Tasha Layton lands her second No. 1 on Billboard‘s Christian Airplay chart (dated Oct. 8) with “How Far.” In the week ending Oct. 2, the single drew 7.2 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.
Layton, originally from Pauline, S.C., and now based in Nashville, co-wrote the single with AJ Pruis, Matthew West and her husband, Keith Everette Smith (who produced it).
“I’ve been so inspired by the messages I’ve received about ‘Far,’ ” Layton tells Billboard. “Listeners have told me their stories and how the song inspires them to reach out in compassion to those they love. I’m so grateful for the way that this song is motivating people.”
The track is from Layton’s album of the same name.
Layton notched her first Christian Airplay No. 1 last December when “Look What You’ve Done” led for a week. Her other top 10 on the chart, “Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK),” rose to No. 9 in October 2020.
Layton released two holiday songs following “Look What You’ve Done”: “This Is Christmas” and “Giving Christmas Away,” which reached Nos. 22 and 50, respectively, on Christian Airplay this past holiday season. Her first of seven entries, “Love Lifting Me,” hit No. 23 in March 2019.
Sapp Scores Sixth No. 1
Marvin Sapp rolls up his sixth No. 1 on the Gospel Airplay chart with “All in Your Hands.” The song, which Sapp co-authored with Stan Jones and was produced by Aaron Lindsey, is the lead single from Sapp’s LP Substance, which arrived on Top Gospel Albums at its No. 9 peak in June. The set awarded Sapp, the senior pastor at Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., his 14th top 10 on the survey.
Sapp last led Gospel Airplay with “Thank You for It All” for a week in October 2020, and first reigned with “Never Would Have Made It” – for a record 46 frames – in 2007-08. He ties Jekalyn Carr, Todd Dulaney and Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago for the fourth-most No. 1s in the chart’s archives. Tamela Mann leads with nine, followed by James Fortune & FIYA and Kirk Franklin, each with eight.
