GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Gospel, Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

The 2025 GRAMMY nominations are here and we're going to help you to untangle it all right up until the big event, continuing with the Best Gospel Performance/Song and Best Contemporary Christian Performance/Song categories.

Take a listen to the nominated performances/songs below--who do you think will win?

See the full list of nominees in every category here.

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Do It AgainKirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

ChurchTasha Cobbs Leonard, John Legend; Anthony S. Brown, Brunes Charles, Annatoria Chitapa, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Jonas Myrin, songwriters

Still — LiveJonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts; Britney Delagraentiss, Jonathan McReynolds, David Lamar Outing II, Orlando Joel Palmer & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters

AmenPastor Mike Jr.; Adia Andrews, Michael McClure Jr., David Lamar Outing II & Terrell Anthony Pettus, songwriters

Come Jesus ComeCeCe Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

I Know A NameElevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake; Hank Bentley, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake & Jacob Sooter, songwriters

YOUR WAY'S BETTERForrest Frank; Forrest Frank & Pera, songwriters

Hard Fought HallelujahBrandon Lake With Jelly Roll; Chris Brown, Jason Bradley Deford, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings & Brandon Lake, songwriters

HeadphonesLecrae, Killer Mike, T.I.; Tyshane Thompson, Bongo ByTheWay, Michael Render, Lecrae Moore & Clifford Harris, songwriters

AmazingDarrel Walls, PJ Morton; PJ Morton & Darrel Walls, songwriters

CeCe Winans photo by Hanna CorwinThe post GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Gospel, Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Top New Music Industry News Last WeekTop new music industry news last week includes predictions for 2026 from experts, how musicians will get discovered in 2026, Songcards, the Measure of Music Conference, France honoring EDM and more.
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Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol.3Pansy Division

Deflowered (Sounds Rad)

Iconic punk band Pansy Division have celebrated the 30th anniversary of the sophomore Deflowered album with a limited edition, red vinyl rerelease. It also marks the first tine the album has been released on vinyl in over 20 years. So we're due a fresh listen.

The songs are magnificent; perfectly constructed, gloriously poetic and very witty slices of gay life. In the sleeve notes, singer and guitarist Jon Ginoli says that the album originally came out during the AIDS crisis, and that "the original inner sleeve provided safe sex instructions, information we thought could save lives." Commendable stuff.

"Chris [Freeman] and fellow co-founder Jon Ginoli (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) reflects on the impact of Deflowered's 30 years in a funny and revealing video, touching on topics as the album’s artwork, the 'dirty and sweet' balance of the lyrics, the inclusion of lesbian/bi/gay youth support group directory in the liner notes, and interpolating 'MMMbop' by Hanson and Cher’s 'Believe' into their live performances of 'Groovy Underwear,'" reads a statement. See that video below.

Shonen Knife

Our Best Place (Good Charamel Records)

Japanese punk-pop (not pop-punk) trio Shonen Knife have released an expanded edition of the 2023 album Our Best Place, with four new tracks and brand new embroidered sleeve art.

The ladies had food on their mind a couple of years ago, as they sang about "Vamos Taquitos," "Spicy Veggie Curry," and even "Afternoon Tea." Whatever they were singing about, the songs are typically fun, catchy and easy to sing along to.

The new tracks include Japanese versions of "The Story of Baumkuchen" and "Girl's Rock." If anything, the new versions are better than the originals.

Whipping Boy

Disillusion (Blackhouse Inc.)

There's a certain segment of the punk-loving population that will be whooping and cheering for this reissue. It's a niche release, sure, but the best ones usually are.

Originally produced by Dead Kennedys man Klaus Flouride over four decades ago as Muru Muru, the renamed Dysillusion is a quite wonderful, experimental slab of SF hardcore.

The influence of the likes of the DKs and also Flipper can be heard in the left field, out of kilter punk rock. But once your mind settles into it, the songs are a joy. "Sunshine Nellie," for example, is a weirdly psychedelic, experimental yet infectious tune. It's followed by the sinister "Myster Magi," and the juxtaposition is wonderful.

Dig in!The post Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol.3 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

How an Athletic Mindset Can Help Artists With Performance AnxietyDr. Noa Kageyama, PhD takes a look at research into how athletes deal with performance anxiety to extract a framework for musicians struggling with stage fright.
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Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Shares Her 2026 Music PredictionsHypebot's Future Predictions series is back. Join us as we ask the music industry's expert analysts what they think might unfold in the world of music in 2026.
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4 Non Blondes Reenergized at the RoxyPhotos by Alex Kluft, taken on December 16.

