Few Christian bands have had the staying power, influence, and unmistakable sound of the Newsboys. Since emerging from Australia in the 1980s, the band has become one of the most recognizable names in contemporary Christian music, combining energetic rock, memorable melodies, and unapologetically Christian lyrics. Through decades of changing musical styles and lineup changes, the Newsboys have continued to make music that invites listeners to celebrate their faith.
The Newsboys have also played an important role in bringing Christian music beyond the walls of the church. Songs such as “Shine,” “He Reigns,” “God’s Not Dead,” and “We Believe” have become familiar anthems to generations of Christian listeners. Their music often carries a joyful sense of confidence—music that doesn’t simply describe faith, but encourages listeners to live it out boldly.
What makes the Newsboys particularly noteworthy is their ability to connect worship, evangelism, and great rock music. Whether performing a high-energy concert or leading thousands of voices in worship, the band has consistently demonstrated that Christian music can be both musically compelling and spiritually meaningful. For longtime fans and listeners discovering them for the first time, the Newsboys remain an important part of the story of modern Christian music.
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🎬Featured Video
“God’s Not Dead”
Few songs in modern Christian music have carried a message as direct and unmistakable as the Newsboys’ “God’s Not Dead.” With its driving rock sound and bold declaration of faith, the song became one of the defining anthems of the Newsboys’ Michael Tait era. Originally released on the band’s 2011 album God’s Not Dead, the song has continued to reach new generations of listeners long after its initial release.
The official music video captures that same sense of boldness. Set against the energy of New York City and scenes of the Newsboys performing, the video presents a simple contrast: the world may question or dismiss faith, but the Christian message remains alive. Rather than treating belief as something private or hidden, the Newsboys invite listeners to proclaim it openly and joyfully.
The song’s impact grew even larger when it became closely associated with the 2014 film God’s Not Dead. That connection introduced the Newsboys and their music to an entirely new audience, helping turn the song into an anthem for a new generation of Christian listeners. The Newsboys’ own official video has now accumulated well over 165 million YouTube views—a remarkable testament to the song’s enduring reach.
At its heart, “God’s Not Dead” isn’t complicated: Jesus is alive, and that truth is worth proclaiming. That’s precisely why the song works so well as our Featured Video for the Newsboys. It captures the band’s unmistakable combination of Christian conviction, energetic music, and a desire to encourage believers to live their faith boldly.
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🎵Essential Songs
“Shine”
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“Shine” is one of the songs that helped establish the Newsboys as a major force in Christian rock. Released in 1994 on Going Public, the song arrived during the band’s Peter Furler era and quickly became one of their signature songs. Going Public was produced by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler, and “Shine” was written by Taylor and Furler.
What makes “Shine” so memorable is the way it combines a serious spiritual message with an almost mischievous sense of humor. The lyrics challenge Christians to let the change Jesus has made in their lives become visible to the people around them. Rather than presenting faith as something to keep hidden, the song asks believers to live in such a way that people can’t help but notice that something is different.
Musically, “Shine” captures the energetic, playful sound that made the Newsboys stand out in the 1990s. It became a major Christian radio hit, reaching No. 1 on the Christian CHR chart, and the song’s music video was directed by Steve Taylor. The song also earned the Newsboys a Dove Award for Rock Recorded Song of the Year, while Going Public received the Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year.
More than three decades later, “Shine” still feels remarkably relevant. Its message isn’t complicated: if Jesus has changed your life, don’t hide it. Let it shine. That’s a message that fits the heart of FishWorship beautifully—and it’s one reason “Shine” belongs near the top of any list of essential Newsboys songs.
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“Breakfast”
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“Breakfast” may be one of the most delightfully unusual songs in the Newsboys catalog. Released on Take Me to Your Leader in 1996, the song became one of the band’s signature early hits, following the breakthrough success of “Shine.” It is a wonderfully quirky example of the Newsboys’ ability to combine infectious pop-rock with lyrics that don’t sound quite like anything else on Christian radio.
The song is built around an eccentric premise: friends gather around the breakfast cereal of a recently deceased friend. That strange setup is part of what makes “Breakfast” so memorable. Rather than delivering its message with the seriousness listeners might expect from a Christian song, the Newsboys use humor, wordplay, and an almost surreal story to create something that is both genuinely catchy and unmistakably theirs.
