WOW HITS 2017: What’s Your Prediction (Part 1)?

wow hits 2016

Hey everyone. I figured that while it’s only a few days until next year, now’s a good time as any to speculate about next year’s WOW Hits compilation. It’s about 9 months until the WOW Hits 2017 list is revealed (via email, and a little longer on social media), and about 3 months since WOW Hits 2016 was released. So while I will still write a site prediction list around the end of March, and again in July, I’m proposing one now, just to hear your thoughts!

Note: the above picture is of WOW Hits 2016,  the WOW Hits 2017 cover hasn’t release yet (will probably release in June/July sometime)!

While we all can agree that no collection of the top 39 Christian songs of the year will fully encompass every song worthy of recognition, we can all try, sit back and make our own fantasy lists, of songs we reckon should be included in the compilation, and other tracks that we deem to miss out, for whatever reason. While I must admit there’s probably no perfect list, WOW Hits does have some traction within the CCM community, and is a great way to start if you are looking for something new, different and interesting to listen to if you are a fan like me of all things CCM.

WOW Hits has always had its critics, its compliments and everything else in between. Earlier in 2015, they released their first ever remix album- one that I reckon was a bold and smart move by the brand. And when September 2016 rolls around, we will see which songs throughout 2016 WOW reckons ought to be placed on a CD to be listened to again and again by millions around the world. Want to check out my 2 cents worth? Read on and find out.

NOTE- No doubt my list below is probably not even 50% correct- as some songs that will be on this year’s WOW probably haven’t been released yet, and some not even recorded or written yet. But we at 365 Days of Inspiring Media thought it would be fun to place in our own predictions.

Sound off in the comments whether you agree with our selections. We will be reviewing WOW Hits 2017 in early August 2016, when the track listing releases.

WOW Hits 2017 (365 Days Of Inspiring Media’s predictions as of early December 2015):

Disc 1:

  1. Good, Good Father (Chris Tomlin)
  2. Deliverer (Matt Maher)
  3. Guilty (Newsboys)
  4. Name (Nichole Nordeman)
  5. Clean (Natalie Grant)
  6. Something Different (Sidewalk Prophets)
  7. Beautiful Offering (Big Daddy Weave)
  8. Trust in You (Lauren Daigle)
  9. Walking Like Giants (Stars Go Dim)
  10. Even When It Hurts (Hillsong UNITED)
  11. Live on Forever (The Afters)
  12. Amen (Steven Curtis Chapman)
  13. Dear Younger Me (MercyMe)
  14. Grace Wins (Matthew West)
  15. The Same Power (Jeremy Camp)
  16. Dead Man Walking (feat. Ellie Holcomb) (John Tibbs) BONUS
  17. Chains (feat. Tedashii) (Crowder) BONUS DELUXE
  18. Sound of the Saints (feat. His Little Feet Choir) (Audio Adrenaline) BONUS DELUXE
  19. Longer Than a Lifetime (Sanctus Real) BONUS DELUXE

Disc 2:

  1. Priceless (for KING AND COUNTRY)
  2. One and Only (Rend Collective)
  3. Where You Are (Hillsong Young and Free)
  4. Great is Our God (Plumb)
  5. We are Yours (I Am They)
  6. Bring it On (Kutless)
  7. Live Like You’re Loved (Hawk Nelson)
  8. Wake Me Up (Amnesia) (Group 1 Crew)
  9. Ocean Deep (Building 429)
  10. Believe (All Things New)
  11. Greater is He (Blanca)
  12. Your Words (feat. Harvest) (Third Day)
  13. Let Love Win (Carrollton)
  14. Be Kind to Yourself (Andrew Peterson)
  15. Feel It (TobyMac)
  16. Love Shaped Heart (V. Rose) BONUS
  17. The River (Jordan Feliz) BONUS
  18. Alone (feat. TRU) (Hollyn) BONUS DELUXE
  19. He’s Still Here (Chris August) BONUS DELUXE
  20. Break of Day (Tenth Avenue North) BONUS DELUXE

Once again, let us know in the comments if you are excited for WOW Hits 2017 to release, and what you would put on the compilation if you were in charge of picking the songs. Enjoy reading the post, and happy speculating!

12 thoughts on “WOW HITS 2017: What’s Your Prediction (Part 1)?”

  1. Happy New Year! 🙂
    I think it’s kind of funny that we’re already thinking about 2017, but hey, always good to plan ahead, right? 😉 So here are some of my predictions for the next “WOW” album:

    -Jordan Feliz-The River
    -Casting Crowns-Just Be Held (this is pretty much a shoe-in, given the fact I’ve been hearing it almost every day on Christian radio recently)
    -Natalie Grant-Be One
    -for KING & COUNTRY-It’s Not Over Yet
    -MercyMe-Flawless (unless it was on WOW 2016, I can’t remember 😉 )
    -Steven Curtis Chapman-Amen
    -Meredith Andrews-Soar
    -Matt Maher-Deliverer (or Because He Lives…can’t remember if either of those were on WOW 2016)
    -Blanca-Greater Is He
    -TobyMac-Feel It

    That’s it for now…but I’ll probably think of more eventually. 😉
    Is it possible that one of Jody McBrayer’s new songs could end up on there (that is…if Christian radio decides to be smart and play his stuff)? I would really like that. 🙂
    *Sunny

    1. The MercyMe song that was on the 2016 album was Greater.
      Matt Maher’s song Because He lives (Amen) made the 2016 album.