For quite a few years, Linda Perry was quick to reply "Hell no" to any request from fans or interviewers for a 4 Non Blondes reunion. She admitted as much from the stage at the Roxy on a Monday night in December, the first of two gigs at this venue before moving on to a couple in their San Francisco hometown.

Perry said that she was simply done with that chapter of her life. A super-successful songwriter and producer, why in the world would she put herself back into that particular machine again? Well, she found a reason.

It's worth remembering that 4 Non Blondes only released the one studio album--1992's Bigger, Better, Faster, More! They were around from 1989-'94, briefly in 2014, and now this. They are, of course, best known for monster hit "What's Up?" but the album had a lot more to offer, and it feels unjust to think of them as a one hit wonder.

Incidentally, "one hit wonder" is one of the most ridiculous turns of phrase in the modern English language. The idea that musicians have achieved a level of success, and the response from many is to say, "yeah, well, do it again or be subjected to mockery" is frankly insane. The vast majority of working musicians would love to have one hit.

So anyway, back to the Roxy. It was wonderful to see Perry back in stage with bassist Christa Hillhouse and drummer Dawn Richardson. The biggest surprise was that there were only two songs from their one album--"Train" and, naturally, "What's Up?" There was also a gorgeous rendition of the Perry-penned "Beautiful," a hit for Christina Aguilera, with the set filled out with new songs.

That's a bold move, but it proved to be an astute one. The band clearly believes in the new material, as they should. Highlights from those new tracks included "Drama Queen," "What They Want" and "Monomorphic." Hopefully a new release will be available soon.

The post 4 Non Blondes Reenergized at the Roxy first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 4Chip Kinman

Chip Kinman (In the Red)

As a member of beloved punks The Dils and then a number of other projects, all with his brother Tony (Rank & File, Blackbird, Cowboy Nation), Chip Kinman is a Hallowed figure on the L.A. scene. It's impressive that all of his projects have a different sound, though a family feel for fans.

This self-titled album is Chip's first full length solo effort, and it's a hyper-personal, genre-blurring piece of work.

“I had to figure out something to write about, and I thought, it’s time to make that record,” Chip says. “A long time ago, Tony and I were talking about singer-songwriters, and he said, ‘If you’re going to sing about your life, you better have had a fucking interesting life.’ And I thought, I have. I’ve gotta deep-dive into that. I figured, if I was going to write about what it was like, how was I gonna approach that? How was I going to say that without being nostalgic or without being maudlin or without being over-celebratory? It it was, well, just say it like it was.”

"So Young" is a beautiful backwards glance, while there are awesome guest appearances (Alice Bag on "Que Voy A Hacer," Mike Watt on "Drive Drive Drive"). But it's the blend of electro-punk and rootsy singer-songwriter that keeps the senses perked.

Naïm Amor and Kid Congo Powers

Tucson Safari (In the Red)

Kid Congo, well known for his work with The Cramps and The Gun Club in particular, has been busy of late. His project with Alice Bag, Juanita & Juan, plus his ongoing work with his band the Pink Monkey Birds, has seen him recording and playing shows regularly. This is different though.

According to his bio, "Gabriel Naïm Amor is a French born, Parisian musician who moved to Tucson, AZ in 1997 where he lives with his family." Of this pairing, In the Red says, "Naim Amor and Kid Congo Powers met shortly before the pandemic in Tucson, AZ . When the complete lockdowns hit everybody, Naïm like lots of other musicians reclused himself in his studio and started experimenting with longtime ideas that were on the shelf. The initial idea was to combine rockabilly/ garage electric guitars with electronic drum machines and bass synthesizers, a vague intuition inspired by Link Wray’s guitar tones in one hand and the electronic rawness of the band Suicide."

So that's how it all came to be, and the results are wonderful. Link Wray is a solid reference point; there's a very desert feel to the music, like a psychedelic spaghetti western but gone surf. The use of the drum machines and synths add an otherworldly vibe that is most welcome on tunes like "Murder She Wrote." A success, all told.