There is also a wonderful communal quality to the recording. Peter Furler provides the lead vocal, while Phil Joel and crowds of Newsboys fans from Milwaukee, Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Ottumwa, Iowa contributed backing vocals. Those crowd vocals help give the song the feel of a celebration rather than simply another studio recording.
“Breakfast” is a great reminder that Christian music doesn’t have to sound predictable to be meaningful. The Newsboys were willing to be funny, energetic, creative, and a little strange—and audiences responded. More than 30 years later, “Breakfast” remains one of the songs that instantly brings the classic Newsboys sound to mind, and it absolutely belongs among the band’s essential songs.
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“Take Me To Your Leader”
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The title track from the Newsboys’ 1996 album Take Me to Your Leader is a terrific example of the band’s ability to make a serious spiritual message sound like an irresistible pop-rock anthem. Written by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler, the song uses a playful phrase familiar from science-fiction movies and cartoons and turns it into something much more meaningful: a declaration that Jesus is the One to whom we should ultimately point.
Musically, the song represented a step forward for the Newsboys. Peter Furler later described developing a distinctive groove for the recording rather than relying on the sequencers and loops the band had used previously. The result is energetic, rhythmic, and immediately recognizable as Newsboys. The song reached No. 1 on the Christian CHR chart, making it another major hit in a remarkable run for the band.
The song also captures something particularly appealing about the classic Newsboys: they weren’t afraid to have fun while talking about Jesus. The title is clever, the music is infectious, and the message underneath it is surprisingly direct. In the band’s own description, the song is about being out in the world and being a light to others.
Released on February 20, 1996, Take Me to Your Leader became one of the defining albums of the band’s classic era, and its title track remains one of the songs that helped establish the Newsboys as one of Christian music’s most distinctive and successful rock bands.
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“He Reigns”
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“He Reigns” is one of the Newsboys’ most powerful declarations of worship. Rather than focusing on one particular place or group of believers, the song paints a picture of God’s people around the world lifting their voices together. Its vision stretches from Africa to Asia, from great cathedrals to believers gathering in less visible places, ultimately bringing everyone together in one celebration of God’s sovereignty.
That global perspective is what gives “He Reigns” its remarkable sense of scale. The song isn’t simply saying that Christians worship God; it imagines all God’s children singing together. Every tribe, tongue, and nation has a place in the chorus. It’s a beautiful picture of the Church as something much larger than any individual congregation, denomination, or culture.
The song also carries a sense of defiance. Even in a world where darkness, suffering, and opposition are very real, the worship of God’s people cannot be silenced. The repeated declaration that He reigns becomes more than a lyric—it becomes a statement of confidence. Circumstances may change, but God’s authority does not.
“He Reigns” eventually became one of the Newsboys’ signature worship songs and remains a wonderful example of what the band could do when its energetic rock identity was placed in service of a straightforward message of faith. It is joyful, expansive, and deeply congregational—and it belongs among the essential Newsboys songs because it reminds us that worship isn’t merely about singing to God. Sometimes it is also about joining millions of other believers in proclaiming together who He is.
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“It Is You”
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“It Is You” is one of the most beautiful worship songs in the Newsboys catalog, and it represents a particularly important moment in the band’s evolution. Released on the 2002 album Thrive, the song was written by Newsboys frontman Peter Furler and became one of the band’s best-known worship songs.
There is a simplicity to “It Is You” that gives the song its power. Rather than trying to explain every aspect of Christian faith, it focuses the listener’s attention on the One being worshiped. The song moves from an invitation to worship into a declaration of God’s holiness, creating the feeling of a congregation gradually joining together in praise.
“It Is You” also helped demonstrate that the Newsboys could move naturally between their energetic Christian-rock identity and genuine congregational worship. The song was subsequently given a live treatment on Adoration: The Worship Album, the band’s first album devoted entirely to worship. That live version stretches beyond six minutes, emphasizing the song’s ability to become something larger than a radio single when sung collectively.
More than two decades later, “It Is You” remains one of the songs that best captures the worshipful side of the Newsboys. It isn’t flashy, complicated, or dependent on a clever hook. Its strength comes from where it directs our attention: away from ourselves and toward God. That’s exactly the kind of song that deserves a place among the essential Newsboys recordings.
