Tamela Mann performs at the 47th Annual Gospel Music Association Dove Awards at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
“Change Me” becomes her sixth leader. Plus, NEEDTOBREATHE & Zach Williams notch new top 10s.
Tamela Mann breaks the record for the most No. 1s in the history of Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, as “Change Me” rises 4-1 on the ranking dated July 29. Her sixth leader on the list surged by 8 percent in plays in the tracking week ending July 16, according to Nielsen Music.
The 51-year-old gospel veteran moves to the front of the pack for the most No. 1s on the survey, which began in 2005, passing James Fortune & FIYA and Kirk Franklin, each with five.
While Mann has been a regular visitor to Gospel Airplay since the chart’s early days, she’s tallied all six of her No. 1s since 2012. Here’s a recap:
“Take Me to the King,” 25 weeks at No. 1 beginning Sept. 8, 2012
“I Can Only Imagine,” 13, March 29, 2014
“This Place,” six, June 20, 2015
“God Provides,” 13, Oct. 22, 2016
“My World Needs You” (Kirk Franklin feat. Sarah Reeves, Tasha Cobbs & Mann), two, July 15, 2017
“Change Me,” one (to date), July 29, 2017
Mann also establishes another first: as “Change Me” replaces “My World Needs You” at No. 1, she’s the first artist to notch back-to-back Gospel Airplay No. 1s.
On the Hot Gospel Songs tally, which blends airplay, streaming and sales data, “Change Me” returns to its peak, bumping 4-3.
NEW TOP 10s: Rock band NEEDTOBREATHE inks its eighth Christian Airplay top 10, as “Hard Love” gains 4 percent to 7 million audience impressions, nudging 11-10. The track is the title cut from the act’s set that debuted at No. 1 on Top Christian Albums on the chart dated Aug. 6, 2016 (with 46,000 equivalent album units earned). “Hard Love” is the third single from the album, following “Happiness,” which peaked at No. 23 on May 14, 2016, and “Testify,” which climbed to No. 4 (April 1, 2017).
On Hot Christian Songs, Zach Williams “Old Church Choir,” enters the top 10, lifting 11-8. It’s helped along by its 12 percent hike to 9 million impressions on Christian Airplay, where it pushes 6-5.
“Old Church” is Williams’ second Hot Christian Songs top 10 in as many appearances, following “Chain Breaker,” which crowned the chart for nine weeks beginning Nov. 19, 2016. It also topped Christian Airplay for 15 weeks.
