Every December since I started NRT back in 2002, I have faithfully made a list of albums that have impacted my year. I missed last year for the first time due to an incredibly busy December and although December is now a distant memory, I'm determined to not make a habit of allowing the year to slip away without reflecting on the best music of the year. So with that thought, I humbly present the list of albums that have impacted me greatly over the past twelve months.

As I typically state, I have no grand illusions that this is the end all list. I really try to consume as much music as I possible can, but with over 300 albums releasing this year, a few inevitably slip through the cracks. Who knows. Maybe those are the ones that deserve to be on this list? But like a freight train speeding down the tracks, it's tough to put on the breaks and pick up missed passengers when you continue to pick up so much many new ones week in and week out. 

So this is it. These are the albums that rose to the top. You'll recognize a number of them as 2013 proved to be a stellar year for Christian music, not only for establish acts that continue to produce some of the best music of their careers, but newer and lesser-known artists and bands that are strongly announcing their presence as ones to watch. My hope is that you'll revisit a missed release, and maybe find a new favorite as we rocket into 2014.

Either way, I'd love to read and respond to your comments below. Enjoy!

01. Royal Tailor - Royal Tailor - October 22, 2013 (Pop/Rock)

I never caught the vision for Royal Tailor’s debut, Black & White, when it released a few years back. For whatever reason, I wrote them off as part of “Boy Band Wave: Round 28” and was initially indifferent to their debut. But I keep hearing about them working hard, putting on an impressive live show and making plenty of noise and I finally came around to appreciate their efforts. But I was still on the fence on if this was a band that could actually break through and really impress me.

After the first listen to their sophomore, self-titled album, my doubts were instantly crumped up and dropkicked over the fence, never to be revisited again.

This is one of the best examples I can think of, in recent memory, of a band truly realizing their full potential so quickly and releasing an album that I’ll be enjoying, start to finish, for many years to come. It’s one of the most original pop albums I’ve heard, full of heart, energy, truth and flat out fun. In fact, I found myself grinning in a few spots, so proud that our industry could actually push the bar to this level.

I remember listening to “Gravity (Pulling Heaven Down)” from their debut for the first time and checking iTunes to see if, in fact, I was still listening to their album. I swear it had leaped to an unknown Michael Jackson track, but sure enough, it was still Royal Tailor. That comparison is certainly not shied away from on the new album as there are plenty of MJ moments throughout, both vocally as well as musically as most notable through the bass lines on“Original,” one of the strongest tracks on the album. [...Read Full Review]

02. Audio Adrenaline - Kings & Queens - March 12, 2013 (Pop/Rock)

One of the worst kept secrets of late 2012/early 2013 was Kevin Max taking the helm of an Audio Adrenaline relaunch. With the same behind-the-scenes team that oversaw the successful transition of Kevin’s former band mate, Michael Tait, taking over for Newsboys, there was a collective “been-there, done-that” sigh from the Christian music fan base. Let’s face it, relaunching a band as iconic as Audio Adrenaline was a big enough mountain to climb. Putting one of Christian music’s most iconic voices on lead mic appeared crazy ambitious.

Then the debut single, “Kings & Queens,” came out, alongside a beautifully shot video that won VIDEO OF THE YEAR in last year’s We Love Christian Music Awards, and shut everyone up. All ears were perked, waiting to see if this was simply a brilliant fluke or overall brilliance in the making.

Thankfully, it was very much the latter.

Kings & Queens is the album that I’ve been waiting for Kevin Max to make since his debut solo effort in 2001 gave hints of his pop dominance in songs like “Existence” and “Angel With No Wings.” Kevin never stopped making music and kudos for him for paving his own way and direction, but he simply lost me in his deep and thick theology and creativity. I can’t fault an artist for making music they love, and not becoming a slave to the popular audience, but with a musical brand like Audio Adrenaline to now steer, the reflective poet and artistic flare would have to take a backseat (at least for the time being) and make way for radio friendly hooks and a more mainstream message that everyone can consume without too much brain power involved. [...Read Full Review]

03. Skillet - Rise - June 25, 2013 (Rock)

I'm so impressed with this band on so many levels. For eight years over the past three albums, (Comatose, Awake and now Rise), they have been on a total rampage dominating every chart they touch. 2006's Comatosecombined the best of their earlier rock/synth styles of Alien Youth and Hey You, I Love Your Soul with their raw hard rock sounds of Collide and kicked off what has been an incredible run of albums that continue to top each other. Most bands would kill to have just one or two hits (well, not Christian bands, but you know the saying). Skillet keeps packing entire albums with them!

Now that the successful transition of lead guitarist is behind them, I keep waiting for the next leg of Skillet's 18+ year journey to be marred like so many bands before them. Surly, musical greatness can't continue at this level for much longer, can it? Of course, I was saying the same thing whenAwake overtook Comatose as my favorite Skillet album ever. And here I am three years later, knocking off Awake for Rise. 