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“Your Love Never Fails”
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“Your Love Never Fails” is a wonderful example of the Newsboys’ ability to take a familiar worship song and give it their own unmistakable pop-rock treatment. The song appeared on the 2011 album God’s Not Dead, an album that helped establish the Michael Tait era of the Newsboys and followed the success of Born Again. It was also released as a single and became one of the band’s best-known songs from this period.
At the heart of the song is a remarkably reassuring message: God’s love doesn’t change when our circumstances do. We may stumble, run away, face uncertainty, or find ourselves in situations that seem impossible to overcome, but God’s character remains constant. The song’s movement from struggle toward confidence gives it a particularly encouraging quality—it acknowledges that life can be difficult without allowing difficulty to have the final word.
The Newsboys’ arrangement brings a bright, energetic quality to that message. Rather than treating the song as a quiet ballad, they turn it into an exuberant declaration of praise. Their version was distinctive enough to become a significant Newsboys hit, reaching No. 7 on the Christian Airplay chart.
“Your Love Never Fails” ultimately points us toward one of the simplest and most comforting truths of the Christian faith: God’s love is not dependent upon our perfection or our circumstances. When everything around us seems to be changing, He remains the same. That’s a message worth singing—and a message that makes this song an easy choice for the Newsboys’ Essential Songs list.
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“God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)”
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“God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)” is one of the most recognizable songs in the modern Newsboys catalog. Released in 2011 as the lead single from the album God’s Not Dead, the song was written by Daniel Bashta and originally recorded as “Like a Lion” by Passion with David Crowder. The Newsboys took that worship song and gave it their own driving, rock-oriented treatment, with Michael Tait on lead vocals and Kevin Max providing guest vocals.
The result was much more than another successful Christian single. “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)” became a declaration of faith—a song built around the confidence that God is alive, present, and at work in His people. Its language of resurrection, freedom, hope, and revival gives the song an almost explosive quality. When the chorus arrives, it feels less like a private statement of belief and more like a crowd of believers proclaiming their faith together.
The song’s impact was extraordinary. It reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart and eventually became the Newsboys’ first RIAA Platinum-certified single, representing more than one million units. Its connection with the 2014 film God’s Not Dead brought the song to an even larger audience, and it became closely identified with the film and the broader cultural movement surrounding it.
But underneath all the chart success, movie appearances, and cultural recognition is something much simpler: a proclamation that God is alive. That’s why “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)” belongs among the essential Newsboys songs. It is bold without being complicated, energetic without losing its worshipful character, and ultimately points listeners toward the living God at the center of the Christian faith.
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“Born Again”
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“Born Again” is more than the title of a Newsboys album—it is a declaration of new life in Christ. Released as a single in 2010, the song became the first original Newsboys recording to feature Michael Tait as the band’s new lead vocalist. Tait, formerly of dc Talk, brought a powerful new voice to the group, making “Born Again” an important introduction to a new era of the Newsboys.
The timing makes the song particularly fitting. The Newsboys themselves were experiencing something of a rebirth. Peter Furler had stepped away from the band’s demanding touring schedule after more than two decades, and Tait was stepping into one of Christian music’s most recognizable frontman positions. Rather than allowing that change to define the band as something they had lost, “Born Again” points toward what God can do with a new beginning.
Musically, the song carries the confident, contemporary Christian-rock sound that characterized the Tait-led Newsboys. Its message is equally direct: following Jesus isn’t simply about adopting a new set of beliefs or making a few improvements to an old life. It is about becoming new. That makes the song’s title especially powerful—not merely as a description of Christian conversion, but as a reminder that God specializes in giving people a fresh start.
“Born Again” also proved that the Newsboys could successfully enter a new era without abandoning the faith-centered identity that had made the band so influential. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and became the band’s fourth No. 1 Christian album.
For FishWorship, “Born Again” belongs among the Newsboys’ essential songs because it tells two stories at once: the story of a person made new through Christ, and the story of a band beginning a remarkable new chapter. Both are reminders that sometimes a new beginning isn’t an ending at all—it’s an opportunity to discover what God has planned next.