      In addition to those listed above, I’m hoping to see
      Till I met you by Laura Story
      Hold Nothing Back by Ryan Stevenson
      Everything Good by Ashes Remain

      1. everything good? wasn’t that on ashes remain’s 2011 album? I think they’ve done a single ‘here for a reason’ but that was released in 2014…

        i reckon if ryan stevenson is there at all, it’ll be ‘all yours’ or ‘not forgotten’. and yes, i hope ’til i met you’ by laura story is there as well, yet maybe laura could release another album this year, and her new lead single could be on wow hits 2017 instead.

        1. Keep in mind Sunny, WOWILOVECHRISTIANMUSIC’s goal for the WOW Hits series is to bring singles “from the radio to you.” That’s what they say, but they obviously don’t do it because Lincoln Brewster, Danny Gokey, Ryan Stevenson, etc. have made songs that are obviously much more popular on Billboard’s Top Christian Airplay list. Not to mention that Unspoken’s “Start a Fire” and Citizen Way’s “How Sweet the Sound” were both released a full year late of WOW 2015, so that “Good Fight” and “Evidence” were left off of WOW 2016.
          Either way, the point is that as much as I like songs like Natalie Grant’s “Clean” and Tenth Avenue North’s “Break of Day,” neither were on radio, so it’s highly unlikely that they’ll get on the album.
          I have a document where I weekly put all of the top 25 airplay songs and their rating via Billboard. It’s time consuming, but, hey, I’m a nerd.

          1. yeah, i guess ‘clean’ and ‘break of day’ haven’t hit radio, yet i’m anticipating they both will in the upcoming months ahead.

            with many new artists releasing music this year, i still don’t think i’ll get it right, even up until the official track listing is released. nevertheless, the WOW brand needs an overhaul- the songs on the official albums seem to be much more dated and untimely than what it should be (think about WOW 2016- king of my heart, press on, something beautiful, how sweet the sound, start a fire; and no songs like that was then this is now, sky spills over, when we come alive, exhale, cast my cares, love was stronger, prodigal, my story etc.)

  2. It’s kind of annoying that the same artists show up on WOW Hits albums year after year after year. I mean, gosh, how many times have artists like Casting Crowns and Steven Curtis Chapman been on there? 😉 I feel like the albums need a little more variety. After all, how will you discover new artists if the same ones just keep rotating every year?
    *Sunny

    1. yeah i really agree with you there, sunny. even if some new artists are on a wow hits one year, they’re not there for the next ___ of albums… it can be a little frustrating.

      but it is always good to guess which songs ought to be included and which songs ought not to be. usually my guesses are only about 60% correct.

  3. Disc One
    1)Big Daddy Weave – My Story
    2)Jeremy Camp – Same Power
    3)MercyMe – Flawless
    4)Chris Tomlin – At the Cross (Love Ran Red)
    5)Francesca Battistelli – Holy Spirit
    6)Casting Crowns – Just Be Held
    7)Josh Wilson – That Was Then, This Is Now
    8)Matthew West – Grace Wins
    9)Sidewalk Prophets – Prodigal
    10)Natalie Grant – Be One
    11)Matt Maher – Deliverer
    12)Jason Gray – Glow In the Dark
    13)Jonny Diaz – Breathe
    14)Bethel Music – No Longer Slaves
    15)Steven Curtis Chapman – Amen
    16)Jordan Feliz – The River
    17)Consumed By Fire – Lean On Me
    18)Carollton – Let Love Win
    19)Matt Redman – It Is Well With My Soul
    20)David Dunn – Ready to Be Myself

    Disc Two
    1)Lauren Daigle – First
    2)tobyMac – Feel It (feat. Mr. Talkbox)
    3)Lincoln Brewster – There Is Power
    4)Finding Favor – Cast My Cares
    5)Plumb – Exhale
    6)The Afters – Live On Forever
    7)Mat Kearney – Air I Breathe
    8)Third Day – Your Words
    9)Blanca – Greater Is He
    10)for KING & COUNTRY – It’s Not Over Yet
    11)Crowder – Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)
    12)Unspoken – Call It Grace
    13)Newsboys – Guilty
    14)Danny Gokey – Tell Your Heart to Beat Again
    15)Meredith Andrews – Soar
    16)Hollyn – Alone
    17)Colton Dixon – Limitless
    18)Hillsong Worship – One Thing
    19)Capital Kings – Into Your Arms

  4. Jonathan,
    Sorry I haven’t been here for a few weeks, I’ve been busy. Anyway, you’re right. They leave off new, popular songs, and then half the time put them on the next year’s listing, so they’re outdated. Royal Tailor’s “Making Me New” for example. Either way, enough griping from me. It’s always fun to see what they put on the albums.
    Speaking of “Break of Day” and “Clean,” guessing what songs will hit radio is really fun. Arguably unpredictable, but someone who’s been at this as long as you can probably tell what songs are radio friendly after a first listen. I’m an amateur, but I did correctly predict Sidewalk Prophets’ “To Live As Christ” and Jeremy Camp’s “Christ In Me,” their new singles. Just an idea for you and the website.
    Completely unrelated, but who else is pumped for NF’s “Therapy Session?” Gonna be legit, almost as much as Phil Wickham’s “Children of God.”

    1. that’s ok that you’ve been busy, i’ve also been busy with work.

      yeah, you’re totally right, often more than 50% of any song list of any wow hits should’ve been on the wow hits of the previous year. here’s hoping wow hits 2017 is better in terms of timeliness.

      and yes, i am stoked for NF and Phil Wickham’s new albums both in april. other albums i’m excited for are those from Steven Curtis Chapman, Newsboys, Austin and Lindsey Adamec, We are Messengers, Bethel Music, Group 1 Crew, Jordan Feliz, Consumed by Fire and V. Rose.

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