Brandon Lake scores his second No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart as his new set, King of Hearts, launches atop the list dated June 28.
The album simultaneously arrives on the all-genre Billboard 200 at No. 7, granting the singer-songwriter his first top 10. Plus, it opens as his first No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums.
The 16-song set, released June 13, earned 37,000 equivalent album units, with 20,000 in album sales, in the United States through June 19, according to Luminate. Both sums are weekly bests for Lake, who co-authored each song on the LP.
The album’s “That’s Who I Praise” hit No. 1 on Hot Christian Songs last October, dominating for nine frames. (It ranks at No. 4 on the latest ranking.) The set’s current single, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” tops the multimetric list for a 23rd week, having become Lake’s sixth No. 1 – and first to debut at the summit – in November.
The latter’s version currently being promoted to country radio features Jelly Roll and ranks at No. 15 on Hot Country Songs. “Hard Fought Hallelujah” became Lake’s first hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 40 in May, as well as his first top 10 on Hot Rock Songs (No. 6 peak) and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (No. 8).
King of Hearts is Lake’s first studio album since 2023’s Coat of Many Colors, which became his first leader when it entered at No. 1 with 9,000 units that November. In between, Lake, 35, from Charleston, S.C., released Tear Off the Roof (Live From the Holy City) last July. The set opened at its No. 18 high on Top Christian Albums.
Prior to his two leaders, Lake hit the Top Christian Albums top 10 with House of Miracles, which rose to No. 6 in June 2023 after it debuted in September 2020.
Carvin Winans Leads Gospel Airplay
Carvin Winans, of legendary sibling gospel act the Winans, earns his first solo No. 1 on Gospel Airplay with his initial entry, “God Still Working on Me.” It ascends a spot with a 17% increase in plays.
Winans co-wrote the single with wife Chérie Winans, Carlos Battey and Gregg Pagani. The latter two co-produced it. The song is from Winans’ album Cool Gospel, due June 27.
“We started out this project trying to make something special and, by the grace of God, we were able to do that,” Winans tells Billboard. “We were able to bring this message of spiritual transformation to the world in a big way. Thanks to everyone who made my first solo No. 1 a reality.”
Winans, from Detroit, is one of the founding members of the Winans, along with his brothers Marvin, Michael and Ronald. They are among 10 siblings born to Delores and David, also known as “Mom” and “Pop” Winans.
The Winans have banked four No. 1s on Top Gospel Albums: Let My People Go, in 1986; Decisions (1987); Return (1990); and We Got Next (1999).
