Bethel Music, the worship ministry of Redding,
CA-based Bethel Church, launched its first-ever studio album, TIDES, to
unprecedented international acclaim. Released Sept. 3 with global
distribution through Fuel Music Distribution, the album became the
biggest retail debut ever for Bethel Music, selling nearly 15,000 copies
and marking a 134% growth over last year's debut of its best-selling
album, For The Sake Of The World. This week, TIDES not only hit No. 30
on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 12 on the Overall Digital Albums
(between Neko Case and Avenge Sevenfold) charts, but also No. 1 on the
overall Top Christian/Gospel Albums and Praise & Worship Billboard
retail charts.
"Bethel Music is an amazing ministry sharing music that not only
resonates with and impacts people across this nation, but across the
world," says Tony Patoto, The Fuel Music Management Co president. "This
new partnership between Bethel and Fuel Music Distribution highlights
what can be achieved with focus, determination and expertise and with
incredible music, ministry and vision."
Hitting as high as No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 10 in Canada on the overall
iTunes® Album charts, TIDES further sold more than 10,000 singles,
including 4,000 copies of the Jenn Johnson led "Chasing You." One of the
most downloaded digital Christian singles this week, "Chasing You" is a
song about following God with insatiable abandon. While other artists
have garnered significant airplay with their recordings of Bethel Music
songs, "Chasing You" went to radio earlier this month, becoming the
first Bethel Music single to ever be serviced directly to radio.
In addition to "Chasing You," TIDES is filled with songs of adoration,
instruction and worship that speak not only of what God has done, but
also what He is doing now, in the highest and lowest of tides. Taking
the new music and worship favorites like the 2013 Dove Award nominated
"One Thing Remains" to the masses, Bethel Music's Brian and Jenn
Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger and William
Matthews have recently seen capacity crowds across the West Coast in
cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Portland. Their "Night of
Worship & Ministry" tour continues tonight in Seattle and tomorrow
in Vancouver, BC before wrapping up in Kelowna, BC (9/13). For all the
latest tour detail, go to http://bethelmusic.com/tidestour/.
"Our events are not just singing worship songs, but also amazing nights
of ministry time as well," says Joel Taylor, Director of Bethel Music.
"We are partnering with each city to press in and experience God's
presence that we believe is shifting spiritual atmospheres."
Over the last four years, Bethel Music has grown from being a local
church music ministry to becoming a global outreach featuring a cadre of
songwriters and worship leaders, a half-dozen CDs, chart-topping songs,
and both online and on-campus worship schools. TIDES is again
extending Bethel Music's reach. An expression of passionate emotion,
anthemic declaration, and sometimes surprising experimentation, the
album features original songs and music led by the aforementioned
artists, as well as Matt Stinton and Hunter Thompson.
The album also addresses the popular maxim that "the only thing you can
count on is change." Brian Johnson's answer is that there is one more
thing you can count on. "Through it all," he declares, "God is in
control. Through the whole album, there's struggle, there's tension, but
then there is a reminder that God is always in control."
Here is what the critics are saying about TIDES:
"Bethel welcomes creativity and musical growth, and TIDES is a perfect
example. More importantly, this fresh expression is revealed in the
prayer poetry filling each song… Almost without flaw, the music marries
the tone of the lyric perfectly…the artistry of Tides is outstanding…
Studio produced album of outstanding congregational music from one of
the most influential teams in the worship genre." - Worship Leader
"TIDES is about proclaiming the majesty of God and crying out for His
Presence throughout this incredible worship experience. This album is a
must-have for your praise and worship collection… one of the best of the
year" - NewReleaseTuesday.com
"The innovative thing about recording in the studio, versus live, is not
only a more polished sound, but also a more full one. This disc plays
with dynamics and is able to make a much more relevant and contemporary
worship album…this album is chock full of vocal powerhouses, and is
definitely not your typical worship album." - HollywoodJesus.com
"Bethel Music…is wowing the hearts and ears of many around the
world…injecting fresh arrangements of songs and new life into an
industry that is otherwise a little bit stale… the 60 minute musical
masterpiece [TIDES] is a treasure that is to be explored over and
over…In fact, the whole record of TIDES is a great success…A brilliant
album…A must buy!" - ChristianMusicZine.com
"What is amazing about the Bethel Music team is that their voices
beautifully complement each other giving us a richly textured overall
sound…TIDES is an album that is so firmly rooted in Christ's victory
over the 'sea' that we can help but sing with affirmation…" -
Breathecast.com
"With a variety of singers and musicians that deliver their own songs
throughout the album, Bethel's new album stands tall as it showcases
some of the most prolific and powerful vocals and song-writing skills
shown in worship music today…these songs that capture the heart of our
desperation for the Lord are great highlights on an album that's certain
to be a standout in the history of Bethel Music, and the history of
modern music altogether." - IndieVisionMusic.com
About Bethel Music:
Bethel Music, is a worship ministry that formed as an organic extension
of Bethel Church, in Redding CA, which facilitates a rapidly growing
relational network of churches around the world known as Global Legacy.
The heart of Bethel Music is to be a steward of the worship being
created and released at Bethel Church, making it a resource available to
the world. In addition to the thousands of people that attend Bethel
Church's weekly worship services, another 100,000-plus people subscribe
to the online stream of the services at www.ibethel.org. More about
Bethel Music can be found at www.bethelmusic.com, www.facebook.com/Ibethelmusic and www.twitter.com/bethelmusic.
About Fuel Distribution / Tonetree Music
Fuel Distribution/Tonetree Music, a division of Fuel Music &
Management, LLC, is one of the leading independent distributors of
Christian music, CD's, tapes and vinyl records internationally and
enjoys a growing base in artist merchandise sales. Based in Tennessee,
the Fuel team brings nearly 50 years of combined music industry
experience in record label operations (Furious? Records), record
distribution and marketing (EMI Label Group), and artist management for
artists ranging from upstart bands to Dove and GRAMMY Award nominated,
multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at
www.thefuelmusic.com.
NEWS SOURCE: Hoganson Media