John's vocals sound like they are one scream away from combustion. Jen beats on those drums with the intensity of a super-human, driving every single song to the core of your being. Kory's programming at both guitar and keys is an undeniable force shaping their original and unique sound. And Seth produces jaw-dropping guitar solos in his sleep. The guys (and gals) are performing at an incredible level, and making it looking like it's just another casual Friday at work. [...Read Full Review]

04. Newboys - Restart - September 10. 2013 (Pop/Rock)

The hardest working band in Christian music continues its reinvention withRestart, the second full-length album with lead vocalist Michael Tait at the helm. From the opening track, "That's How You Change The World," you get a sense that this is going to be a different album than any Newsboys album before it. Michael's vocals sore quickly, reaching out and grabbing you by your ears while yelling, "pay attention, buddy." Yes sir! This here is serious business, but make no mistake, we're going to sound amazing in the process. 

Gone are the tongue-in-cheek lyrics that have defined the group for decades. While musically, the boys have never sounded stronger, lyrically, it's time to make the world around us a better place while bettering ourselves and there's little room for creative puns and crafty lyrics. Instead, we get some new tricks compliments of electronic mastermind Jeff Frankenstein. I think its safe to say that Newsboys have grown out of the gimmicks that made people pay attention in the first place and they have plenty to still stay and encourage us with.

"Love Like I Mean It" and "We Believe" are some of my favorite Newsboys tracks ever. The Deluxe Edition also includes a few drool-inducing tracks with former band mate Kevin Max, and they are as great as you hope they would be. "Man On Fire" is the stronger of the two while"The Living Years" leans on a classic 80s song for its structure. [...Read Full Review]

05. Everfound - Everfound - July 16, 2013 (Pop/Rock)

I love it when a debut captures my attention as strongly as Everfound's have. It's rare to see so much passion poured from a new band and speaks to the fact that Everfound is not as new as we think. The brothers have been playing music together for years in their native Russia, but everything has led them to this moment stateside.

Everfound is a blend of electronic rock led by driving drum beats that pulse each chorus home. Lead singer, Nikita, is instantly one of the best voices in the industry with an amazing range and depth of passion in his vocals that forces you to hang on every word. It feels that so many of the lyrics are sung with such a heavy urgency. Just a touch heavier and we'd be at a full-blown scream. It's that intense but still very melodic and controlled. 

The lead singles, "Never Beyond Repair" and "God Of the Impossible"are designed for repetitive play on radio, but they don't represent the album as a whole. These guys have so much more to offer than just another hit song and truly have the ability to redefine the produced template that we hear dominate the charts today. [...Read Full Review]

06. Aaron Sprinkle - Water & Guns - October 1, 2013 (Pop/Rock)

I’ve been around Christian music long enough to know that in order to fully appreciate the landscape; it’s required that I have mad-respect for Aaron Sprinkle. Behind the soundboard and in the studio as producer and songwriter, the man is a beast, pretty much getting his hands dirty in almost every genre on the majority of Tooth & Nail’s/BEC Recordings’ releases throughout the past two decades. A quick look at his Wiki profile will show you this guy knows music and is incredibly adept and diverse. But as an artist? His bands Poor Old Lu, Rose Blossom Punch and Fair came and went for me. And his four previous solo releases were small blips on my radar. The man is a massive workhorse, but until now, his own musical endeavors were a bit too quirky and on the fringe for my taste.

So it really surprises me that I’m sitting here, writing about one of my favorite albums of the year from none other than Aaron Sprinkle.

Water & Guns, is a bright and happy pop record. It’s full of bouncy synth leads, syncopated, and programmed drums, light choruses that float by themselves and instantly singable melodies. And all of it performed by Sprinkle himself (think Owl City and The Rocket Summer). But when you start to dig into the lyrics, you find the yang to the musical ying. Lyrics like“All my hope lies here / Six feet down with fear” on “Whisper Something.”“I’m feeling borrowed, feeling blue / You didn’t notice, shame on you” on“Can’t Last Forever.” “When your life rips at the seams / When it seems like the worst is really happening / When you can’t see the light / It’ll be alright” on “It’ll Be Alright.” In fact, I could just post almost every line to every song. Aaron is struggling with quite a bit lyrically, yet we’re dancing through a field of flowers on a clear blue sky. This is musical bipolarity at its best, but what’s really going on? [...Read Full Review]

07. Plumb - Need You Now - February 26, 2013 (Pop/Rock)

It is so good to see Plumb back on the scene. Back to crafting pop music. Back in front of audiences on major tour and festival stages. Back to inspiring us with creative music and engaging lyrics that come straight from her heart and personal struggles. It's been a long and dry wait for Plumb fans. The last album to really tap into her full potential was 2006's Chaotic Resolve. She followed that with the lovely, but sleepy by design, lullaby tinged Blink that fully abandoned her trajectory as a Christian music pop sensation. It left fans feeling a bit empty and we were teased for a full two years with Need You Now. The wait, as they say, was definitely worth it.