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“We Believe”
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“We Believe” is one of the clearest expressions of what the Newsboys have always done particularly well: take the fundamental truths of the Christian faith and turn them into an anthem that thousands of people can sing together. Released in 2013 on Restart, the song became one of the defining recordings of the Michael Tait era and eventually became the Newsboys’ longest-running No. 1 single.
The song is essentially a musical confession of faith. Rather than telling a story, “We Believe” moves through the central claims of Christianity—God the Father, Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and the hope of eternal life. The repeated declaration of “We believe” gives the song its power. It isn’t merely one singer describing what he believes; it invites an entire congregation to stand together and say, This is what we believe.
That communal quality became a major part of the song’s appeal. The Newsboys themselves described it as a “creed” for what Christians believe, and its impact at Christian radio was immediate. In 2014, the song generated the biggest add week in the band’s history at the time, with 64 Christian radio stations adding it to their playlists.
The official music video reinforces that communal spirit, showing the Newsboys performing the song together in an empty church. Released in May 2014 through the band’s official YouTube channel, the video has accumulated tens of millions of views.
For FishWorship, “We Believe” may be one of the most important Newsboys songs to include because it captures something larger than the band itself. It is an invitation for believers to remember what unites us. In a world filled with competing voices, the Newsboys give us a simple, confident declaration: we believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the resurrection, and the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
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“That’s How You Change the World”
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“That’s How You Change the World” takes a wonderfully different approach to the idea of changing the world. Rather than imagining that we need to accomplish something enormous or become famous to make a difference, the Newsboys point us toward something much more ordinary—and much more Christlike. Released on the band’s 2013 album Restart, the song was written by Justin Ebach, Nate Sallie, and Sam Tinnesz.
The heart of the song is a challenge to notice the people right in front of us. A hurting person, a kind word, a simple smile, a prayer when nobody is watching, or a hand reaching out to someone who is struggling may not look like world-changing events. But the Newsboys suggest that this is precisely how God’s kingdom often works: small acts of love can become something much greater than we ever see.
That message fits beautifully with the Christian calling to love our neighbors. We don’t have to wait until we have influence, money, a platform, or some grand opportunity to serve God. Sometimes changing the world begins with simply being willing to see someone who needs encouragement and then doing something about it. The song turns that ordinary faithfulness into an inspiring picture of Christian discipleship.
Musically, “That’s How You Change the World” fits the polished, energetic sound of Restart, Michael Tait’s third album as the Newsboys’ lead vocalist. Apple Music specifically highlighted the song among the album’s standout tracks, describing its sound as part of the record’s energetic, contemporary approach.
For FishWorship, this song carries a message worth remembering: we don’t have to do something extraordinary to be used by God. A prayer, an act of kindness, an encouraging word, or a willingness to reach out to someone who is hurting can become a spark that lights the darkness. That’s how you change the world.
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“Magnetic”
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“Magnetic” is a powerful reminder that God’s love doesn’t give up on us. Released in 2021 as the lead single from the Newsboys’ STAND project, the song marked the band’s return with new music after more than two years away from the studio. Michael Tait described the song’s central idea as the way God’s love and mercy continually draw us back to Him—even when we try to pull away.
That idea gives “Magnetic” its emotional heart. The song begins with an honest picture of the struggles that can weigh on us—fear, worry, hurt, doubt, and the feeling that we’ve lost our way. But the Newsboys don’t leave us there. God’s love is portrayed as a force that keeps drawing us back, patiently reminding us that we are never beyond His reach.
The imagery is especially effective because it doesn’t suggest that God’s love merely waits for us to return. It pursues us. Like gravity, it keeps pulling us back; like a magnetic force, it continues to draw us toward Him. The result is a song about grace that feels both deeply personal and wonderfully encouraging.
“Magnetic” also represents an important chapter in the Newsboys’ continuing story. The recording was made by the Michael Tait-led lineup of the band, and the official music video was released through the Newsboys’ Official Artist Channel in June 2021.
For FishWorship, “Magnetic” belongs among the Newsboys’ essential songs because its message reaches beyond nostalgia or musical history. We all have moments when our faith feels weaker than our doubts. “Magnetic” reminds us that even then, God’s love is still reaching for us—and He isn’t finished with us yet.
