Awards

Hillsong Music has achieved many international awards;

• Shout to the Lord was nominated for the 1997 Praise & Worship Album of the Year Dove Award.
• The song "Shout to the Lord", written by Darlene Zschech, was nominated for the 1998 Song of the Year Dove Award.
• By Your Side received a nomination for the 2001 Praise & Worship Album of the Year Dove Award.
• In 1999, Darlene received the International Impact of the Year Award from the American Gospel Music Association.
• You Are My World received a nomination for the 2002 Praise & Worship Album of the Year Dove Award.
• Blessed also received a nomination for the Praise & Worship Album of the Year Dove Award.
• "My Hope", written by Darlene Zschech, was nominated for the 2004 Inspirational Song of the Year Dove Award.
• "Mighty to Save", written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, received the 2009 Worship Song of the Year Dove Award.

Worship leaders

Darlene Zschech is the composer of the famous worship song "Shout to the Lord". Zschech became worship pastor after Geoff Bullock resigned partly because of their "success"^[7] Bullock had composed most of Hillsong's early songs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Russell Fragar, former Hillsong music pastor, produced the first 10 live worship albums before leaving Hillsong Church for Virginia, US in 2001. Other prominent worship leaders include Reuben Morgan, who rose to fame for his song I Give You My Heart and Marty Sampson who was integral in the success of early Hillsong United albums. Recently Joel Houston, son of Brian and Bobbie Houston, has become one of the Hillsong worship leaders and songwriters and has also initiated Hillsong's I-Heart Revolution.

Currently, Cassandra Langton serves as Creative Pastor together with her husband Rich, overseeing everything creative at Hillsong including Hillsong Music. The worship pastor of Hillsong Global is Reuben Morgan.

In January 2011, Darlene Zschech and her husband left Hillsong Australia with the support of Brian and Bobbie Houston. They became senior pastors at Church Unlimited (later named Hope Unlimited Church) in Charmhaven on the New South Wales central coast. Darlene Zschech explained Hillsong's stance in her book Extravagant Worship. She wrote the Hillsong team prayer "Father, let them quickly get their eyes off of us. We just want to point them to you, God, because you are the Author of truth. You are the only One who is to be praised."

The Hillsong Worship team also tours the globe reaching others with the music that comes from the very heart of Hillsong Church.

Albums

Early albums were released solely on cassette and CD. Video recordings of the live albums have also been made for VHS since the second album in 1993, and additionally for DVD since 2000, with increasing additional content such as documentaries and extra songs. The Hillsong United series CDs have included an additional free part-length DVD since 2004. Several music books have also been published. Including all the series (LIVE, UNITED, Kids, Kids Junior, Chapel, Young & Free, Español, Youth Term, Youth Alive, Worship, Compilation, Instrumental, Christmas, Preview, KIEV, LONDON) and other special releases (Like The 1st Album, Or Other special recordings) they have more than 125 albums, in 15 series.

Hillsong Worship (formerly known as Hillsong Live) albums

1. The Power of Your Love (1992)
2. Stone's Been Rolled Away (1993)
3. People Just Like Us (1994)
4. Friends in High Places (1995)
5. God Is in the House (1996)
6. All Things Are Possible (1997)
7. Touching Heaven Changing Earth (1998)
8. By Your Side (1999)
9. For This Cause (2000)
10. You Are My World (2001)
11. Blessed (2002)
12. Hope (2003)
13. For All You've Done (2004)
14. God He Reigns (2005)
15. Mighty to Save (2006)
16. Saviour King (2007)
17. This Is Our God (2008)
18. Faith + Hope + Love (2009)
19. A Beautiful Exchange (2010)
20. Con Todo (2010)
21. En Mi Lugar (2011)
22. God is Able (2011)
23. Cornerstone (2012)
24. Glorious Ruins (2013)
25. No Other Name (2014)
26. Open Heaven / River Wild (2015)^[8]

Hillsong United albums

1. One (Bonus EP from Hillsong Worship annual album) (1998)
2. Everyday (1999)
3. Best Friend (2000)
4. King of Majesty (2001)
5. To the Ends of the Earth (2002)
6. More Than Life (2004)
7. Look to You (2005)
8. United We Stand (2006)
9. Unidos Permanecemos (2007)
10. All of the Above (2007)
11. In a Valley by the Sea (EP) (2007)
12. The I Heart Revolution. Part I: With Hearts as One (2008)
13. Across the Earth (2009)
14. Aftermath (2011)
15. Live in Miami (2012)
16. Zion (2013)
17. Oceans (2013)
18. Zion Acoustic Sessions (2013)
19. The White Album (Remix Project) (2014)
20. Empires (2015)

Hillsong Chapel albums

1. Yahweh (2010)
2. Forever Reign (2012)

Hillsong Young & Free albums

1. We Are Young & Free (2013)^[9]
2. This Is Living (EP) (2014)
3. The Remixes (EP) (2015)
4. Youth Revival (2016)

Special Singles by Series Above (not included on albums)

1. It Is Well With My Soul (Worship)
2. Vivo Estás (Young & Free)
3. The Stand (Young & Free)
4. Océanos (Donde Mis Pies Pueden Fallar) (UNITED)
5. Noel (Young & Free)
6. Peace Has Come (Worship)
7. Vida Tú Me Das (Young & Free)