Woo

Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong (Independent Project Records)

We discovered London duo Woo via this column a couple of years ago and, honestly, we haven't looked back. We learned then that Woo were early pioneers of electronic-infused music, but never received the credit afforded to the likes of Tangerine Dream, Jean-Michel Jarre and Kraftwerk. The good folk at Independent Project Records are doing a fine job of reintroducing, or perhaps introducing, the world to the joy of Woo through some quite stunning rereleases. Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong is the latest.

Mark and Clive Ives are the brothers in question, and this double LP features a remastering of the original album, plus 10 previously unreleased bonus tracks presented as a mini-album.

"Mark and I had been home recording for five very prolific years before Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong was compiled," Clive says. "The 13 tracks we selected from this period are very diverse in style, yet magically complimentary."

Diverse is right. Jazz and folk, prog and electronica, it all makes its way in on songs such as "Swingtime" and "A Wave." The whole set is an experience though, and we're glad it's now a more expansive one.The post Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 4 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Happy Holidays from Hypebot!Season's greetings and happy new year from the team here at Hypebot.
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Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 3The Monkees

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd (Rhino/Warner)

Part of the wonderful Rhino High Fidelity, arguably the most adventurous album by The Monkees has been given the heavyweight vinyl treatment, which offers us a chance to revisit an underrated gem.

The 180-gram release has been cut from the original analog tapes at Cohearent Audio. "Released at the height of Monkeemania in November 1967, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. was The Monkees’ fourth consecutive #1 album—and their third release that year alone," a statement reads. "It spent five weeks atop the Billboard 200 and earned double platinum certification. Building on the creative control they established with Headquarters, the album marked a turning point in the band’s sound, incorporating sharper lyrics, electric banjo, and one of the earliest uses of a Moog synthesizer on a rock album. Recorded amid a grueling tour schedule and across multiple studios, the sessions captured both the group’s growing studio ambitions and the fragmented pace of their late-’60s reality. The result was one of their most adventurous—and enduring—records."

It's tough to ignore the Beatles comparisons on this one, particular the "Salesman"/"Taxman" of it all. But it's also undeniable that, when they stretched out and allowed the creativity to flow, as they did here, the Monkees were a real force. The whole "they were just actors for a TV show" thing should be put to bed.

The Cranberries

MTV Unplugged (Island/Universal)

It was 1995--30 years ago--that The Cranberries recorded one of the great MTV Unplugged sets, and it's available for the first time here in full, on newly mastered vinyl.

It's bittersweet because, boy, do we still miss singer Dolores O'Riordan. But having the opportunity to hear her in a stripped down environment, crooning her band's better known songs--that's a real treat.

"Linger," "Empty," "Zombie" -- these are glorious versions given new life in a space setting. Nirvana pulled the same trick with an MTV Unplugged, and here we are entering 2026, wishing Delores and Kurt were still with us.

"If you saw the episode, it's time to relive the majesty of their hypnotic performance that chilly February night in 1995," reads a statement. "If you hadn't seen it, be prepared to be awed."

Eternity's Children

Eternity's Children (High Moon)

Timeless (High Moon)

In the case of both of these albums from "sunshine pop legends" Eternity's Children, this is the first time they've been released on vinyl since the late '60s. We can thank the fine people at High Moon Records for that--the label has been helping us rediscover many a lost gem of late. Both of these fall into that category.

“Possessed of two exceptional lead vocalists and a self-penned hit single, immensely talented, college-educated, and great-looking to boot, they toured with some of the biggest names in music, and worked with the finest producers and musicians,” writes Steve Stanley, who produced these for reissue and wrote the liner notes. “They transformed the songs they covered – many composed by the industry’s top songwriters – and made them their own. Eternity’s Children clearly had all the ingredients necessary to conquer the pop world, yet their career path was littered with more pitfalls and landmines than most artists could ever fear to endure. Why did this band, whose talent far surpassed that of many of their more renowned contemporaries, fail to achieve the measure of acclaim and financial success they deserved?”

That is the big question. Eternity's Children certainly had the tunes, and there was a time when their very Hair, "Dawning of Aquarius" vibe was in vogue. Now, it feels like a product of its time but that's no bad thing. It's nice to look back, and enjoy.The post Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 3 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

How Musicians Get Discovered in 2026: Case Study & Downloadable ChecklistMusic discovery and how musicians get discovered is no longer about landing one big moment. With listeners encountering new music across streaming playlists, short-form video, social feeds, and peer recommendations, discovery has become a process - not an event. For artists, the challenge isn’t just getting heard once, but building momentum that compounds over time.
The post How Musicians Get Discovered in 2026: Case Study & Downloadable Checklist appeared first on Hypebot.

