Mark Schultz was one of the best new artists to come on the Christian music scene in 2000. This youth pastor from Nashville put out a debut CD that was a Christian pop home run producing the huge hits, I Am The Way and He's My Son, a Dove award nominee for Song Of The Year. Two more hits from that debut CD
hit this year: Let It Go and the duet with Ginny Owens, Remember Me. Later in 2001 his sophmore CD, Song Cinema, was released generating two
chart hits right out of the box: Kyrie, a cover of the Mr. Mister #1, and I Have Been There, making Mark Schultz the Top Christian Male Artist of the Year.
When Rebecca St. James released her first CD in 1994 at the age of 16 she won a Dove Award for Best New Artist of the Year. Ever since she has been a major voice in the Christian music industry. In 2001 her latest CD, Transform, produced five Top 40 Christian Songs including four that were released simulataneously, one each to Christian radio's four different formats. Christian rock got For The Love Of God, Reborn (pop), In Me (AC), and My Hope (inspirational) all helping Rebecca St. James become the Top Christian Female Artist of the Year.
Last year Plus One took home the Dove Award for Best New Artists. This year the Top Christian New Artists are another group of young men called True Vibe. Formed by ex-98 Degrees founder, Jonathan Lippman, and consisting of members Nathan Gaddis, Jason Barton, and Jordan Roe, these guys had a big hit with their first release, Now And Forever, going all the way to number one on both the Top 40 Christian Songs and the national charts. Their subsequent hits, Jump jump Jump, You Found Me, and Sweet Jesus have also done well all making or poised to make the top ten. True Vibe has shown that they can make great pop music consistent with the best in the field (Backstreet Boys, N Sync) and still hold on to their faith and spiritual commitment.