Hillsong Kids albums

1. Jesus Is My Superhero (2004)
2. Super Strong God (2005)
3. Supernatural (2006)
4. Tell the World (2007)
5. Follow You (2008)
6. Ultimate Kids Collection (2009)
7. Hillsong Kids Big Curriculum (2010)

Hillsong Kids Junior albums

1. Crazy Noise (2011)

Worship Series albums

1. Simply Worship (1996)
2. Simply Worship 2 (1997)
3. Simply Worship 3 (1998)
4. Overwhelmed (2000)
5. Amazing Love (2003)
6. Faithful (2004)
7. Songs for Communion (2006)

Youth Alive albums

1. Jump to the Jam (1994)
2. Chosen One (1996)
3. The Plan (1998)
4. One (1999)
5. Awake (2000)
6. Elevate (2001)

Instrumental Worship albums

1. The Secret Place (1999)
2. Forever (2003)

Christmas albums

1. Christmas (2001)
2. Celebrating Christmas (2005)
3. Born Is The King (2011)
4. We Have A Saviour (2012)

Compilation albums

1. Hills Praise (1997)
2. Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Darlene Zschech (2002)
3. Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Reuben Morgan (2002)
4. The Platinum Collection Volume 1: Shout to the Lord (2000); (previously released as Millennium: The Story So Far)
5. The Platinum Collection Volume 2: Shout to the Lord 2 (2003)
6. Ultimate Worship (2005)
7. Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Miriam Webster (2007)
8. Ultimate Collection Volume II (2008)
9. Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Joel Houston (2008)
10. You'll Come (2009)
11. The Very Best of Hillsong LIVE (2010)
12. Tour Collection Limited Edition * (Hillsong United) (2010)
13. It's Christmas (2010)
14. Ultimate Kids Collection (2010)

• Special Edition that includes a special release of 'Look To You', 'United We Stand' and 'All of the Above'.

Other albums

1. Show Your Glory (1990)
2. Shout to the Lord (1996)
3. I Believe the Promise (1997)
4. Shout to the Lord 2000 (1998)
5. You Shine (2000)
6. Overwhelmed (2001)
7. Hillsong + Delirious? – UP: Unified Praise (2004)
8. Hillsong Kiev; Sydney; London – Господь всего (Lord of All) (2007)
9. God is Able EP (2012)
10. Cornerstone (Digital EP) (2012)
11. Hillsong Global Project (2012)

Spanish albums

1. Canta Al Señor (1999)
2. Unidos Permanecemos (2006)
3. Con Todo (2010)
4. En Mi Lugar (2011)
5. Global Project Español (2012)
6. En Esto Creo (2015)

Portuguese albums

1. Aclame ao Senhor (2000)
2. Global Project Português (2012)

Hillsong London albums

1. Shout God's Fame (2004)
2. Jesus Is (2006)
3. Jesus Is: Remix (2007)
4. Hail to the King (2008)

Hillsong Kiev albums

1. Пламя (Flame) (1995) – Studio album
2. Мы будем славить (We Will Praise) (1997) – Live praise & worship
3. Это знает душа моя (That My Soul Knows) (1997) – Live praise & worship
4. Прыгай в небеса (Jump Up into Heaven) (1998) – Youth worship
5. С Богом возможно всё (All Things Are Possible with God) (1998) – Live praise & worship
6. План (Plan) (1999) – Youth worship
7. Небеса на земле (Heaven on Earth) (2000) – Live praise & worship
8. Мы любим петь об этом (We Love to Sing About It) (2000) – Kids series
9. Лучший Друг (Best Friend) (2001) – Live praise & worship
10. Революция (Revolution) (2001) – Youth worship
11. Царь Величия (King of Majesty) (2002) – Live praise & worship
12. Пожар (Burn [literally Fire]) (2004) – Youth worship
13. Слава в вышних (Glory in the Highest) (2005) – Live praise & worship
14. Иисус мой Супергерой (Jesus Is My Superhero) (2005) – Kids series
15. Это мой дом (This Is My Home) (2006) – Live praise & worship
16. Спасение (Salvation) (2006) – Youth worship
17. Суперcильный Бог (Super Strong God) (2006) – Kids series
18. Сверхъестественный Бог (Supernatural God) (2007) – Kids series
19. Господь всего (Lord of All) (2007) – Live praise & worship
20. Алтарь (Altar) (2008) – Live praise & worship
21. Это наш Царь (This is our King) (2009) – Live praise & worship
22. Бог Есть Любовь (God Is Love) (2010) – Live praise & worship
23. Неразделимы (Undivided) (2010) – Youth worship
24. Всего мира свет (Light of the world) (2010) – Kids series
25. Ритм благодати (Rhythms of Grace) (2012) – Youth worship
26. Океаны (Oceans) (2014) - Live praise & worship

Music videos

Other versions of their songs

See also

• Hillsong musicians
• List of Hillsong albums
• List of Hillsong songs
• Diante do Trono, a Brazilian praise and worship ministry similar to Hillsong

External links

• Official website
• Hillsong Music Ukraine website

References