The Newsboys have been among Christian music's most consistent bands for decades. Starting 40 years ago in Australia, the band has released music consistently since the late 1980s, a feat few other bands or artists in Christian music can claim. They gained considerable popularity in the early 1990s and have maintained it ever since. Michael Tait has recently stepped down as the lead singer, with fellow bandmate Adam Agee stepping in. As the Tait era comes to a close, and the band releases their next album with Adam Agee stepping into the lead vocalist role, we highlight some of the group's essential tracks. 

"Shine" 

"I'm Not Ashamed" was arguably the band's first big hit. But "Shine" was when it became clear that we had an A-list band with real staying power. "Shine" is catchy and groovy, and still has fans singing along decades later. It was a massive hit for the band and is arguably the most recognized song among their albums for a long time.
 
"Breakfast"

"Breakfast" from the band's iconic album, Take Me to Your Leader, may not rank among its most commercially successful singles on radio charts, but its legacy speaks for itself. The song's witty lyrics, which use breakfast imagery as metaphors for death and salvation, were brilliant. Its melody is among the most irresistibly catchy in Christian music history. This song still inspires fans to bring boxes of Cap'n Crunch cereal to the band's concerts. On paper, a song like this shouldn't have worked. And for some, it's still a bit of an odd pill to swallow. Yet, you can't argue with success. When a song becomes so iconic a part of a band's catalogue that it inspires fans to bring boxes of cereal to their concerts, even 30 years later, that's a testament to the song's enduring power. 
 
"Entertaining Angels"

The departure of the original lead vocalist, John James, could have been a band-ending moment. Instead, the Newsboys demonstrated their uncanny ability to navigate lead-singer changes. Peter Furler was still an original band member and had increasingly sung on songs. So perhaps it was an easy and natural transition for him to Step Up To The Microphone. That album's lead single, "Entertaining Angels," also prominently features Phil Joel, whose vocals had begun to influence the band's sound, offering a softer voice that complemented the anthemic rock quality Furler provided. "Entertaining Angels" remains one of the band's signature anthems, with its introductory hook serving as a call for cheers from fans even years later. 
 
"He Reigns" 

The song's success established the Newsboys as a long-lasting presence in the worship music genre. This song was such a lasting hit that it propelled the worship project it was part of to become one of the band's best-selling projects and spawned a sequel project a few years later. Even now, the band's significant presence in the praise and worship genre is likely contributing to the song's success. Its dynamic verses and rousing, worshipful chorus make it one of the band's most well-known and singable songs. 
 
"Born Again"

From the first notes to the exploding rock hook, this song smashed open the gates of the band's popularity. The first original song of the Michael Tait era, and fans knew we were in for something special. Although Michael Tait gained fame from DC Talk and his solo band Tait, fans had not heard much from him in recent years. This song cemented that not only was he back, but the Newsboys would be in good hands with him at the helm. The song remains one of the band's quintessential rock numbers, singing of the joy of being reborn in Christ. And it kickstarted a fantastic 15-year run of Michael Tait's era as the band's frontman.
 
"God's Not Dead"

Even after the success of Tait's first album with the band, perhaps no one was prepared for the overwhelming success of this title track from their second project, a worship album. Although the song was initially successful from the start, it wasn't until the film of the same name gained popularity that the track truly took off and became one of the most iconic Christian hits of all time. Written by worship leader Daniel Bashta, the song's hook is instantly recognizable, and its timeless message that our God is alive and "roaring like a lion" will never go out of style. There's even a guest appearance by Tait's former DC Talk bandmate, Kevin Max. This song is arguably the band's most commercially successful single, which is impressive considering they were already iconic veterans with over 25 years in the industry when it was released. 
"Greatness of Our God"

While not as commercially successful as some of the Newsboys' past hits, this song was notably the lead single from Newsboys United, a project that reunited former band members Peter Furler and Phil Joel with then-lead singer Michael Tait. Hearing all three iconic Newsboys vocalists on one track is a delight, and the song effectively showcases the unique strengths of each vocalist. It's a shame we didn't get more than one album of songs like this, because they honestly reminded us what we loved about these distinct Newsboys eras. 
 
"How Many Times"

A song that will bridge the gap between the Michael Tait era of the band and the Adam Agee era. First recorded for the band's Worldwide Revival Part 1 album with Tait on lead vocals, Agee has recorded a new version with his vocals on lead. Agee's exuberant voice has always lent a positive energy to any band he's fronted, and the Newsboys are no exception. His contributions mixed well during his overlap with Tait. As the sole frontman of the band now, it will be an interesting and exciting future to see what his era of the Newsboys shapes up to be. The band has navigated multiple high-profile vocalist switches and, against all odds, has remained a commanding presence in the Christian music scene. If this song's honest and heartfelt emotion is any indication, it looks like we're in for another high-profile and quality era of Newsboys music. 
 
An Essential's article naturally means that many fan-favorite songs aren't included. There were many songs I considered before ultimately settling on this list. Other songs that one could argue could be on such a list include "I'm Not Ashamed," "Reality," "Joy," "Million Pieces," "Presence (My Heart's Desire)," "Something Beautiful," and "We Believe" just to name only a few. That's not even to mention some of the deeper cuts of note like "Stay Strong," "Love Liberty Disco," "Let It Go," "Devotion," "In The Hands of God," and "We Remember." Or deeper still cuts like "No Grave," "All Who You Know," "In Wonder," "Lost The Plot," "Symphony," "I Am Second," or "Read All About It." We could write an article as long as this about all the quality songs this band has given us since the 1980s. Hit us up with your favorites and tell us what Newsboys songs are essential to you.