Measure of Music Conference’s 2026 Speakers & Sponsors AnnouncedThe Measure of Music Conference & Workshop, presented by Chartmetric, which runs from Feb. 20-22, 2026, has announced a number of key speakers and an open call for proposals.
The post Measure of Music Conference’s 2026 Speakers & Sponsors Announced appeared first on Hypebot.

AllMusic Loves 2025 ReissuesScanning the reissues and other archival releases loved by ten of our editors, it's clear that 2025 was an outstanding year for vintage live recordings as well as a myriad multi-disc compilations catering to explorers of old school R&B, synth pop, British folk, German rock, and more, even electroclash. Here are our individual editors' personal selections for the reissues and archival albums that came out this year.

Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 2Frank Sinatra

Long Ago, Far Away (1943-1951) (SING)

5XLP Deluxe Box Set

Five albums, all jam-packed with live gems by Ol' Blue Eyes, originally recorded in the '40s and very early '50s. The bulk were recorded in New York or at the Hollywood Bowl, with a few from Philadelphia. But regardless of the geographical location, all 10 sides of vinyl showcase The Voice at his very best. Smooth, emotion-inducing, and just on it!

Frank's "Ol' Man River," at the Hollywood Bowl, is a show-stopper, and it's impossible not to get goosebumps when he croons "I Fall in Love Too Easily." His banter between songs is a glorious time capsule; there are moments when he just stops short of chastising the crowd for getting too excited.

The packaging here is exquisite. "Paired with a deluxe booklet featuring expert liner notes, rare photos, and vintage memorabilia, every set is unique—each vinyl record is visually distinct, ensuring no two are alike," reads a statement.

“What SING has done with these mono broadcast recordings is nothing short of revolutionary – and remarkable,” said world-renowned Sinatra expert and author Charles L. Granata. “Engineer Harry Hess has taken the vintage sonics to an entirely new level by using professional AI tools to separate Sinatra’s voice from the orchestra, clean it and raise the volume and re-integrate it with the instrumental backing so it has more presence and stands more prominently at the forefront of the recording. This judicious use of professional AI tools has enabled SING to build on the inherent fidelity of these recordings. No gimmickry, fakery or psycho-acoustic tricks were used. Harry’s innovative, targeted and sensitive use of the burgeoning technology in a very specific way resulted in recordings that remain faithful to the artist’s performance while allowing it to shine as never before.”

If the full box set is a stretch financially, there is single LP called Frank Sinatra at the Hollywood Bowl 1943-1948, which picks out some highlights. There's also an album which picks out the best of Sinatra's Christmas on the Air tunes, which is disc 5 in the box set, just in time for the holidays. They've thought of everything.

Ray Charles

No One Does It Like Ray Charles

Come Live With Me

Love Country Style

Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul (Tangerine Record Corp.)

There aren't many voices that can follow Sinatra, but Ray Charles certainly has one of them.

Tangerine has remastered and reissued a bunch of classic Charles albums while, in No One Does It Like Ray Charles, they've dropped a new and quite stunning compilation, "collecting for the first time ever a number of mid-1960s singles, B-sides, and non-LP tracks never before gathered together on a single cohesive album," they say. "The instant classic collection captures Ray Charles at the height of his powers, offering a rare glimpse into a prolific and creatively explosive moment in his career."

"Without Love (There is Nothing)" is spellbinding, as is "Something's Wrong." At his peak, Charles' voice finds its way to your very core and wraps itself around your soul.

All of these albums, on stunning orange vinyl (Tangerine -- see what they did there?) are quite beautiful. Ray's version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" on Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul is worth the price of that particular album alone. But there's no filler on any of these.The post Vinyl Minded, Gift Guide Edition Vol. 2 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

The Most Annoying Christmas Song of All Time? (The Data Has Spoken)We dive in to America's ultimate seasonal controversy: Is “All I Want for Christmas Is You” our favorite Christmas song, or our most hated?
The post The Most Annoying Christmas Song of All Time? (The Data Has Spoken) appeared first on Hypebot.

Chris Carvalho of Songcards on Building Fan Value Into Digital Music ReleasesEver heard of Songcards? They're a new format for digital music and fan exclusives. We sat down with CEO Chris Carvalho to learn more!
The post Chris Carvalho of Songcards on Building Fan Value Into Digital Music Releases appeared first on Hypebot.