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In his comments on my recent post about Southern Gospel videos on Amazon’s bestseller list, Doug Harrison at Averyfineline wondered how hits on Southern Gospel videos on YouTube compare to hits on CCM videos. Admittedly, I don’t have the time for a formal study, but I did a simple comparison with the top 5 videos that come up under the keywords “Gaither” and “Casting Crowns.”

Top 5 - Casting Crowns

1. Who am I Casting Crowns (1,352,999 views) - youth group dramatization of song
2. Who am I (433,678 views) - audio track of song with slide show of photos
3. Casting Crowns Who Am I (323,397 views) - two group members do the songgroup sings song on a TV show
4. casting crowns - if We are the Body (318,524 views) - audio track of song with a slide show of photos
5. Praise You in this Storm (294,300 views) - audio track of song with a slide show of photos

Top 5 - Gaither

1. If My Nose was Running Money by Aaron Wilburn (2,756,204 views) - not quite sure why this one came up
2. Amazing Grace History by Wentley Phipps (1,653,479 views) - song / story from Gaither Homecoming
3. 4th of July 2007/Mount Rushmore Singers (1,150,110 views) - animation of GVB song
4. Aaron Wilburn - Krispy Kremes, Men and Women, Funny Names (341,650 views) - Gaither mentioned in description
5. Fresh Blend Sings Gaither Vocal Band (179,580 views) - local group doing Gaither song

The highest placing concert videos of the respective groups were the Gaither Vocal Band’s “Alpha and Omega,” #6 with 133,717 views and Casting Crowns’ “The Altar and the Door Sneak Preview,” #10 with 187,917 views. However, it appears that Gaither’s video got its views independently, while the Casting Crowns film was posted by their label, and appears to have picked up some of its hits through being viewed on the label’s website.

This is an animation of a song from the Gaither Vocal Band’s A Capella album:

The nominees for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards have been announced.  In the “Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album” category, two Southern Gospel albums are among the six nominees. Karen Peck & New River picked up what I believe is their first Grammy nomination for Journey of Joy.

Bill & Gloria Gaither and their Homecoming Friends also picked up a nomination for Amazing Grace. It was one of four slated projects to come out of their 200+-artist taping earlier this year. I was particularly pleased to see this homecoming nominated, since it is the first chance quite a few Southern Gospel artists and groups have had to be part of a Grammy-nominated project. Among these would be the Ball Brothers, the Collingsworth Family, the Perrys, and all the members of today’s Blackwood Brothers except Jimmy Blackwood.

Incidentally, since Karen Peck & New River was on the Homecoming Video, if a Southern Gospel title wins, they’ll be a winner either way.