Have you ever found yourself rocking to a party anthem or crooning tunes without actually knowing these catchy songs are worship songs or music about God?

We don’t know who invented the notion that songs about God should sound softer than jazz. Because prayers are personal, you do you.

This Holy Week, we bring you tracks that actually speak of faith and religions – and boy, some of them broke the hit charts.

1. Shout for Joy (Gary Valenciano) 

Psalms 100 encapsulates Gary Valenciano’s “Shout for Joy” – a straight up praise song that became a massive hit in the local radio during the 90s.

If you’re a GenZ, you probably know someone from your family who has danced to this groovy music when they were younger. And we’re so sure that the place where that happened was not limited to churches or other places of worship. Because this song just makes you want to hit the dance floor! 

Mr. Pure Energy has always been vocal about his faith. And he is one of the very few artists who do not shy away from mixing career and religion. 

Shout for Joy is no different from Valenciano’s other hits like Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos. They speak about God’s presence in people’s lives. The title alone was plucked out of a bible verse. 

2. Stomp (Kirk Franklin and God’s Property) 

The song generated controversies when it was released in 1997. 

At that time, gospel songs interpreted that blast radios like party tracks were considered disrespectful.

Some call it “trap gospel”. The genre that is fairly new to people back then and had some conservatives raising eyebrows. But wait, aren’t prayers a form of personal conversation with God, too? So, you should do you?

Eventually, the Stomp inspired a fresh breed of Christian audience and artists that enjoyed gospel music the head-banging way. 

3. God gave me you (Dave Barnes)

Dave Barnes wrote “God gave me you” during his down moment speaks about being grateful to God for blessing him with a person who never left his side despite life’s up and downs. Reports have it that this beautiful music is a tribute to his wife.

This couple anthem is a Grammy-nominated song, and is hailed by many as the music that saved marriages. It topped Billboard’s Christian Songs in 2010. 

4. I Will Follow Him

The song has such a rich history that its meaning depends on whose rendition you’re listening to. Would you believe that? 

For this article, we will focus on the famous soundtrack of the 1992 film Sister Act. In the movie soundtrack, the word Him in the title refers to God. The lyrics were tweaked to change the rendition’s meaning to the devotional. And it had the fictional pope in the movie dancing.

The song actually started as an instrumental before evolving into a track that cautioned people against blind following. 

Ironically in 1992, it became a hit movie soundtrack that romanticises blind faith.

Call it blessed or ironic but every rendition followed a success of its own. 

5. Justin Bieber’s Freedom (extended play) Album

The Canadian singer released EP on Easter Sunday of April 2021. It is a six-song album, which was reportedly finished in three days after it was conceptualized..

Reports said fans were suprised because its was the first time that Bieber released an album composed of a string of gospel songs.

“God is so Good,” Beiber reportedly said.

The album was made public only a few weeks after Bieber released the studio album Justice. It features famous Christian artists like Tori Kelly and Chandler Moore.