For King & Country, the sibling duo of Luke and Joel Smallbone, achieves its 20th top 10 on Billboard‘s Christian Airplay chart (dated Dec. 17). In the week ending Dec. 11, the pair’s rendition of “Joy to the World” rises 11-7, up 13% to 1.7 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.
Of For King & Country’s 20 Christian Airplay top 10s, 11 have hit No. 1. The act earned its first top 10 in its first appearance, as “Busted Heart (Hold On to Me)” hit No. 3 in 2012, and first led with “Fix My Eyes” in 2014. The act reigned most recently with “For God Is With Us” for three weeks in July.
Concurrently, the twosome’s current non-holiday single “Love Me Like I Am,” with Jordin Sparks, holds at its No. 6 Christian Airplay high (1.7 million). The song became Sparks’ second entry and first top 10.
For King & Country ties Big Daddy Weave for the seventh-most Christian Airplay top 10s, and the third-most among duos or groups. Chris Tomlin leads all acts with 31, followed by Casting Crowns, MercyMe (29 each), Jeremy Camp, tobyMac (26 each) and Matthew West (24).
For King & Country also claims its first top 10 on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary airplay survey as “Do You Hear What I Hear?” climbs 13-10 (up 47% in plays). The act previously peaked at a No. 13 AC best, among eight entries, with “Amen” in August 2021.
‘Call’ Gets Patched Into No. 1
Jor’dan Armstrong and Erica Campbell’s “Call” rises to No. 1 on Gospel Airplay, up 6% in plays. Co-written by Armstrong, the song becomes his second leader, following “My God,” which ruled for two frames beginning in December 2021.
Campbell – who is half of duo Mary Mary with sister Trecina – also adds her second Gospel Airplay No. 1 as a soloist, after “Positive” for three weeks in August.
Mary Mary boasts three Gospel Airplay No. 1s, among nine top 10s. Its initial entry, “Heaven,” dominated for 15 frames beginning in June 2005. The pair led again with “God in Me,” featuring Kierra “Kiki” Sheard (seven weeks, beginning in June 2009), and as featured, with Le’Andria Johnson, on PJ Morton’s “All in His Plan” (one week, September 2020).
