The EP continues to be a major staple in the music industry--Christian or mainstream--as the song-by-song purchasing (and streaming) trends cause bands to come out with less music, but more often. 

There were plenty of EPs released in 2015, but five stood above the pack as nominees in the 4th Annual WE LOVE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AWARDS. We'll take a look at why each of these projects received a nomination, and speculate as to why each one has a shot at winning.

Check out these nominees, and then cast your vote! 

3For3 - The EP
When 3For3's simply titled The EP came across our desk here at NRT, it immediately caught our attention. Not just because we love good, sugary pop music, but because of the fantastic production value, the powerhouse vocals and the stylistic choices that surpass most of Christian music, and keep up with what's in the mainstream. 

With just five songs, the guys showcase some high energy tunes that will definitely appeal to a younger audience, but will do so with flair and not-so-veiled shout-outs to God throughout. They stay away from lots of "boy band" cliches, most evidenced by the lack of a power ballad on this introductory EP. Mid-tempo is the most chilled out they get, but even then, the beats propel the songs along. 

3For3 is turning heads and ears pretty quickly, and we had no doubt that this was one of the best pop surprises of the year. We can't wait to hear what comes next, and to see the evolution of this group. 

Why it could win: Like I mentioned, 3For3's audience will likely skew younger, and--might we add--female. There's a lot for the younger generation to love about these guys, and we're living in a time where all-male vocal pop groups are extremely well-loved. If the "boy band" fans show up in full force, we could see a landslide win for 3For3. The question is whether or not that fanbase has been developed enough yet. 

Hollyn - Hollyn EP
A latecomer in 2015, Gotee Records' newest artist, Hollyn, put an exclamation point at the end of the past year in music with one of the most surprising and strongest pop releases of the year. 

Shortly after her double appearance on tobyMac's This is Not a Test, Hollyn showed her versatility by doing more in six songs than many artists do in twice that number on a full-length EP. Led by first single, "Alone" (featuring Toby's son, Tru), Hollyn showcases powerhouse vocals over a very diverse musical backdrop, employing elements of acoustic pop, R&B/urban and some EDM along the way--as she does for the entire project.

Hollyn's remake of Lecrae's "All I Need Is You" more than lives up to its source material, and dare I say, one-ups it. The way she sing-raps and straight-up raps keeps listeners' interest the whole way. "Hey Mama" showcases Hollyn's core talent as an acoustic soul singer-songwriter, while "Nothin' On You" will please CCM fans old and new by sampling Amy Grant's "Baby, Baby." 

Why it could win: Hollyn enters this award season with a lot of momentum, driven by the combined successes of her and Toby's albums. She's quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with, and excited new fans could push her over the top. 

Nichole Nordeman - The Unmaking EP
The Christian music world was pleasantly stunned at the news that Nichole Nordeman was making a new project. It had been more than 10 years since the multiple Dove Award winner had released anything. The result was the kind of beautiful, thoughtful, peaceful, piano-driven songs you'd expect from Nordeman, with the added bonus of a much-ballyhooed duet with Plumb. 

The Unmaking, while staying within Nordeman's comfort zone generally, welcomes some new elements musically, with some electronic drums and synth sounds floating around her classic piano. Of course, Nordeman's signature poetic and introspective lyrics that have been bringing people to tears for a long time remain. 

Why it could win: Nordeman is a one-of-a-kind artist in Christian music, and her absence from the industry was deeply felt. So her return has naturally generated a lot of interest. Nordeman has the most commercial success and name recognition out of her fellow nominees, so that alone gives her an edge. 

SHINEBRIGHT - Only You EP
Over the years, we've watched the Ohio-made pop group SHINEBRIGHT shift from being a rock-driven group to embracing plenty of electronic elements--thanks to close collaboration with producer David Thulin. The shift has been a good one that continues to highlight frontwoman Emily Fertig's raspy vocals. 

Whereas the former Shine Bright Baby (the band's name until this release) had a punkish swagger musically that shined positivity like a blowtorch, the band's current evolution finds them sounding more like celestial glitter. The dreamlike soundscapes made by Thulin show a more mature band that has more life with Jesus under its belt.

Plenty of singles comes from this project, although they're drastically underrated by Christian radio. Title track "Only You" is gorgeous melodically and lyrically, and is probably the band's best song ever. "Reckless For Love," the first radio single, is a great youth group anthem about doing whatever it takes to love people--and the cameo by Jonathan Thulin certainly propels it, too. "Limitless" is an abstract experiment by SHINEBRIGHT that is a lot of fun, and "Spectacle of Light" points to a more delicate place than we've seen from the band. 

The amount of variety musically (while still sounding cohesive) and lyrically (while staying on point thematically about loving God and living for Him) made Only You one of the surprise hits of 2015, and was unanimously loved by the NRT staff.

Why it could win: SHINEBRIGHT is well connected in the industry with some great players, including OBB, the Thulin brothers, Rapture Ruckus (who features on the record) and Satellites & Sirens, among others. Despite the lack of radio attention, SHINEBRIGHT and its friends have a fairly sizable fan-base to rally, and if they show up, they could be taking home the hardware.

VERIDIA - Pretty Lies EP
Reports of rock's death are highly exaggerated. VERIDIA burst onto the scene when rock was on life support, and despite infusing their music with gritty electronic elements, the band never deviated from its rock core. Regardless of tastes du jour, fans quickly gravitated towards VERIDIA, and the band leveled up with its second release (and second EP), Pretty Lies.

When you're working with Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire and touring with Evanescence, you must be doing something right. With Pretty Lies, the band--led by charismatic frontwoman Deena Jakoub--keep the high-energy, emotional anthems going. 

For those paying attention, VERIDIA offers poignant and spiritually thick lyrics to accompany their hard-edged musical leanings. Rock radio has taken notice. "Crazy (In A Good Way)" is a phenomenal concert opener, and the earworm of a lead single, "Pretty Lies" (featuring Matty Mullins) decries all the deceptions society throws at us about what true beauty is. 

But if you thought they were all about the high octane sounds, then we get hit with "Say A Prayer," which is a beautiful, unexpected ballad that once again shows VERIDIA's versatility.

Why it could win: VERIDIA has amassed a large and very dedicated fanbase in its short time in the industry. Despite rock's troubles commercially the last few years, the few holdouts in rock have formidable and vocal supporters. If they show up, this could be a blowout win for VERIDIA. And even if they don't, the EP is strong enough by itself to bring in even those fans who aren't die-hard rockers.

Who do you think will win? VOTE HERE and then comment below!