Gospel in 2025 hasn’t just held its ground—it’s expanded its borders, spilling from Sunday mornings into arenas, TikTok challenges, and international festival stages. This year’s defining records stretch from church-rooted declarations to choir-lifted pop fusions and even New Orleans bounce testimony, yet they share the same center of gravity: unmistakable Good News. In assembling this list, we weighed verifiable markers of impact—Billboard chart peaks and airplay runs, official YouTube traction, DSP playlisting and release timelines, radio support across core gospel outlets, major award recognition, and measurable social momentum. The result is a snapshot of songs that did more than trend; they traveled—across congregations, cities, and cultures—while keeping the lyrical substance and spiritual urgency that make gospel endure.
At the top sits a churchy shout with stadium reach; close behind are modern worship anthems that took the scenic route to No. 1, proof that patient, people-powered growth still wins. We also spotlight crossover collaborations that pulled country, hip-hop, and CCM fans into choir-backed praise; rootsy folk hymns that turned youth groups into sing-along choirs; and a landmark bounce-gospel moment that widened the welcome without losing the message. Read on for the ten records that most shaped the sound—and the story—of gospel this year, ranked by a blend of momentum, cultural resonance, and replay value. Whether you’re programming Sunday sets, building a workout playlist, or hunting for altar-call closers, these are the 2025 essentials.
1. Pastor Mike Jr. – Amen
Release date: 10–01–2025. Pastor Mike Jr.’s “Amen” is the consensus gospel anthem of 2025 because it combined dominant radio results, national TV moments, and a trophy sweep that cemented its cultural reach. On the charts, “Amen” rose to No. 1 on Billboard Gospel Airplay in late January and ultimately became PMJ’s latest airplay leader, while simultaneously peaking at No. 4 on Hot Gospel Songs—proof of multi-platform pull beyond radio alone. The single debuted strong on Gospel Digital Song Sales and even cracked the all-genre Digital Song Sales list, underscoring robust download demand in week one. Momentum never let up: the official video (premiered 31–01–2025) extended discovery on YouTube and fueled social sharing. Festival and TV performances—from Essence Fest crowd clips to a full segment on The Tamron Hall Show—kept “Amen” in rotation across spring and summer, which translated back into Shazam lookups and sustained spins at core gospel reporters. The capstone was awards season: at the 40th Stellar Gospel Music Awards (Aug.), “Amen” won Song of the Year, Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance, Music Video of the Year, and Rap/Hip-Hop Song of the Year, as PMJ made history with a nine-for-nine sweep—an unmatched statement of industry and audience consensus in 2025. Editorially, Apple Music’s Gospel Flow playlisting put the track in front of casual listeners, while churches and DJs alike embraced its halftime bounce and crowd-ready response hook, explaining its No. 1 airplay staying power and this list’s No. 1 rank.
2. CeCe Winans – That’s My King
Release date: 02–02–2024. Although issued in 2024, “That’s My King” continued to define gospel consumption deep into 2025—so decisively that it set a new benchmark for a female-led hit on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs. Earlier this year the single reached 49 cumulative weeks at No. 1 on Hot Gospel Songs, extending its record for a woman at the summit; that extraordinary tenure explains the song’s ongoing grip on radio programming and worship setlists in 2025. The official video has cleared eight figures on CeCe’s channel, while steady playlist and radio support across adult-gospel formats kept discovery flowing as the More Than This campaign rolled through spring tours and TV spots. Sonically, CeCe’s declarative phrasing and choir-swell arrangement deliver a modern devotional that works in congregational settings yet feels crisp on streaming—key to its endurance across algorithmic surfaces, where it sits beside newer 2025 breakouts. In terms of cultural weight, the track’s record-run recalibrated what longevity looks like in the streaming era for worship-first songs, and programmers rewarded it with persistent spins and recurrent placements. That blend of historical chart dominance and living-room resonance makes “That’s My King” the year’s most durable holdover and worthy of the No. 2 slot here.
