Hillsong United
Hillsong United | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Background information | |
Origin | Sydney, Australia |
Genres | Worship music, contemporary Christian, Christian rock |
Years active | 1998–present |
Labels | Hillsong |
Website | www |
The Hillsong United band (stylized as Hillsong UNITED or UNITED) is a worship band that originated as a part of Hillsong Church. Formed in 1998 as part of Hillsong's youth ministry, the band consists of several rotating worship leaders from the church, including Brooke Fraser, Joel Houston, Reuben Morgan and Marty Sampson. Due to several songs written by the youth ministry, Hillsong worship leader Darlene Zschech recommended that they record an album, which resulted in their debut extended play, One, which was released alongside the Hillsong Worship album Touching Heaven Changing Earth. Since then, the group has released eleven annual live albums, as well as four studio albums. The band composes songs and performs in church services as well as concerts in worldwide tours.
History
The band was originally formed in 1998, by close friends from within the youth ministry called "Powerhouse Youth", led by Hillsong Youth Pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley for many years. [1] As the house band for the Powerhouse meetings, they played original songs and rearranged popular radio tunes at their weekly meeting for local youth aged 16–25. Band members sometimes also contributed to the larger interdenominational ministry Youth Alive Australia and its albums. Most members of the band also attended Hillsong Church services.
Powerhouse grew and split in the late 1990s into two youth groups: Powerhouse (aged 18–25) and Wildlife (12-17). Reuben Morgan, assisted by guitarist Marcus Beaumont and vocalist/songwriter Tanya Riches, were the administrators of the 18-25's Powerhouse band that also included Mark Stevens, Nigel Hendroff, Peter King and Raymond Badham. At the older group Peter King was the main piano player and music director, with later guitarist Nigel Hendroff taking this music directing role. In the younger ministry Wildlife, the former Channel V Leg-Up competition-winning Able band boys Joel Houston and Marty Sampson were trained by Hillsong Music Pastor Russell Fragar, with Able band's Luke Munns and Michael Guy Chislett being the main drummer and guitarist, respectively while Joel Houston played bass. Marty Sampson, Holly Dawson, Mark Stevens, Katrina Peoples, Michelle Fragar, Tanya Riches and Bec Mesiti were some original key vocalists. In the Summer of 1997, the team made a huge impact at their youth ministry's Summer Camp. Returning from Summer Camp, the youth ministries of Hillsong Church joined together on a monthly basis with these meetings called the "UNITED" Nights.
Darlene Zschech suggested to Reuben Morgan that the youth band make an album in 1998 after so many songs were written in the youth ministry. [2]It is the birth of the band. [3] As a result, the EP One was recorded. Everyday was recorded in 1999 and packaged with the Hillsong annual album. Both achieved Gold sales status in Australia. The band continued to release an album each year, rebranding as Hillsong United. In 2002 after Reuben Morgan stepped down as co-worship leader of the band, Joel Houston, the eldest son of the church's senior pastor Brian Houston, and Marty Sampson led the group together.
The band's members are involved in Hillsong Church services and also play for the church. [4] Many were volunteers who went unpaid for their time or contribution. As such the line up changes on a regular basis due to the volunteers needs and the needs of the church; that is to say, due to the naturally resultant "churn". Former original drummer Luke Munns made a transition from the drums to front the rock/indie band LUKAS. Following his marriage to Michelle on November 2006, Sampson stepped down as one of the main leaders of the band. He contributed two more songs with United—"Devotion", which he wrote and sang, and "Saviour King", which he wrote with Mia Fieldes—before he officially stepped down. These songs were part of the 2007 release All of the Above. Current members of the Hillsong United band include Joel Houston, Jonathon Douglass (J.D.), Jadwin "Jad" Gillies, Matt Crocker, Taya Smith, Dylan Thomas (on rhythm guitar), Timon Klein (on lead guitar), Peter James & Benjamin Tennikoff (on keyboards), Adam Crosariol (on bass guitar), and Simon Kobler (on drums).