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“Heaven on Earth”
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“Heaven on Earth” shows the Newsboys continuing to look forward rather than simply celebrating their remarkable history. Released in 2024, the song became the title track of Worldwide Revival (Part 1) and was later included on the expanded Worldwide Revival (Deluxe). It represents the band’s continuing desire to make music that calls people toward Jesus and toward a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit.
The song is built around a simple but powerful prayer: that God’s presence and power would be experienced here and now. Rather than treating heaven as something that matters only after this life, “Heaven on Earth” looks at the possibility of God’s kingdom breaking into our ordinary lives—through revival, worship, changed hearts, and people coming to know Jesus.
The song draws heavily on the events of Acts 2, recalling the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples, the tongues of fire, and the thousands who responded to the Gospel. That biblical foundation gives the song an unmistakable sense of expectation. The Newsboys aren’t simply singing about revival as something that happened in the past; they’re crying out for God to move again.
There is also an important connection to the band’s current chapter. Adam Agee has explained that the concept behind Worldwide Revival grew from the idea that believers don’t have to wait for eternal life to experience something of heaven’s reality—they can begin experiencing God’s presence, peace, and kingdom here and now through faith in Jesus.
That makes “Heaven on Earth” a fitting addition to the Newsboys’ Essential Songs. After decades of making music about Jesus, the band is still asking the same fundamental question: What would happen if we invited God to move among us right now? It is a song of worship, expectation, and revival—and a reminder that the story God began in Acts is not merely history. He is still at work today.
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💿Essential Albums
Going Public
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Released in 1994, Going Public was the album that firmly established the Newsboys as one of the leading bands in Christian rock. Produced by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler, the ten-song album combined energetic rock, infectious melodies, clever songwriting, and a distinctly Christian message. It also introduced listeners to what would become one of the band’s most recognizable songs: “Shine.”
“Shine” is certainly the centerpiece, but Going Public is much more than the album that gave the Newsboys a hit. Songs such as “Spirit Thing,” “Let It Rain,” “Be Still,” “Real Good Thing,” and “Truth and Consequences” demonstrate the band’s ability to move between exuberant pop-rock, worship, humor, and more reflective expressions of faith. The album’s ten tracks created a sound that was energetic and accessible without sacrificing its Christian identity.
The album’s impact was recognized almost immediately. Going Public won the 1995 Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year, while “Shine” won Rock Recorded Song of the Year. The album was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album.
More than three decades later, Going Public remains an important piece of Christian music history. It captured the Newsboys at a pivotal moment—Peter Furler was becoming an increasingly important creative force within the band, while John James was still serving as the primary lead vocalist—and established a musical identity that would help carry the Newsboys through many different eras to come.
If you’re discovering the Newsboys for the first time, Going Public is an excellent place to start. This is where the Newsboys didn’t just have a hit—they became the Newsboys that an entire generation of Christian music fans would come to know.
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Take Me to Your Leader
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Released in 1996, Take Me to Your Leader is one of the defining albums of the Newsboys’ classic era. Produced by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler, the album followed the enormous success of Going Public and showed that the band’s creative momentum was only beginning. From the quirky “Breakfast” to the infectious title track and the bold declaration of “God Is Not a Secret,” the album is filled with the energetic, imaginative Christian rock that made the Newsboys so distinctive.
The album is also an important crossroads in the band’s history. It was the final Newsboys album to feature John James as lead vocalist and the first to feature Phil Joel, who would become an important part of the band’s identity for years to come. Peter Furler’s growing influence as a songwriter and producer is also evident throughout the record, helping establish the sound that would carry the Newsboys into the late 1990s and beyond.
There is a wonderful sense of personality running through the album. “Breakfast” is playful and unconventional, “Take Me to Your Leader” turns a familiar science-fiction phrase into a clever Christian declaration, and “God Is Not a Secret” delivers a much more direct statement of faith. The album never seems afraid to be creative, energetic, or even a little weird—and that willingness to be unmistakably Newsboys is a big part of its charm.
The record was also recognized well beyond Christian radio. Take Me to Your Leader received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album, while the Newsboys won a 1997 Dove Award for the album’s innovative packaging. The album itself was also nominated for Rock Album of the Year, while “God Is Not a Secret” received a Rock Recorded Song nomination.
