Best CDs, DVDs and Songs from 2016

by | Dec 27, 2016 | Superlatives

CDs
The following list includes all of the CDs released in 2016 that I rated at 5 Stars (“excellent”) and 4 1/2 Stars (“very good”). The six below are the cream of 2016’s crop.

Rated 5 Stars
1. Jeff Collins – The Keys To Christmas

Rated 4 1/2 Stars
2. Ball Brothers – Dynamic
3. Second Half Quartet – Refreshing
4. Tribute Quartet – Here For You
5. Masters Voice – Undivided
6. Nelons – Family Harmony

There’s only one 5-Star CD compared to three in 2015, and just six 4 1/2-Star CDs compared to eight in 2015. That doesn’t mean 2016 was a down year for good music, however, because fourteen more CDs earned a rating of 4 Stars.

DVDs
One 2016 DVD was outstanding, earning 5 Stars.

Rated 5 Stars
1. Gaither Gospel Series – Circuit Rider (The companion CD falls among the fourteen I mentioned above, earning 4 Stars.)

SONGS

Top 10 Radio Singles Of 2016
To qualify for my Top 10 list, each song had to appear on the Singing News Top 80 monthly airplay chart at some point during the 2016 calendar year.
1. Living In Harmony – Triumphant Quartet (This song landed at radio in time to make my Top 10 list in 2015 and stayed around long enough to qualify for 2016 as well.)
2. Cheer The Weary Traveler – Second Half Quartet
3. Cross Of Grace – Kingsmen
4. Happy Rhythm – Booth Brothers
5. He Can See My Tomorrow – Mark Bishop (This song also appeared on my 2015 list. I like this one so much that I made it my ringtone on my iPhone.)
6. After All This Time – Talleys
7. The Chain Gang – Kingdom Heirs
8. Heaven’s Shore – David Phelps (The third and final song that appeared on my 2015 list.)
9. Living In The Promised Land – Triumphant Quartet
10. Lord Of Mercy – Master’s Voice

Top Songs From 2016 Albums That Should Be Radio Singles In 2017
This second list features songs from 2016 CD releases that I’d like to see move on to become radio hits in 2017. It’s possible that some these are already getting airplay, but they didn’t reach the Top 80 in time to appear on the chart in 2016. 
1. Circuit Rider – William Lee Golden and Russ Taff
2. Jesus Cares For Me – Ball Brothers
3. Somebody Sing Me That Song – Tribute Quartet
4. Between Here And Heaven – Booth Brothers with Restless Heart
5. The King Of Eternity – Kingdom Heirs
6. Sunday Morning Sermon – Shenandoah
7. Leave It There – The Joylanders
8. Don’t Give Up On Me – Nelons
9. Treasures In Heaven – Carolina Boys
10. I’m Going Up When I Die – Second Half Quartet

In 2015, Triumphant’s “Living In the Promised Land” and Ivan Parker’s “Silent Prayer” were on the list of suggested singles, so I was pleased to see both of those receive some attention at radio in 2016.

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David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray is a church music director in Ellenboro, NC. He is the author of Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern Gospel Music and the owner of both SGHistory.com and MusicScribe.com.

4 Comments

  1. Chris Unthank

    “I Can Hardly Wait to Fly” by Master’s Voice peaked at #20 on the Singing News Top 80 back in June of this year.

    Reply
    • David Bruce Murray

      Thanks Chris. I removed that one and replaced it with another.

      Reply
      • Chris Unthank

        No prob! You don’t generally miss things like that, so I thought I’d bring it to your attention!

        Reply
        • David Bruce Murray

          It was tedious this time. Google Chrome’s “find” option, which I rely on heavily, no longer functions consistently on the Singing News chart pages.

          Reply

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