Siberian Siren: The 2017 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Modern Worship

This is by far the biggest surprise of the quarter. Modern Worship is among the most popular (the cynic would say bloated) genres out there, and despite my best attempts to weed out the copycats it usually wins the quarter hands down. Could there be a shaking out of the dross in the genre? I doubt it. Probably just too busy with the Christmas Season. Let's get to it.

Modern Worship

• Chapel Band - The Gathering
• Hillsong - Let There Be Light (Live)
• Chris Quilala - Split The Sky
• Rend Collective - Campfire II: Simplicity 
• Chris Sligh - Mighty Roar/Healing Flood
• Chris Tomlin - Never Lose Sight

A few comments here. Hillsong is, in my opinion, starting to return to a sound which made them the leader of the genre. Maybe it was the abundance of copycats, but they really weren't trying to stand out for a while. Rend Collective started to slip as well, but Campfire II seems to have righted the ship. And then there is Chris Sligh. He started out one of the American Idol castoffs that the Christian Music Industry picked up. Unfortunately they kept up with the pop mode. I savaged those albums. After dropping from the radar for a while he re-emerged in modern worship. A style more suitable for his vocals. Second chances are good. Hip Hop is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.