RedGage

With each passing year, there's a unique changing of the guard per say, in the encouraging and inspirational world of Christian music. Even if it's purely coincidence, somehow most the year's Christianmusic hits have a similar theme to them. Is it coincidence or divine intervention? One thing is for sure, the theme for the year will be reflected in the Wow Hits 2011 collection.WOW Hits HistoryThe Wow Hits CD collection is an annual representation of all the #1 hits of the previous year. Thus theWow Hits 2011 is actually a collection of 2010 Christian music hits, and so on and so on. The release of the annual collection began in 1995 with WOW 1996, produced and released through a collaboration from three of the top Christian music recording companies at that time: Sparrow Records, WORD Records and Reunion Records. Over the years a few name changes have been made. Sparrow Records is now EMI Christian Music Group. Word Record is now WORD Entertainment and Reunion Records is now under the Sony name, Provident Label. The Wow series was changed to the Wow Hits beginning with the 2001 collection in December 2000.The WOW 1995 - 2000 CDs were the first in a series of WOW collections:

• WOW 1995
• WOW 1996
• WOW 1997
• WOW 1998
• WOW 1999
• WOW 2000

WOW Hits began in 2001 and this series has been the most successful series of WOW collections to date:

• WOW HITS 2001
• WOW HITS 2002
• WOW HITS 2003
• WOW HITS 2004
• WOW HITS 2005
• WOW HITS 2006
• WOW HITS 2007
• WOW HITS 2008
• WOW HITS 2009
• WOW HITS 2010
• WOW HITS 2011

There are other WOW series available: WOW Essentials, WOW Worship, WOW Gospel and WOW Christmas. How ever, WOW Hits remains the #1 selling CD in the WOW collections. Christian music fans look forward to the annual release each year before Christmas.WOW HITS 2011This year's collection revolved around a unique, unplanned theme of Faith in the midst of trial. Without intending to do so, most every artist featured wrote a #1 hit song that reflected the Bible verses in James 1:2-4, (NIV) " Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."Last year's WOW HITS 2010 seemed to have an underlining theme of God's healing through His infinite love, grace and mercy. Take a look at the songs included on this year's CD collection. Do they not all convey a similar message of stay strong in the Faith even in the midst of trial?

• Until The Whole World Hears by Casting Crowns
• Our God by Chris Tomlin
• What Faith Can Do by Kutless
• The Greatness Of Our God by Natalie Grant
• Healing Hand of God by Jeremy Camp
• Hold Us Together by Matt Maher
• Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath
• My Own Little World by Matthew West
• The Words I Would Say by Sidewalk Prophets
• Heaven Is The Face by Steven Curtis Chapman
• Better Than A Hallelujah by Amy Grant
• Before The Morning by Josh Wilson
• Love Has Come by Mark Schultz
• You Found Me - Big Daddy Weave
• My Help Comes From The Lord by the Museum
• Get Back Up by tobyMac
• Beautiful,Beautiful by Francesca Battistelli
• Born Again by Third Day
• Lay 'EM Down by Needtobreathe
• Healing Begins by Tenth Avenue North
• Born Again by Newsboys
• Hero by Skillet
• Walk On The Water by Britt Nicole
• Let The Waters Rise by MikesChair
• Forgiven by Sanctus Real
• Your Love Is A Song by Switchfoot
• Follow You by Leeland
• More Beautiful You by Jonny Diaz
• Starry Night by Chris August
• No Matter What by Kerrie Roberts

Thoughts for 2011Many of the above artists are up and coming in the Christian music industry. Francesca Battistelli was awarded the 2010 Dove Award Female Vocalist of the Year. She has new album coming out March 1, 2011 titled 100 Hundred Years. Chris August is back up at #1 on the Billboard Christian Songs Chart with Starry Night. Fans can expect a Dove Award nomination this year for his album No Far Away.Brandon Heath was the winner of the 2010 Dove Award for Male Vocalist of the Year. With his latest hit, Your Love, he wishes to convey a message that it's not him but God. Don't worry Brandon, it's obvious that God is getting the glory from every song written by one Brandon Heath. Of course, old familiar favorites are still at the top of the charts with every new hit they release. This well known list of artists include: tobyMac, Casting Crowns, Newsboys and Chris Tomlin.Many Christian fans are not financially able to buy the latest new releases from their favorite artists. It is also becoming more difficult to afford concert tickets even in the smaller towns. The WOW Hits collection released every year gives fans an affordable option to buying several CDs or attending concert. Of all the CDs released each year, the WOW HITS CD should be the one at the top of the wish list.