Wow Hits 2003
If you're looking to sample the Top 40 of today's Christian contemporary pop, look no further thanWow Hits 2003. Thirty artists and tracks on this diverse release provide enough musical flavors to whet your appetite. While it's not a true snapshot of the year's best, major labels EMI Christian, Provident, and Word combine to create a collection that certainly captures a good share of the market. Generations of CCM pop are represented here with big name actsAmy Grant,Michael W. Smith, andSteven Curtis Chapman, alongside next-generation starsThird Day,Newsboys,Jars of Clay, andPoint of Grace. Sweet-sounding highlights includeTobyMac's "Irene,"FFH's "Open Up the Sky," andAudio Adrenaline's "Ocean Floor."Nicole C. Mullen("Talk About It") andJennifer Knapp("Say Won't You Say") also contribute worthy tracks and strong proof of the prosperity of singer-songwriters in today's Christian music. Also nice to see the inclusion ofPaul Colman Trio's "Turn" as a bonus track, since the release was one of the year's finest moments for the genre.--Michael Lyttle