Hillsong United set for second US Top 10 debut

Sydney-based worship band Hillsong United is on track to land its second US Top 10 debut album, reports Billboard magazine.

The Empire album, its 64th, is expected to sell 50,000 equivalent album units through this week, which would give it a Top 10 debut.

The album was released in America on May 26 through Hillsong/Sparrow/Capitol Christian Music Group.

Hillsong United’s first Top 10 debut was Zion in 2013, which entered at #5. It yielded the #1 single Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) which was certified platinum for sales of 1 million. They went on to win five GMA (Gospel Music Association) Dove Awards last year, including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.

With big anthemic songs and rock stadium-style shows, they have sold 1.2 million albums since 2007, and added about $4.4 million to the Hillsong Church’s annual global revenue of $69.7 million. The Church has 100,000 members and branches in 11 countries. Its brands – Hillsong, Hillsong United and Young & Free – have had 21 entries in the Billboard Top 200.

In Australia, Empire came in at #1 on the ARIA chart this week, marking their third chart topper in this country. Their first was For All You’ve Done in 2004.

According to ARIA chart statistician Gavin Ryan, it the first album to go #1 in Australia with the word “empire” in the title. However, The Cat Empire did have a #1 album. The highest position reached by Empire of the Sun was #3 for Ice On The Dune.

Hillsong United is also encouraging its followers to create their own Empire’s album cover through their app (https://appsto.re/us/s57JF.i) which they display on Facebook.

A youth offshoot of the Hillsong Church, Hillsong United began in 1998 with an evolving lineup. With some members writing their own material, one of its leaders, Darlene Zschech, recommended they record. Their first EP, One, went gold.

One of Hillsong United’s singers, Joel Houston, whose family founded Hillsong Church thirty years ago, says of the band;s success, “We keep our faith simple – we’re ordinary people doing things to show God does amazing things. Our success is seeing people connecting to the songs and finding God.”