ZOMBA GOSPEL TAKES TOP CHART POSITIONS TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT:

gospel | Mar 03, 2008 | Comments 1

New York, NY — February 27, 2008 – Maintaining its dominance in the gospel music genre, Zomba Gospel continues to rule Billboard’s Gospel charts and claims the top three spots for the second week in a row.

WOW Gospel is recognized worldwide as the top-selling Gospel music compilation of all time – with seven platinum and three gold-certified releases since its inception. Released February 12, WOW GOSPEL 2008 offers a double dose of the groundbreaking hits that characterize the best of today’s gospel music.

Marvin Sapp’s THIRSTY is one of the breakout hits of the year. It debuted #1 and has been at the top of the charts since it was released July 3, 2007 – spending a total of 19 weeks in the #1 position. “Never Would Have Made It,” the CD’s first and current single, maintained the #1 spot at gospel radio for six consecutive months – making it the longest #1 song in the history of the NielsenBDS Gospel chart. Just this week the single landed on the UAC chart. Marvin Sapp is one of gospel music’s greatest and most charismatic singers, with a powerful voice that The Associated Press says “always vibrates like he’s wringing every drop of emotion from his spirit.”

THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE is the 10th CD released by multiple-award winning musical trendsetter Kirk Franklin – the top-selling gospel artist in Soundscan history. The New York Times calls Kirk Franklin a “hip-pop gospel maximalist” and the CD has received outstanding reviews from USA Today, People Magazine, and more. Kirk Franklin most recently was the opening performance for the 2008 NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, where he also received an award for Outstanding Gospel Artist, and will appear on The View on March 11th. THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE was released December 18, 2007.

“With these chart positions, we have certainly gotten 2008 off to a great start,” says SVP/GM James “Jazzy” Jordan. “WOW is an established brand that continues to perform well, proving the enduring appeal of good gospel music. We have just scratched the surface of anticipated success for Kirk Franklin; and with Marvin Sapp, ‘Thirsty’ has proven to be the right CD recorded at the right time and we are working hard to continue moving the needle on that project.”

A division of Zomba Label Group, Zomba Gospel is comprised of Verity Records; Gospocentric Records; Kirk Franklin’s Fo-Yo Soul Entertainment; Quiet Water Entertainment; F. Hammond Music and New Life Records. Zomba Gospel is based in New York, with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville.

According to Billboard, Zomba Gospel was the #1 gospel label in 2007 and held the #1 position on the Gospel Albums chart for 28 weeks overall last year.