3. CeCe Winans – Come Jesus Come (Radio Version)
Release date: 18–04–2025. CeCe’s “Come Jesus Come (Radio Version)” crowned Hot Gospel Songs in early 2025 after an extraordinary 58-week climb—an arc that speaks to patient, organic growth from church to charts. The refreshed radio cut tightened the arrangement for airplay, and programmers responded, pushing the single to the top while the video and lyric versions amplified engagement on YouTube. The combination of a simple yearning hook, spacious dynamics, and the veteran’s immaculate breath control makes the song travel: it thrives on Sunday morning playlists and fits adult-R&B adjacent gospel rotations. Editorially, the spring re-release provided a clean on-ramp for DSP placement, while live moments around CeCe’s album cycle ensured fresh spikes in Shazam and repeat streams. Crucially, the song’s slow-burn rise reflects 2025 listener behavior in worship: audiences replay the track for contemplation rather than novelty, which sustains metrics long after week one. The resulting No. 1, achieved not by a viral flash but by ministry-first resonance, is why it ranks this high—an emblem of how classic songwriting still wins in the current attention economy.
4. Brandon Lake & Jelly Roll – Hard Fought Hallelujah (Gospel Remix)
Release dates: 07–02–2025 (collab single); 16–04–2025 (gospel remix). Brandon Lake’s ballad was already a juggernaut, but 2025’s Jelly Roll collaboration and the subsequent gospel remix unlocked a new audience at the intersection of country, CCM, and choir-backed gospel. The studio video has surged on YouTube, and across streaming the collab fed both Christian and country algorithms, while the choir-rich gospel version gave faith radio something unmistakably congregational for Sunday rotation. Commercially, the song hit Platinum by June 2025, and it captured Song of the Year at the 2025 K-LOVE Fan Awards—clear signals that its impact extends far beyond one format. On tour, both artists’ arena calendars and CMA Fest exposure super-charged search and saves, while editorial placements like Apple Music’s Today’s Christian and Worship essentials lists ensured consistent front-page visibility. Lyrically and structurally, the remix leans into call-and-response catharsis, which made it a favorite for church choirs and TikTok testimony clips alike. The breadth of its crossover, decorations, and the way the gospel version reframed a mainstream hit for Sunday morning gives it 2025’s No. 4 spot.
5. Forrest Frank – YOUR WAY’S BETTER
Release date: 25–10–2024 (single); surged in 2025. Forrest Frank’s devotional earworm became the year’s biggest youth-driven gospel-pop crossover. In 2025 the song climbed to No. 1 on Hot Christian Songs and entered the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 61—a rare feat for a faith record—and by July earned RIAA Gold certification, confirming deep, sustained consumption across platforms. The official lyric and dance videos collected heavy YouTube traction, while TikTok choreos minted in early 2025 catapulted the single into mainstream feeds and fueled recurrent spikes on DSPs. Thematically, the track’s “less of me, more of You” refrain is tailor-made for short-form captions; musically, its bright guitar loop and trap-lite percussion sit comfortably between worship playlists and pop radio testing. Editorially, the track appeared across major Christian and crossover sets as Child of God II rolled out in Q2, locking in visibility. That combination of chart feats, certification, and algorithmic ubiquity explains its top-five placement here: “YOUR WAY’S BETTER” proved a devotional could dominate 2025’s attention economy without sacrificing message.
