Reviewed by Tony Cummings

This single CD compilation is a useful glimpse at CCM history for 2004, containing as it does 12 of the biggest songs on US Christian radio for that year. Two or three here can rightly be regarded as classics with the breath-taking worship anthem, "He Reigns" penned by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler and performed by the Newsboys, and Sixpence None The Richer's haunting "Breathe Your Name" taking pride of place. There are other fine tracks by Toby Mac, Third Day, Jars Of Clay, Jaci Velasquez and Jeremy Camp. You could argue that British tastes will find the track by Point Of Grace a tad vacuous while the melodrama of Mark Schultz's story songs are something of an acquired taste, but overall, the slickly produced, Nashville pop presented here stands up very well.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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