Brandon Lake dominates Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart for a 20th week, on the list dated May 3, with “Hard Fought Hallelujah.”
The song initially hit No. 1 upon its debut in November, becoming Lake’s sixth leader. A remix was released on Feb. 7 adding Jelly Roll. On April 20, the pair performed the song on ABC’s American Idol. It surged by 52% to 9.1 million official U.S. streams April 18-24, according to Luminate. It also bounded by 204% to 9,000 downloads sold.
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” is the 10th hit to top Hot Christian Songs for 20 weeks or more, dating to the chart’s 2003 start. Lake is the only act with three of those elite leaders:
- 132 weeks at No. 1, “You Say,” Lauren Daigle, beginning July 28, 2018
- 61, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” Hillsong UNITED, Dec. 7, 2013
- 37, “What a Beautiful Name,” Hillsong Worship, Feb. 25, 2017
- 31, “Praise,” Elevation Worship feat. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore, March 16, 2024
- 28, “Gratitude,” Brandon Lake, Feb. 4, 2023
- 26, “Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood, Oct. 18, 2014
- 24, “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” Katy Nichole, March 26, 2022
- 23, “Word of God Speak,” MercyMe, Aug. 16, 2003
- 20, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Brandon Lake, Nov. 23, 2024
- 20, “Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle, May 20, 2023
Lake authored “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Chris Brown of Elevation Worship, Steven Furtick, Benjamin Hastings and Rodrick Simmons, with Jelly Roll also now listed among its writers. It was produced by Micah Nichols.
The song concurrently adds a 20th week at No. 1 on Christian Streaming Songs and a 15th frame atop Christian Digital Song Sales. On Christian Airplay, it rises 4-2 for a new best (3.6 million in audience, up 2%).
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” also becomes Lake’s first top 40 hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, jumping 63-40. It marked his first entry on the chart in November.
Crawford’s First No. 1
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Leanna Crawford, originally from Stanwood, Wash., earns her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart with “Still Waters (Psalm 23).” The song ascends a spot via 3.6 million impressions in the tracking week.
Crawford co-penned the single with Jonathan Gamble and Justin Richards. It’s from her same- named LP, which arrived as her first Top Christian Albums entry, at its No. 7 best, last August.
Crawford previously peaked at a No. 14 Christian Airplay high with her Seph Schlueter duet, “We Sing (Joy to the World),” this past holiday season. She has also hit the chart’s top 20 with “Mean Girls” (No. 20, April 2021).
