Joshua Watts

Well, here we are nearly mid-way through 2014! Can you believe it? I feel like it was just a month or two ago that I sat down to figure out a Christmas set list, and then bam – May!

2014 so far has been a year of outstanding new worship songs and better-than-ever recordings. Like last year, I wanted to put together a list of what I think are some of the greatest and best – at least, so far! I really pray this list is a resource for all you worship leaders and worshipers. God never intends for His people to be stagnant… His plan for us collectively is to continue marching forward as a people of unbridled faith and hope, singing the new song of salvation! God is in the new, whether a literal new song or a classic sung with new passion.

Some standards on the songs and albums below… regardless of when the song was originally composed or recorded, the recording must have been (or will be) widely released in 2014. Also, because this list is geared for church worship, I only included albums or songs that I felt could translate effectively into congregational singing.

And in no particular order, here we go!!

Album: Only King Forever (Elevation Worship)

Elevation Worship’s most recent full-length album, “Only King Forever,” is very guitar-driven, very lyrically thoughtful, and a very vertical offering. Many of the songs, if not all, can easily find their home in your regular worship set list. Elevation Worship has definitely gone the extra mile to make their songs accessible to churches by posting all the chord charts to their website, as well as performing acoustic renditions of each song in both guy and gal keys for easy reference.

Album: Tides Live (Bethel Music)

The worship collective in California from Bethel Church presented “Tides Live” earlier this year, a live follow-up to the studio-recorded “Tides” in 2013. Bethel Music has been responsible for such church worship classics as “One Thing Remains” and “Love Came Down,” and undoubtedly will pen many more favorites to come.

Key Worship Songs:

Key Fast Songs:


Album: Take It All (Passion)

Passion, arguably the most popular worship collective in the USA with the likes of Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill, is in full force again with another superb album. What I like best about this project is that each song is heavily Scriptural (which is every pastor’s dream!!) and unapologetically proclaims the name of Jesus – which should always be the primary focus of all our worship. The second best thing I like about the project is that there is more even distribution of song leaders. While Chris Tomlin (“How Great is our God”) still remains as Passion’s primary worship leader, we hear a bit more from equally terrific ‘lead worshipers’ (as they call themselves) Kristian Stanfill and Christy Nockels, plus the hipster worship team Crowder and Passion mainstay Matt Redman.

Key Worship Songs:

Key Fast Songs:

Song: Glory in the Highest (Fellowship Creative)

The first released single from Fellowship Creative’s (of Ed Young’s Fellowship Church) upcoming album “Running to Follow” (May 13) is full of fantastic energy! You should check this out as well; click here for the chord charts. On a side bar, worship pastor Derric Bonnot is easily one of the most stylish worship leaders on the planet.