The annual Hillsong United CD/DVD was recorded for many years during the Hillsong youth ministry's October conference Encounterfest, and albums released in the first quarter of the following year. The 2007 album All of the Above was the first album to be fully studio recorded. [5] The band has toured in a number of countries, leading worship in various places and has a international influence. [6] · [7] · [8]
In 2014, they won 5 Dove Award. [9] The band is nominated for the second year at American Music Award in 2015. [10] They won the Billboard charts 2015 in the category Christian & Gospel. [11]
Members
The group consisted of several rotating members, but there was no proper lineup until official lineups were included in the liner notes of Live in Miami, Zion and Empires.[12][13][14]
Current
The current members of the band are: [15][12]
- Joel Houston — worship leader, guitar, keys, percussion
- Jonathon "JD" Douglass — worship leader, percussion
- Jad Gillies — worship leader, guitar
- Matt Crocker — worship leader, guitar, percussion
- Taya Smith — worship leader
- Dylan Thomas — guitar, keys, music director
- Adam Crosariol — bass guitar
- Simon Kobler — drums
- Michael Guy Chislett — guitar, keys, music director
- Benjamin "Ben" Tennikoff — keyboards, programming, sampling
Former
Former members of the band are:[13][14]
- Brooke Fraser — worship leader, guitar[16]
- Luke Munns - drums[16]
- Annie Garratt — worship leader[16][17]
- Timon Klein — lead guitar
- Sam Knock — worship leader[16]
- Peter James — piano, keyboard, synthesizer
- Hayley Law — worship leader
- Jill McCloghry — worship leader
- Marty Sampson — worship leader, guitar [18]
- David Ware — worship leader[16]
Discography
Albums
Live
- 1998: One (Bonus EP from Hillsong Live annual album)
- 1999: Everyday
- 2000: Best Friend
- 2001: King of Majesty
- 2002: To the Ends of the Earth
- 2004: More Than Life
- 2005: Look to You
- 2006: United We Stand
- 2007: Unidos Permanecemos
- 2007: In a Valley by the Sea (EP)
- 2008: The I Heart Revolution. Part I: With Hearts as One
- 2009: Across the Earth
- 2012: Live in Miami
Studio
- 2007: All of the Above
- 2011: Aftermath
- 2013: Zion
- 2015: Empires
Miscellaneous
- 2013: Oceans (EP)
- 2013: Zion Acoustic Sessions
- 2014: The White Album (Remix Project)
DVDs
- 2004: More Than Life (bonus DVD with album)
- 2005: Look to You (bonus DVD with album)
- 2006: United We Stand (bonus DVD with album)
- 2007: All of the Above (bonus DVD with album)
- 2008: The I Heart Revolution: With Hearts As One (Music DVD)
- 2010: The I Heart Revolution: We're All in This Together (Documentary DVD/Blu-ray)
- 2012: Live in Miami (Music DVD/Blu-ray)
- 2013: Zion Acoustic Sessions (Music DVD)
Achievements
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AUS Albums Chart [19] |
NZ Albums Chart [20] |
US Billboard 200 [21][22][23] |
US Christian Albums [24][25] |
US Digital Albums [26][27] | ||||
All of the Above |
|
6 | 13 | 60 | 1 | 60 | ||
[a_CROSS // the_EARTH] |
|
22 | 21 | 21 | 1 | 56 | ||
Aftermath |
|
4 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 5 | ||
Zion |
|
1 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 4 | ||
Empires |
|
1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
- List of songs, with selected chart positions
Year | Song | Peak positions | Certifications | Sales | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Hot Christian Songs[28] | US Christian Airplay[29] | US Christian Digital Songs[30] | US Christian Streaming[31] | US Billboard Hot 100 [32] | ||||
2011 | "Bones" | – | – | 35 | – | – | ||
"Like an Avalanche" | 40 | – | 40 | – | – | |||
"Search My Heart" | 20 | – | 17 | – | – | |||
"Lead Me to the Cross" | – | – | 48 | 16 | – | |||
2013 | "Scandal of Grace" | 25 | – | 21 | – | – | ||
"From the Inside Out" | – | – | – | 23 | – | |||
"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 83 |
|
| |
"Relentless" | 27 | – | 45 | – | – | |||
2014 | "Love Is War" | 38 | – | 50 | – | – | ||
2015 | "Touch the Sky" | 5 | 6 | 1 | 9 | – | ||
"Prince of Peace" | 26 | – | 15 | – | – | |||
"Heart Like Heaven" | 26 | – | 31 | – | – | |||
"Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)" | 29 | – | 36 | – | – | |||
"Here Now (Madness)" | 32 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Say the Word" | 34 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Captain" | 38 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Rule" | 40 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Empires" | 41 | – | – | – | – | |||
"When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah)" | 43 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Street Called Mercy" | 45 | – | – | – | – | |||
"Closer Than You Know" | 47 | – | – | – | – |
Hillsong: Let Hope Rise
A documentary titled Hillsong: Let Hope Rise, directed by Michael John Warren, which chronicles the rise of the band,[35] was originally supposed be released by Warner Bros. during the 2015 Easter weekend.[36] As Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. were unable to close a deal, the film was pulled out from Warner Bros's schedule.[37] In March 2015, Relativity Media obtained the distribution rights and the film shifted to a 29 May release.[38] In April, Relativity moved the film to 30 September 2015.[39] However, Relativity Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July and let go of the rights to the producers.[40][41] A new release date remains unknown.[42]
See also
References
- ^ Cherese Jackson, guardianlv.com, Hillsong United Led GMA Dove Awards With Five Wins, USA, October 13, 2014
- ^ Timothy Yap, breathecast.com, Hillsong United 'Zion' Album Review, USA, December 26, 2012
- ^ Brian Mansfield, usatoday.com, Album of the week: Hillsong United, USA, May 26, 2015
