Originally published in CBN News
Singer and songwriter Chris Tomlin has been named as the most sung artist in the world.
The multiple Grammy-winning artist has sold more than 4.2 million albums.
Tomlin’s 7th album “Burning Lights” debuted in January at No. 1 the Billboard 200 chart, becoming the fourth album from the contemporary Christian music genre to do so.
Some of his well-known songs include, “How Great Is Our God,” “Jesus Messiah,” and “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies).
In a report by CNN earlier this year, Howard Rachinski, CEO of Christian Copyright Licensing International, said churches around the world used 128 songs that Tomlin wrote or co-wrote last year.
CCLI tracks what music is used in churches. Between 60,000 and 120,000 churches are singing Tomlin’s songs, Rachinski said.
“Our best guess would be in the United States, on any given Sunday, 20 to 30 million people would be singing Chris Tomlin’s songs,” he said. “His songs are so sought-after that, even before they’re released on CD, they start showing up in CCLI’s online database.”
In 2012, Tomlin’s songs were played 3.12 million times in churches. In comparison, Billboard reported singer Katy Perry’s songs were played 1.4 million times on the radio.
According to CNN, more people have heard Tomlin’s songs than singers Katy Perry’s, Adele’s, and Kelly Clarkson’s combined.