For anyone wanting to understand why the Newsboys became one of the defining bands of Christian rock, Take Me to Your Leader is essential listening. It’s energetic, creative, unmistakably Christian, and unmistakably Newsboys—and it captures a band discovering just how far its music could go.
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Step Up to the Microphone
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Released in 1998, Step Up to the Microphone represents one of the most important turning points in the Newsboys’ remarkable history. Following the departure of longtime lead vocalist John James, drummer Peter Furler stepped out from behind the drum kit and took over as the band’s frontman. Rather than simply trying to replace what the Newsboys had lost, Furler and the rest of the band used the moment to create something new.
The result was an album filled with the energy, humor, and melodic hooks that had become trademarks of the Newsboys, but with a noticeably different personality. “WooHoo,” “Step Up to the Microphone,” “Believe,” “Hallelujah,” and “Entertaining Angels” all demonstrate the band’s ability to blend pop, rock, electronic textures, and an unmistakably Christian message. “Entertaining Angels” became the album’s signature hit and went on to win multiple awards, including the 1999 Dove Award for Short Form Video of the Year.
The album’s title carries a meaning that goes beyond the change in the band’s lineup. “Step Up to the Microphone” is ultimately a challenge to believers to speak up about what they believe. The Newsboys took that message seriously themselves: they were facing an uncertain future, stepped forward together, and produced an album that proved the band could thrive in a new era. Step Up to the Microphone ultimately reached No. 1 on the Christian album chart and was certified Gold.
For FishWorship, this album belongs among the Newsboys’ essentials because it captures something bigger than a collection of great songs. Sometimes God puts us in a position where we have to step forward, trust Him, and discover what comes next. In 1998, the Newsboys stepped up to the microphone—and the result became one of the defining chapters in their story.
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Thrive
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Released in 2002, Thrive was the Newsboys’ ninth studio album and one of the defining records of the band’s Peter Furler era. Produced by Furler, Steve Taylor, and Joe Baldridge, the album brought together the band’s familiar pop-rock energy with more adventurous production, bigger guitars, electronic textures, and a growing emphasis on worship. The result was a record that sounded contemporary without abandoning the personality that had made the Newsboys one of Christian music’s most successful bands.
The album’s best-known song, “It Is You,” became one of the Newsboys’ signature worship songs and helped introduce the band to listeners who might not have otherwise considered them a worship band. “Million Pieces (Kissin’ Your Cares Goodbye)” and “Lord (I Don’t Know)” demonstrate the other side of Thrive, with the band’s characteristic combination of strong hooks, thoughtful lyrics, and energetic production.
What makes Thrive particularly significant is that the Newsboys were no longer simply trying to prove themselves. By this point, they had already established an extraordinary track record. Thrive instead sounds like a band confident enough to experiment and mature. Christianity Today named it one of its Top 12 Christian Albums of 2002, calling it the band’s best work since Take Me to Your Leader and noting the remarkable success of “It Is You.”
The album also became part of a remarkable period for the Newsboys. They followed its release with a concert filmed at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a special edition of Thrive later included that live performance. The concert featured songs from throughout their history alongside most of the Thrive material, demonstrating just how naturally the new songs fit into the band’s established catalog.
For FishWorship, Thrive belongs among the Newsboys’ Essential Albums because it captures a band at an important creative peak. They weren’t simply repeating what had worked before—they were growing, experimenting, worshiping, and challenging themselves to make something better. And in “It Is You,” they produced a song that would ultimately become one of their most enduring contributions to Christian worship music.
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Adoration: The Worship Album
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Released in 2003, Adoration: The Worship Album was a significant departure for the Newsboys. Following the success of Thrive and the enormous response to “It Is You,” the band devoted an entire album to worship for the first time. Produced by Peter Furler and Steve Taylor, Adoration combines original Newsboys worship songs with fresh interpretations of familiar songs such as “You Are My King (Amazing Love),” “Great Is Your Faithfulness,” and “In Christ Alone.”
The album opens with “He Reigns,” one of the Newsboys’ most recognizable worship anthems, and continues through a mixture of joyful praise, intimate worship, and reflective songs. “Adoration” and “Father, Blessed Father” give the album a distinctly personal character, while “In Christ Alone” and “You Are My King” demonstrate the band’s ability to take well-loved worship songs and make them their own. The album even revisits “It Is You” in a live recording, connecting Adoration directly to the song that helped inspire this new chapter for the band.