We've since learned what was holding this amazing artist back. Her own desire to raise her family and struggles with keeping her marriage intact were too consuming to properly balance the life of an artist, but with those struggles behind her and in control, we're back to the ballgame and it's those struggles that have inspired some of the most moving songs she has released. [...Read Full Review]

08. Capital Kings - Capital Kings - January 8, 2013 (Dance/Electronic)

2013 started out with a huge shot of adrenaline as Capital Kings released their debut on the first official street date of the year. Exploding onto the scene with ten tracks, four of which featured guests TobyMac, Royal Tailor, Britt Nicole and Family Force 5’s Soul Glow Activator, the duo quickly proved that they are just as much of a force on center stage as they are in the studio producing remixes for many of the top artists in Christian music.

Signed to TobyMac’s Gotee Records, Capital Kings emerged in a year that saw EDM (Electronic Dance Music) rise to mainstream status in the general market. Their timing was perfect and much like Sonicflood is widely considered as the album that truly launched the worship revolution in Christian Music (ironically, a genre that is slowly being infiltrated by the EDM/Dance genres), Capital Kings should be locked in as the album that kick-started the EDM craze that’s coming. There’s even rumblings of an all Christian EDM label launching soon. [...Read Full Review]

09. Hawk Nelson - Made - April 2, 2013 (Pop/Contemporary)

Move over Audio Adrenaline. You're not the only band that's navigating a successful reinvention this year. When lead singer Jason Dunn announced his departure from the band he started in 2000, fans were left wondering what would happen to such an iconic sound that they had grown to love over five major label releases. The answer came from within, as guitarist Jonathan Steingard proved ready to step into the spotlight and lead the band to a new label and a more mature sound.

The first taste of what was to come was the massive contemporary hit song, "Words," which features new label mate and MercyMe front man, Bart Millard. For a band that was more known for their goofy persona and youthful energy, not many would have guessed a Billboard Top 5 Christian Song of 2013 would come from Hawk Nelson. But it was a good peak at a more mature band. [...Read Full Review]

10. Tim Timmons - Cast My Cares - June 4, 2013 (Pop/Contemporary)

There is always beauty in simplicity and that was proven no better this year than on the label debut from Tim Timmons, Cast My Cares. Through eleven tracks, we’re treated to songs that are stripped down to little else than a guitar, piano and drums, yet flow and drive with an urgency that quality production provides.

Tim’s testimony has been told quite a bit. It’s the core of who he is and what drives much of his message of hope and redemption. In June of 2001, he was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and given five years left to live. Twelve years later, with four small children at home with his wife, Tim was on the verge of giving up on his music career when Reunion Records came knocking.

Tim’s voice is unique, raw and honest. You know he believes what he’s saying because his story required him to walk some pretty dark roads filled with lots of questions about faith, God and his own purpose. Many of those questions make their way into the lyric on Cast My Cares. “What if I believed in [God’s] power and I really lived it?” He sings on “Christ In Me.”“What can I do to leave a legacy and speak with authority / When I can’t see you?” he sings on “Starts With Me.” On “Let’s Be Beautiful” he questions, “What are we all about? Are we lovely, are we shinning?” [...Read Full Review]

Honorable Mentions

There was so much great music that hit this year, that a Top 10 simply can't contain all my favorites. If you're looking for a few more selections to check out, I encourage you to listen to the following albums:

• Andy Mineo - Heroes For Sale - April 16, 2013 (Rap)
• Young Chozen - G.L.O.W. (Give Love Out Willingly) - April 30, 2013 (Dance/Electronic)
• Shine Bright Baby - Dreamers - July 23, 2013 (Pop/Rock)
• Chris Tomlin - Burning Lights - January 8, 2013 (Worship)
• Love & The Outcome - Love & The Outcome - August 27, 2013 (Contemporary/Pop)
• Colton Dixon - A Messenger - January 29, 2013 (Pop/Rock)
• Rend Collective Expiment - Campfire - January 29, 2013 (Worship)
• Hillsong UNITED - Zion - February 26, 2013 (Worship)
• The Afters - Life Is Beautiful - April 16, 2013 (Pop/Rock)
• The Jellyrox - Embellish EP - April 23, 2013 (Dance/Electronic)
• House Of Heroes - The Knock-Down Drag-Outs - April 30, 2013 (Rock)
• Family Force 5 - Reanimated - June 18, 2013 (Dance/Electronic)

Five More Songs

Aren't you a hungry little music monster! Here are five more songs that I can't recommend enough! Now go post in those comments about any music that you have discovered throughout the year. Thanks for reading!

• Carlos Whittaker “Fight” from his album Fight (Worship)
• JJ Weeks Band "Is It Ever" from their album All Over the World (Contemporary)
• Josh Wilson "Carry Me" from his album Carry Me (Contemporary)
• Unspoken "Lift My Life Up" from their EP The World Is Waking (Pop/Rock)
• Hillsong Young & Free “Alive” from their album We Are Young & Free (Worship)

Spotify Playlist

Test drive all my selections on this free Spotify playlist or use the player below to enjoy all the albums and songs listed above.