6. Carvin Winans – God Still Working On Me
Release window: 2024 single; album cycle in 2025. In summer 2025, Carvin Winans’ classic-meets-contemporary testimony “God Still Working On Me” surged to No. 1 on Billboard Gospel Airplay, a late-blooming victory that coincided with the June 2025 release of his album Cool Gospel. The single’s airplay ascent shows how its R&B phrasing, hip-hop undercurrent, and choir lift resonate with core gospel audiences and adult-leaning formats alike. On YouTube, the official video intensified discovery for a new generation of listeners while legacy fans amplified engagement through Facebook and radio call-ins. The record’s message—ongoing transformation rather than instant perfection—also translated well to short-form platforms and church testimonials, where it became a staple in Sunday recap reels. Framed by the album’s press cycle and People’s feature story, the song benefited from fresh interviews and performance clips, which in turn supported Shazam searches in key U.S. cities. Airplay leadership, compelling visuals, and a narrative perfectly tuned to 2025’s hope-hungry climate make Carvin’s cut this list’s mid-table anchor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXCQ4l4EhNA
7. Josiah Queen – Dusty Bibles
Release date: 20–06–2025. With a folk-rock stomp and a revival-tent refrain, “Dusty Bibles” became Josiah Queen’s breakout worship-folk moment of 2025. The studio and video campaign was disciplined: an early lyric/video rollout primed YouTube, then a full video premiere in mid-July gave the song viral lift. On charts, “Dusty Bibles” reached the top tier of Hot Christian Songs, peaking at No. 3, while Apple Music and Spotify surfaced it on core Christian discovery rows through late summer as Mt. Zion arrived. Thematically—“open the Word and watch your life light up”—it’s tailor-made for youth-group videos and road-trip clips, which converted into saves and steady daily streams. In the mix, banjo and gang vocals nod to Americana while the kick pattern keeps it current enough for today’s Christian algorithm. Its multi-format resonance (youth, folk, worship) and clean climb ahead of the album justify a high slot here—it’s the song that turned Queen from promising newcomer into a reliable tent-pole for playlists and Sunday gatherings alike.
8. Josiah Queen (feat. Brandon Lake) – Can’t Steal My Joy
Release date: 10–01–2025. The year opened with a jolt as Josiah Queen teamed with Brandon Lake for a rootsy, foot-stomping declaration that quickly became a radio and touring staple. The single scaled Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs to a Top-10 peak (No. 10), while the lyric video racked up organic YouTube shares and sing-along duets. Summer touring multiplied impact: Queen’s opening slot on arena worship bills and Lake’s own arena runs meant nightly clips, fan uploads, and Shazam spikes around each city. Editorially, its early-January drop secured steady visibility on DSPs and a K-LOVE spotlight feature later in July as Mt. Zion pre-release buzz crested. Sonically, the song’s clap-along cadence and harmony stack land equally well on youth playlists and Sunday morning sets; thematically, the lyric “sorrow may come, but it can’t steal my joy” became a 2025 caption. A January release, Top-10 chart run, and relentless summer exposure make this one of the year’s defining worship anthems.
9. Josiah Queen – Two Wooden Beams
Release date: 15–05–2025. Piloted by finger-picked guitars and a hushed vocal, “Two Wooden Beams” became the quiet viral that set up the Mt. Zion era. The official video and lyric assets seeded shareable devotionals on YouTube and Reels; from there, the track climbed onto Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs, where it ultimately reached No. 19 as word-of-mouth carried it through spring. The cut’s intimate storytelling helped it cut through rock-leaning Christian playlists as well as worship-focused sets, widening audience reach pre-album. Its early launch also established a release cadence that kept Josiah in feeds: this single → “Dusty Bibles” → album. Program directors and curators rewarded the song’s stickiness with longer-than-average shelf life, while live rooms turned the bridge into a chant. For a mid-tempo prayer to chart inside the Top 20 without a radio “event” week says plenty about 2025 listeners’ appetite for scripture-rich songwriting delivered in a modern folk shell—hence its place inside the Top 10 here.
10. Big Freedia – Pressing Onward
Release date: 08–08–2025 (album & title track). The title song from Big Freedia’s first gospel album is a watershed 2025 crossover: a Hammond-laced, choir-backed testimony that channels New Orleans bounce energy into unabashed praise. Culturally, it matters: interviews and reviews throughout August framed the project as a homecoming to Black Baptist roots and a widening of gospel’s tent to include LGBTQ+ narratives in the language of faith. That visibility—on NPR’s All Things Considered, in People’s feature, and in The Guardian’s pre-release profile—translated to discovery across YouTube and DSPs, where the “Provided to YouTube” audio spread quickly through shares and playlist adds surrounding release week. In clubs and festival slots, Freedia’s call-and-response instincts turned “Pressing Onward” into a hands-up moment; in sanctuaries and small groups, the lyric’s perseverance theme resonated with 2025’s grief-and-healing conversations. While not a traditional radio smash, the single’s influence is measured in discourse, editorial attention, and the communities it brings together—more than enough to earn its spot as one of 2025’s most significant gospel statements.
