Gospel duo Mary Mary is still at it, and while Go Get It is not a career-best for them it still shows them holding a strong place in the “urban contemporary gospel” scene. It also sounds like this was not a completely new album like last year’s which hit #10, but contains some remixes and remasters, and these are pretty good numbers for that kind of album. Selected discography for Mary Mary:

Thankful – 2000 – #59
Incredible – 2002 – #20
Mary Mary – 2005 – #8
The Sound – 2008 – #7
Something Big – 2011 – #10 (42,000)
Go Get It - 2012 – #16 (19,000)

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

There were a lot of CCM albums that reappeared on the chart last week. I don’t know if there were more sales going on or if it was a Mother’s Day effect.

Point of Grace’s new album A Thousand Little Things debuts at #186. The female CCM group seems to have peaked about a decade ago, even before losing one of their members a few years ago. Selected chart history for Point of Grace, according to Wikipedia:

The Whole Truth – 1995 – #132 (Gold)
Life Love & Other Mysteries – 1996 (Platinum)
Steady On – 1998 – #24 (Platinum)
Free to Fly – 2001 – #20 (Gold)
I Choose You – 2004 – #85
How You Live – 2007 – #56
No Changin’ Us – 2010 – #60
A Thousand Little Things – 2012 – #186

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Wow Gospel 2012 cross the 100,000 mark. Newsboys crosses 125K. Britt Nicole’s new album fell off the charts after selling 25,000. Chris Tomlin’s compilation album fell off again after hitting 150,000.

Heavy act War of Ages hits #155 with their new album Return to Life. This is a career-best for them. Here is their selected chart history:

Arise and Conquer – 2008 – N/A
Eternal – 2010 – #179
Return to Life - 2012 – #155 (2,900 copies)

The alleged sale on Laura Story’s album must be continuing. Only a very small percentage is being added to the reported total so her real sale numbers are likely much higher. The Passion album has popped back onto the chart and has now sold over 75,000 copies.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Thousand Foot Krutch hit a career-best #14 with their new album The End Is Where We Begin. The band has continued to grow bigger with each new release. Here is their selected chart history:

Set It Off – 2001 – N/A
Phenomenon – 2003 – N/A
The Art of Breaking – 2005 – #67
The Flame In All Of Us – 2007 – #58
Welcome to the Masquerade – 2009 – #35 (13,000)
The End Is Where We Begin - 2012 – #14 (23,000)

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

The Newsboys album shot up to a better position than its debut week – although the sales weren’t as high. Laura Story’s album shot back onto the chart apparently due to a $5 sale. I don’t have older tracking data for it but its real sales are likely much higher. Chris Tomlin’s “hits” album crosses 150,000. tobyMac’s remix album fell off the top 200 after three weeks and sales of 17,500. Gospel artist Fred Hammond’s album God, Love & Romance dropped off the chart again after 11 weeks and sales of just under 80,000.

If They Only Knew – 2006 – N/A
20/20 – 2008 – #193
Between Two Worlds – 2010 – #58
Good Life – 2012 – #17 (21,000)

Demon Hunter lands #36 with True Defiance. That is a career-best chart position for the heavy band, but slightly fewer sales than their last one.

Demon Hunter – 2002 – N/A
Summer of Darkness – 2004 – N/A
The Triptych – 2005 – #136
Storm the Gates of Hell – 2007 – #85 (10,000)
The World Is A Thorn – 2010 – #39 (14,000)
True Defiance – 2012 – #36 (12,000)

Desperation Band hits #180 with Center of it All.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Artist: Bloodline Severed
Album: Letters to Decapolis
Label: Red Cord Records
Release Date: 3/13/12

I’m not normally into the more guttural side of metal, but these guys mix the growls with nice melodic lines of clean vocals and guitar solos. Topped with some very worshipful lyrics, this album is a lot more interesting than I first expected.

Buy on Amazon

Artist: Becoming the Archetype
Album: Celestial Progression
Label: Solid State Records
Release Date: 4/17/12

These remixes give a little more electronic flavor to the Christian metal band, highlighting their strong use of melody, layers, and structure. It’s an interesting intersection of genres that works pretty well.

