People are connecting with music about Jesus more than ever before, with multiple Christian musicians appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time—for the first time in history.
"Hard Fought Hallelujah" by Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll has spent 22 weeks on the chart, while "Your Way’s Better" by Forrest Frank has spent 13 weeks, according to NPR.
It raises the question: are more people sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit?
According to Billboard, the answer is yes—thanks in part to social media. Lake and Frank have emerged as breakout stars in the Christian music scene, using platforms like TikTok to reach a wider audience.
Historically, Christian music has been underrepresented on the Hot 100 chart. Since Billboard adopted its current multi-metric methodology on 7 December 2013—which blends US streaming, radio airplay, and sales—only 52 Christian songs have charted on both the Hot 100 and the Hot Christian Songs list.
Of those, 34 were by Ye (formerly Kanye West), from his albums Jesus Is King and Donda. Other examples include DJ Khaled’s remix of "Use This Gospel", featuring Ye and Eminem, and six religious-themed Christmas songs.
According to Billboard, just 11 Christian songs have made the Hot 100 that were neither tied to holidays nor involved crossover rap artists.
The majority of Christian tracks on the Hot 100 fall within the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) genre—modern popular music that features Christian themes and draws from pop, rock, and other contemporary styles.
CCM has not been without its critics. Some argue the genre is overly secular and worldly, while others see it as a positive alternative to mainstream pop and rock music.
Still, signs suggest that Christian music is gaining ground. On Billboard’s “Bubbling Under Hot 100” rankings—which list songs just outside the top 100—are Elevation Worship’s "Praise", featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, and Chandler Moore, and Forrest Frank’s "Good Day".