Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Modern Worship

If you never knew which genre was going to win the quarter, you obviously are new to The Night Beat (and if you are, Welcome). It's pretty much a running joke here, as it is well known that Modern Worship is the most bloated genre in Christian Music. Of course this quarter the genre has produced an album which just might win Album of The Year. So there.

Modern Worship

• Cherry Hills Worship - Cherry Hills Worship
• Higher Vision - For Your Kingdom
• ICF Worship - The Journey: A Collection
• Kutless - Alpha Omega
• Light City Music - In Rivers
• Matt and Toby - I Quit Church
• Anabeth Morgan - A Place Your Glory Dwells
• Young Oceans - Suddenly (or The Nuclear Sunburst of The Truth Revealed)
• Pursue Worship - Let it Rise
• J. Reynolds - Fire and The Flood
• Jeremy Riddle - More
• Salt of The Sound - In Prayer
• Soul Survivor - The Promise
• Southville - Freedom's Tree
• Austin Stone Worship - Everflow
• Substance I.O. - Input Output
• Vineyard Worship - Wear The Crown: Anchor Studio Sessions

Count them up. That's 17 entries in a single quarter. That's almost three years worth of finals, and it's only the first quarter. Thee more to go. This is the toughest genre to judge. The Second Quarter awaits. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Rap

The Penultimate post is upon us. Rap Music (along with its sister genre Hip Hop), had a dozen entries this quarter, but still fell just short of winning it all. Let's get it all.

Rap/Hip Hop

• B-L'atitude - Elevated Love
• Benjah - Guidance
• The Knu Black(fka Out of The Blue) - Ohana
• Beautiful Eulogy - Worthy 
• GAWVI - 954 EP
• KB - Today We Rebel
• Kevi - Barnabas
• Byron Juane - Life in the Evening EP 
• NF - Perceptions
• Nerva - One Way 
• Parxx - Unchained
• Young Saint - Transition (Live)

You know which genre comes next. Modern Worship is again the big winner. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Metal

We turn up the volume on the 1st Quarter of 2018 for the Platinum Vinyl Awards. Hard Rock and Heavy Metal had a very good. Nine entries in this quarter is a good start.

Hard Rock/Heavy Metal

• August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem
• My Children, My Bride - Vicious World
• For All Eternity - The Will To Rebuild
• Your Memorial - Your Memorial
• Phinehas - Dark Flag
• Project 86 - Sheep Among Wolves
• Red - Gone 
• Sweet and Lynch - Unified
• War of Ages - Alpha

Only two more to go. Rap is next (so you already know the winner of the quarter). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Rock

Rock Music is next as we count up the Pool Releases for the First Quarter of 2018. From now on we exceed the "Finals" every time.

Rock Music

• Ashes Remain - Let The Light In
• Boiling Point - Take Courage
• Carrollton - Everything or Nothing
• Emery - Revival: Emery Classics Re-Imagined
• Evanescence - Synthesis
• New Morrow - Ride On
• Skillet - Feel Invincible Remix
• Skillet - Unleashed Beyond

Metal is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Pop

Our three way tie wraps up with Pop Music. Once again Pop Music had a very good quarter. And, as you can see, it is a nice mix of veteran and newbie. On to the entrants.

Pop Music

• Adam Agee - Paper Planes EP
• Francesca Battistelli - Greatest Hits: The First 10 Years
• Julie Elias - A Girl Like Me
• Brandon Heath - Faith Hope Love Repeat
• Plumb - God Help Me EP 
• Alexis Slifer - Famous For EP 
• John Tibbs - Heartland

Next up is Rock Music with 8. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Adult Contemporary

The second genre in our three way tie is Adult Contemporary (which we pair with its twin sibling Inspirational). It was a good quarter for elevator music (sorry).

Adult Contemporary/Inspirational

• Anthem Lights - Painted Skies
• Jeremy Camp - The Answer
• John Ellis - Growing Silent
• Sara Groves - Abide With Me
• Matt Hammitt - Matt Hammitt
• Aaron Powell - My Heart Belongs
• Abigail Sloane - Reason and Rhyme

I am getting things together for auto pilot in case our office is impacted by snow. Next up is our final tie, Pop Music. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Live Recorded Album

A Three Way Tie Greets Us as we move into 2018. Our next genre is Live Recorded Album. I know, Live Album spans genres. But what else can I do with it, it's not General Field material. Let's get to it.

Live Recorded Album

• The Gray Havens - Ghost of a King Live
• Lifepoint Worship - Mountain/Valley (Live)
• Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir feat Shawn Cotterell - It's Not Over EP
• Pursue Worship - Let It Rise (Live)
• BJ Putnam - Love Like Fire (Live)
• Young Saint - Transition (Live)
• Tye Tribbet - The Bloody Win (Live)

Next up is the second of our Three-Way Tie. Adult Contemporary is next. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Gospel

Now that we are done with our multiple-genre posts as we reveal the 1st Quarter entrants into the #PlatVnyl9 Pool we move to the single genre. We go from least to greatest. The Minimum Bar Needed is Five Entrants. That bar was met by Gospel/R&B. All the others exceed it. Let's get to it.