Buy on Amazon

Artist: Marvin Sapp
Album: I Win
Label: Verity Records
Release Date: 3/30/12

Marvin has been one of the more popular acts in the gospel genre for some time, and this album debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200. It’s not really my style, and didn’t really stand out to me from other gospel I’ve heard. It’s got a choir directed by Marvin singing upbeat tunes with confident lyrics about overcoming troubles.

Buy on Amazon

Artist: Sucré
Album: A Minor Bird
Label: Red Velvet
Release Date: 4/10/12

This is a MuteMath/Eisley side project by married musicians Darren and Stacey King. It’s the charming melancholy of Eisley mixed with the simple folky delight of She & Him and the symphonic grandeur of Imogen Heap. It’s less energetic than MuteMath, but it doesn’t hold back King’s percussive creativity, either.

Buy on Amazon

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Say It – 2007 – N/A
The Lost Get Found – 2009 – #62 (7,000)
Gold – 2012 – #41 (10,000)

tobyMac’s remix album hit #52. His last two “regular” albums have hit the top 10, but this is a career-best for a remix album:

Re:Mix Momentum – 2003 – N/A
Renovating Diverse City – 2004 – #162
Dubbed & Freq’d: A Remix Project – 2012 – #52

Another CCM artist, Sidewalk Prophets, had a nice debut at #83. I can’t tell if their previous releases charted or not, but I think there’s a pretty good chance this is also a career-best for them.

We also have Jimmy Needham coming in at #128.

Speak – 2006 – N/A
Not Without Love – 2008 – N/A
Nightlights – 2010 – #136
Clear The Stage – 2012 – #128

Here are the selected sales for artists in the top 200:

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

The latest Newsboys album has crossed the 100,000 mark. Casting Crowns will cross the 400,000 mark next week.

The latest from Casting Crowns will hit 400,000 copies soon.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Everything Glorious – 2006 – #69
God of This City – 2008 – #72
Awakening – 2010 – #15 -(25,000)
Here For You – 2011 – #11 – (30,000)
White Flag – 2012 – #5 (48,000)

Dave Barnes hits #59 with his new album Stories To Tell. It looks like that tied his previous release. Some of Barnes’s chart history:

Brother, Bring the Sun – 2004 – N/A
Chasing Mississippi – 2006 – N/A
Me and You and the World – 2008 – #94
What We Want, What We Get – 2010 – #59
Stories to Tell – 2012 – #59

It looks like metal band Impending Doom had their best release to date.

Nailed. Dead. Risen – 2007 – N/A
The Serpent Servant – 2009 – #144
There Will Be Violence – 2010 – #123
Baptized in Filth – 2012 – #106

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Unbreakable – 2008 – N/A
For Those Who Wait – 2010 – #96
Now – 2012 – #51

Rapper Flame also debuts at #67. As best I can tell Flame’s albums have been hitting the Christian charts for many years but this is his first to debut in the overall Top 200.

Also, last week I missed the debut from Kutless at #36, their first album inside the top 40 after ten years of work. Kutless’s charting history:

Kutless – 2002
Sea of Faces – 2004 – #97
Strong Tower – 2005 – #87
Hearts of the Innocent – 2006 – #45
To Know That You’re Alive – 2008 – #64
It Is Well – 2009 – #42
Believer – 2012 – #36 (14,000)

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Casting Crowns is sailing past 380,000 copies of their latest. Newsboys may hit 100,000 soon with theirs. Lecrae’s Rehab sneaks back into the chart this week, although I haven’t been following it long enough to know what its true sales might be.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

MercyMe’s unexplained reappearance continues strong, and Third Day’s may be starting to fade. Casting Crowns is approaching 400,000 in sales for their latest album, and Chris Tomlin has passed 125,000. Audrey Assad and David Crowder Band left the top 200 this week.

All of the Above – 2007 – #60
[a_CROSS//the_EARTH] :: Tear Down the Walls – 2009 – #21
Aftermath – 2011 – #17
Live In Miami – 2012 – #71

The new album doesn’t seem to have debuted as well as some recent ones from Hillsong United, but a glance at the track listing shows it to be mostly or possibly all old songs, which may be a factor.

