Accumulating the biggest first-week sales numbers of his history-making career, Grammy winner and multi-platinum recording artist Chris Tomlin’s latest album, Burning Lights, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
With more than 72,000 units sold, Burning Lights marks Tomlin’s first trip to the top of the Billboard 200 and only the fourth time in history that a Christian music album has entered that chart at No. 1. The scans for Burning Lights, released via sixstepsrecords, reflect a 60 percent increase over first-week sales of Tomlin’s last studio album, 2011’s And If Our God Is For Us…, which moved 45,000 units.
The success of Burning Lights this past week comes on the heels of an outpouring of acclaim from national media including The New York Times, USA Today and Billboard, among many others. As one of the most acclaimed worship leaders of our time, critics have applauded Burning Lights’ “solid songwriting” and “stirring melodies,” underscoring Tomlin’s efforts of crafting songs for the church that cross cultures and generations. The day of its release (Jan. 8), Burning Lights claimed the No. 1 spot on the iTunes Christian & Gospel Albums Chart.
The internationally renowned Grammy winner, whose venerable career has yielded widely known worship anthems such as “How Great Is Our God,” “Holy Is the Lord” and “Jesus Messiah,” has given voice to the church and millions of people around the world as they worship Jesus.
Burning Lights was released just days after the conclusion of the Passion 2013 conference in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, where Tomlin led worship with a generation of 60,000 18-25-year-olds from around the world at the significant, four-day gathering.
Comprised of 12 tracks produced by Jason Ingram (Tenth Avenue North, Aaron Shust), Ed Cash (Kari Jobe, Matthew West) and Dan Muckala (MercyMe, Brandon Heath) and featuring the powerful first single “Whom Shall I Fear [God Of Angel Armies]” and an all-new studio recording of the radio hit “White Flag,” Burning Lights is the follow-up to 2011’s Grammy winner for Best Christian or Gospel Album, And If Our God Is For Us….
A year after celebrating his first Grammy Award, Tomlin is honored with another nomination and will attend next month’s ceremonies in Los Angeles as an eight-time nominee. He is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music song for “White Flag.” Co-written with Jason Ingram, Matt Maher and Matt Redman, the song is from the live album Passion: White Flag, but also appears on Burning Lights.
In addition, Burning Lights’ anthemic lead single, “Whom Shall I Fear [God of Angel Armies],” keeps its momentum building toward No. 1 at radio, with it claiming the No. 5 spot at Christian AC Monitored, No. 6 on the National Christian Audience Chart, No. 7 at AC Indicator and No. 16 at Hot AC/CHR this week. In addition to charting in the Top 10 on the National Christian Audience chart, the single garnered over 7.8 million audience impressions this week. “Whom Shall I Fear” also holds steady in the No. 1 spot on the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart.
Tomlin will launch his nationwide “Burning Lights Tour” beginning Feb. 19 in Charleston, W. Va., visiting 34 markets including New York, Seattle and Dallas, before wrapping at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver on May 4.
Friend and pastor of Passion City Church/Communicator/Passion founder, Louie Giglio will join Tomlin on the road for select dates, with Sparrow Records’ Kari Jobe appearing at all shows. For more information, visit ChrisTomlin.com/tour.
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