Jul 1 2020

David Byrne Presents: What We Need Now - Contemporary Gospel

By Todomundo

Song Artist Purchase
God's Got It Reverend Charlie Jackson
Stand on the Word The Joubert Singers
Pray a Little Longer Lucy Rodgers
A Message For The Saints Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Trouble the Water Blackkoldmadina
Like a Ship Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
Praise Joint (Remix) Kirk Franklin & The Family
Let's Dance (Remix) Hezekiah Walker;Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir featuring B.B. Jay And Dave Hollister
Stomp Gods Property
Revolution Kirk Franklin & The Family
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning Derek Trucks|Susan Tedeschi
Dispossession Algiers
Souls Anchored Sunday Service Choir
Ultralight Beam Sunday Service Choir
WE ARE [feat. St. Augustine High School Marching 100 & David Gauthier & Gospel Soul Children Choir & Craig Adams & Braedon Gautier & Brennan Gautier & Autumn Rowe] Jon Batiste
Selah Kanye West
Jesus Walks Kanye West
We Gon’ Be Alright Tye Tribbett
Won’t Be Moved Gene Moore
Talkin' 'Bout Jesus [feat. Yolanda Adams] Gloria Gaynor
I'm Getting Ready [feat. Nicki Minaj] Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore Chris Stapleton
Let Go Mali Music
Mary, Don't You Weep Aretha Franklin
He Loves Me Brittany Howard
Way Down In The Hole The Blind Boys Of Alabama

I was reminded of how great contemporary gospel music and artists are, when Bobby in the American Utopia band reminded me that THIS was going to happen:

Legally, I am limited in these playlists to how many tracks by any one artist I can include...so if you like an artist, dig deeper. You might not be a believer, you might not be a Christian, but you don't have to be to love this music and feel its power. That goes for many other kinds of sacred music around the world- but these artists will make you jump up and dance. I included some of these songs on a playlist years ago, and it keeps growing. There are plenty of introspective ballads out there- but I leaned more on the uptempo funk numbers.

Now, let's talk about genres and categories. I have called this collection contemporary gospel- which at first glance doesn't raise any eyebrows. Then, if we think about it, maybe "gospel" is actually a euphemism for "Black Christian". "Christian pop" is mostly white- more like Katy Hudson, which is who Katy Perry used to be when she was a Chrisitian artist. This is not a criticism of Katy Hudson/Perry but rather an example of how fuzzy the boundaries are and how muddy the definitions….and how embedded these euphemisms can be.

Anyway, traditional gospel (like the tracks with Aretha on this playlist) has evolved. And it's huge- I attended a sold out show at Radio City years ago- hardly a small venue- I think it was Fred Hammond and he blew the roof off.

-David Byrne

(Listen to July's Radio Playlist in the pop-up screen below)

Jul 1 2020

David Byrne Presents: What We Need Now - Contemporary Gospel

By Todomundo

Song Artist Purchase
God's Got It Reverend Charlie Jackson
Stand on the Word The Joubert Singers
Pray a Little Longer Lucy Rodgers
A Message For The Saints Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Trouble the Water Blackkoldmadina
Like a Ship Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir
Praise Joint (Remix) Kirk Franklin & The Family
Let's Dance (Remix) Hezekiah Walker;Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir featuring B.B. Jay And Dave Hollister
Stomp Gods Property
Revolution Kirk Franklin & The Family
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning Derek Trucks|Susan Tedeschi
Dispossession Algiers
Souls Anchored Sunday Service Choir
Ultralight Beam Sunday Service Choir
WE ARE [feat. St. Augustine High School Marching 100 & David Gauthier & Gospel Soul Children Choir & Craig Adams & Braedon Gautier & Brennan Gautier & Autumn Rowe] Jon Batiste
Selah Kanye West
Jesus Walks Kanye West
We Gon’ Be Alright Tye Tribbett
Won’t Be Moved Gene Moore
Talkin' 'Bout Jesus [feat. Yolanda Adams] Gloria Gaynor
I'm Getting Ready [feat. Nicki Minaj] Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore Chris Stapleton
Let Go Mali Music
Mary, Don't You Weep Aretha Franklin
He Loves Me Brittany Howard
Way Down In The Hole The Blind Boys Of Alabama

March Radio David Byrne Radio Presents: Nigeria!

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