Gospel/R&B

• Tomi Malm - Walking On Air
• Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir ft Shawn Cotrell - It's Not Over (Live)
• Tye Tribbett - The Bloody Win (Live) 
• The Walls Group - The Other Side
• C-West - Hide and Seek

Next up is a three way tie. Live Album, Adult Contemporary and Pop all had seven entrants. None Had Six. So there will be no beastly trio this time around. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Children's Folk Instrumental Compilation

We continue with our reveal of the 2018 1rst Quarter. This is our last multiple genre post. From this point onward it is all single genre posting. This post will combine Children's Music, Folk/Folk Rock, Instrumental Album, and Compilation Album.

Compilation Album

• Various Artists - The Star: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Children's Music

• Josh Lovelace and Friends Present - Young Folk
• Sojourn Music - Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 1 - Joyful
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 2 - Peaceful

Folk/Folk Rock

• The Gray Havens - Ghost of A King Live
• Sam and Samantha Mc Cabe - Through The Night
• The Welcome Wagon - Light Up The Stairs

 Instrumental Album

• Andy Hunter - Presence, Volume 2

We are done with the multi-genre posts. We go now from least to greatest in single genre posts. First up is Gospel (The Real Kind, not the Southern Version). Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Falling Rocks: The 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards 1st Qtr - Electronic Alternative Dance Remix

It's time for the First Quarter Wrap at the 2018 Platinum Vinyl Awards. We begin with the genres which have not met a minimum threshold for a single post. We have set that bar at 5. Today we do Electronic-Industrial, Alternative, Dance-Synthpop, and Remix.

Alternative Rock

• U2 - Songs of Experience

Dance-Synthpop

• Manic Drive - Into The Wild
• Carmen Justice - Against The Odds
• Joshua Micah - 20xx
• Substance I.O. - Input Output

Electronic-Industrial

• Andy Hunter - Presence, Volume 2
• Narrow Skies - In Hibernation
• Salt Of The Sound - In Prayer 

Remix Album

• Emery - Revival: Emery Classics Re-Imagined
• Evanescence - Synthesis
• Skillet - Feel Invincible Remixes

We are underway. Sorry for the lack of links. We are looking for new affiliate opportunities. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.   

Night Beat Rewind: December 2017

Things are proceeding well at Night Beat HQ. Here it is just after Christmas and we are all caught up with the December Rewind and The First Quarter Wrap is ready as well. If I didn't know better I would think I could proceed forever without help. No, the baby is getting a bit to big to handle. Let's get on with it.

Christmas Music (Non-Eligible)

• David Dunn - Overwhelming (Single) 4.75 Emeralds
• Annie Moses Band - O Holy Night/Carol of The Bells 5 Emeralds
• Matty Mullins - O Holy Night (Single) 5 Emeralds
• Planetshakers - Christmas, Volume 1 EP 4.75 Emeralds

Considering that it is December, perhaps it is fitting that the Christmas releases are thin. You want maximum play-time after all.

The Singles Scene

• Antoine (fka ABIV) Bradford - Be My Everything 4.75 Emeralds
• Ty Brasel - Praying Hands 4.25 Emeralds
• Riley Clemmons - Broken Prayers 4.75 Emeralds
• Hawk Nelson - He Still Does (Miracles) 4.75 Emeralds
• Jay Sanon - I Know U Know ft CUBO - 4.00 Emeralds

Now, on to the albums. We begin with those with that will not make the #PlatVnyl9 Pool.

Missing The Mark

• J-Phish - New Kings 4.25 Emeralds
• Keyes - Animal House EP 4.00 Emeralds
• Surf Gvng - Gvng Gang 3.75 Emeralds

Must be the Christmas Season, or the fact that you can't fail what isn't released. On to the perfect and flawless.

Pure Platinum Perfection

• Anabeth Morgan - A Place Your Glory Dwells 5 Emeralds
• Project 86 - Sheep among Wolves 5 Emeralds

Yup, it's the slow release schedule. On to those in the middle.

Semi-Precious Metals

• For All Eternity - The Will To Rebuild 4.75 Emeralds
• GAWVI - 954 EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Eric Heron - Afterglow: A Somewhat Complicated Story 4.50 Emeralds
• Byron Juane - Life In The Evening EP 4.50 Emeralds
• Sam and Samantha McCabe - Through The Night 4.75 Emeralds
• Narrow Skies - In Hibernation 4.75 Emeralds
• Aaron Powell - My Heart Belongs EP 4.75 Emeralds
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 1- Joyful 4.75 Emeralds
• Tommy and Me - What Every Child Should Know About God, Volume 2 - Peaceful 4.75 Emeralds
• U2 - Songs of Experience (Deluxe Edition) 4.75 Emeralds
• War of Ages - Alpha 4.75 Emeralds

That does it. 2017 is in the Bag. Stay safe and we'll see you again in 2018. Until next time (there is still more housekeeping to do), I am Awaiting Your Reply.