- ^ Cortney O'Brien, townhall.com, Hillsong United: How a Church Band Became a Worldwide Phenom, USA, 7 avril 2015
- ^ Jeannie Law, breathecast.com, Hillsong United Announce New Record 'The White Album [the remix project' is Coming Soon], USA, January 22, 2014
- ^ Michael Paulson, nytimes.com, Megachurch With a Beat Lures a Young Flock, USA, September 9, 2014
- ^ Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Journal huffingtonpost.com, Australia's Hillsong Church Has Astonishingly Powerful Global Influence, USA, 5 novembre 2013
- ^ Tom Wagner, Anna Nekola "Congregational Music-Making and Community in a Mediated Age", Ashgate Publishing, USA et UK, 2015, page 170
- ^ Associated Press, dailymail.co.uk, Hillsong UNITED top winner at Dove Awards, UK, October 8, 2014
- ^ Benge Nsenduluka, Journal christianpost.com, Hillsong United Reacts to American Music Award Nomination for 2nd Year, USA, 19 octobre 2015
- ^ Jim Asker, billboard.com, The Year in Christian & Gospel 2015: Hillsong United & Tasha Cobbs Triumph, USA, 9 décembre2015
- ^ a b Empires album booklet. "Hillsong United is Joel Houston, Jad Gillies, Matt Crocker, Jonathon "JD" Douglass, Taya Smith, Michael Guy Chislett, Simon Kobler, Dylan Thomas, Ben Tennikoff, Adam Crosariol"
- ^ a b Live in Miami album booklet. "Hillsong United is Matt Crocker, Adam Crosariol, Jonathon Douglass, Jad Gillies, Joel Houston, Peter James, Timon Klein, Simon Kobler, Hayley Law, Jill McCloghry, Dylan Thomas."
- ^ a b Zion album booklet. "Hillsong United is Joel Houston, Jad Gillies, Matt Crocker, Jonathon Douglass, Timon Klein, SImon Kobler, Dylan Thomas, Peter James, Adam Crosariol."
- ^ "Meet the Band - Hillsong Movie". Hillsong: Let Hope Rise Official Website. Where Feet May Fail, LLC. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Yap, Timothy (26 December 2012). "Hillsong United 'Zion' Album Review". BreatheCast. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
Gone are previous United leaders such as Marty Sampson, Annie [Garratt], Brooke Fraser, Hayley Law, Jill McCloghry and Sam Knock. Rather, leads this time are handled mainly by Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Jad Gillies, Jonathon Douglass, Dave Ware and newcomer Taya Smith.
- ^ "Annie Garratt". Hillsong.com. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
Originally traveling as part of UNITED, she is now one of Hillsong's Creative Pastors...
- ^ Matt Conner, relevantmagazine.com, Hillsong United, USA, September–October 2013
- ^ "Hillsong". australian-charts.com.
- ^ "Hillsong". charts.org.
- ^ "Hillsong Album Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "Hillsong United Album Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ United
- ^ "Hillsong Album Chart History: Billboard Christian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ United
- ^ "Hillsong Album Chart History: Digital Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ United
- ^ "Hillsong United - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ "Hillsong United - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ "Hillsong United - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ "Hillsong United - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ "Hillsong Album Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "American single certifications – Hillsong United – Oceans". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Paul Grein (21 November 2014). "Taylor Swift Replaces Herself At #1 on the Hot 100". Yahoo! Music.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ "Hillsong: Let Hope Rise: Plot Summary". IMDb. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ McNary, Dave (1 July 2014). "Hillsong Christian Music Documentary Picked Up for Worldwide Release by Warner Bros". Variety. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ McNary, Dave (14 January 2015). "Hillsong Christian Music Documentary Pulled From Warner Bros. Schedule". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Mike Fleming Jr (4 March 2015). "Relativity To Release Faith-Based Film 'Hillsong–Let Hope Rise'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (1 April 2015). "'Transporter Refueled' & 'Hillsong – Let Hope Rise' Moved: See You In September". Deadline.com. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Rainey, James; Lang, Brent. "Relativity Media Files Bankruptcy; Film and TV Units for Sale". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Lang, Brent (30 July 2015). "Relativity Lets Rights to 'Hillsong – Let Hope Rise' Revert to Producers (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Sarachik, Justin (5 August 2015). "Hillsong UNITED Movie 'Let Hope Rise' Experiences Another Setback; Production Company Announces Backruptcy [sic]". Breathecast. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- "Hillsong United Webpage". Published by Hillsong Church. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- "Hillsong United on Integrity Music". Published by Integrity Media. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- "Review on Christianity Today". Published by Christian Music Today. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- "Shout to the Lord!: Music and Change at Hillsong 1996- 2007". Dissertation for the award of Masters of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University, 2010. Riches, Tanya. Retrieved 3 March 2012
- "Secularising the Sacred: The Impact of Geoff Bullock on Contemporary Congregational Song in Sydney, 1990-1999". Dissertation for the award of PhD, Macquarie University, 2002. Evans, Mark. Retrieved 3 March 2012
- "Open up the Doors: Music in the Modern Church" London: Equinox, 2006. Evans, Mark.
External links
- Official website
- Hillsong United Albums
- Interview @ Christian Music Today, 6/07