What makes Adoration especially significant is that the Newsboys didn’t simply slow down and make a quiet worship record. They brought their own musical personality to the project while making worship the central purpose of the album. The result became one of the band’s most successful releases, reaching No. 1 on the Christian album charts and No. 33 on the Billboard 200.
For FishWorship, Adoration: The Worship Album belongs among the Newsboys’ Essential Albums because it demonstrates something important about the band’s legacy: the Newsboys were never merely a Christian rock band that happened to sing about Jesus. They understood that their music could also become an avenue for people to worship Him. With Adoration, the band stepped fully into that calling—and produced one of the most enduring worship projects of its career.
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God’s Not Dead
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Released in 2011, God’s Not Dead was the Newsboys’ 15th studio album and their second full-length album with Michael Tait as lead vocalist. Coming after the successful Born Again, the album confirmed that the Newsboys were not simply surviving the departure of Peter Furler—they were entering a new chapter of their story. The record reached No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart and became one of the defining releases of the Tait era.
The album is primarily a worship project, combining original material with fresh interpretations of contemporary worship songs. Alongside the title track are songs such as “The King Is Coming,” “Here We Stand,” “Your Love Never Fails,” “Revelation Song,” and “I Am Second.” The combination allowed the Newsboys to retain their energetic pop-rock character while placing worship at the center of the record. Christianity Today particularly highlighted “The King Is Coming,” “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion),” and “I Am Second.”
Of course, the album’s title track became something much larger than an ordinary Christian-rock single. “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion),” originally written by Daniel Bashta, was transformed by the Newsboys into a massive proclamation of faith. The song eventually became RIAA Platinum certified, and its association with the 2014 film God’s Not Dead introduced it—and the Newsboys—to an even broader audience.
There is also something significant about the album’s timing. The Newsboys had just undergone one of the biggest personnel changes in their history, yet God’s Not Dead doesn’t sound like a band apologizing for what it has become. It sounds like a band confidently moving forward. Michael Tait’s powerful vocals, the band’s polished rock production, and the album’s emphasis on worship created a sound that was recognizably Newsboys while also distinctly different from the Peter Furler years.
For FishWorship, God’s Not Dead belongs among the Newsboys’ Essential Albums because it represents both a new beginning and an unmistakable declaration of faith. The Newsboys had already spent decades proclaiming the Gospel through music, but this album gave them a song that would become an anthem for an entirely new generation: God is not dead. He is alive, and He is still worthy of our praise.
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United
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Released in 2019, United is one of the most unusual and meaningful albums in the Newsboys’ history. The project brought together former members Peter Furler and Phil Joel with Michael Tait, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein, and Jody Davis. For longtime Newsboys fans, it was an extraordinary opportunity to hear voices from different eras of the band working together on a new collection of songs.
The album opens with “Greatness of Our God,” immediately establishing the worship-centered character of United. “Symphony” provides another highlight, particularly because it allows Tait and Furler to share vocals, while “Love One Another,” featuring former dc Talk member Kevin Max, brings a little of the band’s playful pop-rock personality into the project. Other standout tracks include “Never Setting Sun,” “This I Know,” “Only the Son (Yeshua),” and “Set Me Ablaze.”
What makes United especially compelling, however, is the idea behind the title. This wasn’t simply a reunion for nostalgia’s sake. The album brought together musicians who had been part of very different chapters of the Newsboys’ story and placed them alongside one another in a common musical and spiritual purpose. Michael Tait’s voice and Peter Furler’s unmistakable vocals don’t erase their differences—they complement one another. That makes the album feel like a celebration of the band’s entire journey rather than an attempt to recreate the past.
The response demonstrated just how much that history still mattered. United debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart and reached the Top 20 of the Billboard 200. The preceding Newsboys United tour was also remarkably successful, with sellout performances helping demonstrate the enthusiasm surrounding the reunion.
For FishWorship, United belongs among the Newsboys’ Essential Albums because its message extends beyond the music itself. Different eras, different voices, different personalities—and yet united around the same Jesus. That’s a pretty fitting description not only of this remarkable Newsboys project, but of what Christian music can accomplish at its best.
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