Gospel is a special direction in church music, which has become widespread throughout the world and has millions of inspired followers. This music reflects life as it is – with all the ups and downs. The best gospel albums are touching pieces about connecting with God.
The word gospel itself appeared in English, and is translated into other languages of the world as “gospel”, and “good news”. As is clear from the origin of the word, it refers to Christian cultural traditions. So it is: the gospel genre originated in the American Protestant church culture. He had a strong influence on all American popular music of the 20th and 21st centuries but is also interesting in itself. If you want to not only get exciting emotions but also make money on it – you can try eSports betting. Betting, like music, makes it possible to experience intense emotions, as well as earn good money in addition.
Gospel began to develop in America at the end of the 19th century in the African American cultural environment. Gospel hymns were called Christian hymns. The music of these hymns was a fusion of many folk cultures. The official founder of the genre is considered to be Charles Tindley (1859-1933), a Methodist priest who wrote the lyrics and melodies of hymns.
In many American films, you can see worship services where the choir (usually consisting of black performers) sings very energetically, and emotionally, clapping their hands and dancing. This is the typical gospel choir. The texts of these choral hymns are very positive and uplifting. They speak of Divine support and love, that one should not give up and lose heart.
For example, there is the film “Go Sister -2” in which Whoopi Goldberg plays, who leads a gospel choir. In addition, Tina Turner began her journey in the gospel choir. The biographical feature film What Love Can Do, about the life of the famous singer, shows how she sang in the choir as a child. The film very vividly conveys the charisma and burning temperament of the singer.
One can say that the great Whitney Houston grew up in the gospel choir. The singer’s mother was the leader of such a choir, and it was there that she began the vocal education of her talented daughter. Whitney Houston retained her love for this genre all her life and performed gospel chants with pleasure and a lot.
The gospel-style is characterized by a very free rhythm, rich melismatic, inventive improvisations, spontaneous replicas, and polyphony, sometimes very complex. Soul, blues, rhythm, and blues originated from this genre. If you listen to a few gospel pieces and hear their characteristic features, you will find echoes of this trend in almost all modern American music. By the way, since 2015 there has been a nomination for the Grammy Award for the best gospel performance, which means that the gospel genre is gaining popularity even now.
Top Gospel Albums
Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace
The first place in the ranking of the best gospel albums of all time is occupied by the unforgettable American singer Aretha Franklin. She proved that God is in the heart – even if you leave the church, you find him inside yourself.
Album Amazing Grace was Aretha’s triumphant return to the gospel. This is one of the most important releases in her creative career.
Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin is a prominent figure in Christian music. He grew up with a deeply religious aunt who encouraged him to take up music. The famous performer became a bright star in the modern gospel sky and released his eleventh work in 2011.
The album is replete with voices and instruments: keyboards, drums, guitar, percussion, cello, violin, trumpet, saxophone, and flute were used during the recording.
God’s Property from Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation
In third place is again Kirk Franklin, this time in collaboration with a musical ensemble. The collaboration between Kirk Franklin and God’s Property has featured the best gospel albums since 1997.
The modern reading of Christian tunes with elements of hip-hop and other musical movements captivated the listeners. The album went triple platinum, selling millions of copies around the world.