We also have a debut from Audrey Assad, whose Heart lands at #86. Her previous album The House You’re Building (2010) reached #154.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

David Crowder Band’s album may fall off the chart next week. Apparently it doesn’t have any strong radio singles keeping it up there compared to somewhat older CCM albums that it has now fallen behind, such as Casting Crowns and Chris Tomlin.

Here are the selected Billboard/Soundscan albums:

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Third Day continues to sell very well with only about 11% of its sales making it into the totals. This suggests they could have real sales of over a million, but I can’t even find any evidence of a Gold certification (500,000 units shipped) for this album, much less a Platinum. I still don’t know what caused the album to randomly reappear on the charts a few weeks ago, but it’s likely that this reappearance has a higher percentage of sales from Christian outlets than its initial run (ex. some kind of Christian bookstore sale or something? If anyone has any theories or information please let me know.)

Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 – 2002 – #38 (N/A)
Somethin’ ‘Bout Love – 2005 – #35 (N/A)
Free to Worship – 2006 – #29 (N/A)
Love Unstoppable - 2009 – #25 (20,000)
God, Love & Romance – 2012 – #8 (26,000)

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Casting Crowns is now over 350,000. Third Day’s album continues to sell very well in its reappearance, and I am still not sure what caused it to reappear on the chart. It had a very low percentage of recorded sales once again, so I would say there is a very strong chance their real sales are at least as high as Casting Crowns and a good chance it is at least as high as Skillet’s.

Bethlehem – 2007 (N/A)
Kari Jobe – 2008 (N/A)
Le Canto – 2009 – #67 (N/A)
Where I Find You – 2012 – #10 (25,000)

Another debut came from Bethel Music with Loft Sessions at #44. I listened to some of this album on Rdio and it seems to feature some stripped-down or more acoustic versions of some of the previous hits that have come out of Bethel. Farther down on the chart we see the latest Homecoming Celebration by the Gaithers and a worship album from Myron Butler. It was a pretty well-rounded week for Christian artists.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

Third Day’s reappearance continues strongly, and I can now estimate that they’re missing a very large proportion of their sales from the reported total. The new album from David Crowder Band is continuing to sell pretty well, and Skillet’s reappearance is also still going strong. The Courageous soundtrack drops a bit after last week’s DVD release.

This album features the nice songwriting talents of JJ Heller, who lightly picks her guitar as she sings lullabies to her child and encouraging declarations of surrender and simplicity. Her husband David adds subtle harmonies and musicianship. Great for relaxing at the end of the day when you’re seeking peace.

Lyrical Standout: When I hold you in my arms, Love
Something changes
It’s the strangest feeling
The things that used to matter
They don’t matter to me
Lyrical Standout II: Oh this silly heart of mine
Looking for new things to buy
Nothing really satisfies
In the end, in the end

Amazon Link

Excerpt:

It has plenty of electronic loops and layers, but this is far from the dance party we experienced in Church Music. It has bluegrass renditions of classic hymns we haven’t seen since A Collision. It has acoustic guitar riff action we haven’t heard since Illuminate. It’s got banjo grooves borrowed from Mumford & Sons, and dynamic instrumental sequences spanning Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Explosions in the Sky. It delivers its theme – a plea for rest – and reprises it throughout the album as it explores a journey that ends by coming home. Pretentious? Maybe. But full of fun and joy and worship? Definitely.

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

David Crowder Band’s selected charting history:

Illuminate – 2003 – #84 (N/A)
A Collision - 2005 – #39 (N/A)
Remedy - 2007 – #22 (32,000)
Church Music - 2009 – #11 (36,000)
Give Us Rest – 2012 – #2 (50,000)

(For whatever reason, Soundscan includes sales from Christian outlets in their weekly totals that determine the Billboard 200 chart positions, but they don’t include them in their reported totals. So I just add up all the weekly totals and compare them to the reported totals to see how many sales are missing from Christian outlets.)

I’m not sure if the Joyful Noise soundtrack is being sold in Christian outlets are not, but it’s missing just over 100 sales from its debut week so I’m guessing that there might be a few outlets carrying it. Chris Tomlin crosses the 100,000 mark on his compilation album. Skillet’s latest stays on the chart again and even bumps up a bit; I wonder if the Winter Jam tour is helping those numbers out.