Newsboys Celebrate 10 Million in Career Sales

Platinum-selling Newsboys were honored at their Nashville tour stop earlier this week for total career sales in excess of 10 million units. During a VIP reception at Lipscomb University's Allen Arena, FairTrade Services president/founder Jeff Moseley recognized the band's prolific achievement and rare accomplishment within the genre. Since forming in Australia more than three decades ago and arriving in America in 1987, Newsboys have released 23 recordings and are heralded as one of Christian music's most iconic bands.   
 
Moseley also announced a full-length Newsboys United recording, set for release next year. The FairTrade Services project will showcase Newsboys' current lineup--Michael Tait, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Jody Davis--along with former members Peter Furler and Phil Joel. The supergroup has performed to numerous capacity crowds around the country since reuniting earlier this year. Showcasing "all the hits... under one roof... for one tour," the "Newsboys United Tour" is set to play a total of 100 shows in 2018. 

 
Additionally, Newsboys United performed fan favorite "He Reigns" during the 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards, broadcast earlier this week on TBN. The band was also recently announced as headliners of the multi-artist Winter Jam 2019 Tour Spectacular--Christian music's largest annual tour and one of the biggest first quarter outings in the world. Newsboys United are set to take the Winter Jam stage beginning January 11 in Jacksonville, Florida, delivering a string of the biggest hits from their three-decade career. 
 
One of the most influential bands in Christian music history, Newsboys have amassed eight Gold® certifications, 33 #1 radio hits, four Grammy nominations, two American Music Award nominations and multiple Dove Awards. Their signature songs include "We Believe," "He Reigns," "Miracles," "Born Again" and their Platinum-certified mega hit, "God's Not Dead." The latter inspired one of the most popular Christian film franchises of all time.

dc Talk Attends U2 Show With OneRepublic

TobyMac, Michael Tait and Kevin Max attend ed U2's Joshua Tree Tour in Tampa, FL and also spent part of the night hanging out with the members of OneRepublic.

The Joshua Tree Tour commemorates the 30 year anniversary of the release of U2's career-defining album The Joshua Tree, a project which deeply influenced countless contemporary musicians--including dc Talk.  OneRepublic's lead singer Ryan Tedder was influenced by the album, but his influences also included dc Talk. Ryan Tedder grew up on Christian music through the 90s.

All of the artists shared photos to Instagram throughout the night, including capturing Ryan Tedder's spot-on impression of Kevin Max singing "What If I Stumble."

A post shared by Kevin Max (@sirkevinmax) on Jun 14, 2017 at 7:58pm PDT

A post shared by Michael Tait (@michaeltait) on Jun 14, 2017 at 9:07pm PDT

A post shared by TobyMac (@officialtobymac) on Jun 14, 2017 at 5:33pm PDT

dcTalk Reunites for Surprise Performance

For the first time in more than a decade, TobyMac, Michael Tait (currently of Newsboys) and Kevin Max reunited as dcTalk, performing TobyMac's "Love Feels Like" live in front of the Dove Awards crowd.

TobyMac's set began with a shortened version of his current single "Til The Day I Die" before the lights went down. A video played, with Toby talking about dcTalk and his song "Love Feels Like,"  from his This Is Not A Test.

Toby began performing the song, and was gradually joined onstage by his dcTalk bandmates. The crowd at Lipscomb University's Allen Arena rose to their feet and responded loudly and enthusiastically.

"Did that just happen? Did we really just witness the dcTalk reunion at the Dove Awards?" asked the ecstatic presenter, Tye Tribbett, following the performance at the awards.

dc Talk Reunites... And the Announcement Sparks Controversy

To the excitement of fans, iconic band dc Talk announced a reunion and performance by group members TobyMac, Michael Tait and Kevin Max.   However, the announcement received backlash as it became clear that it may only be for a performance aboard the Jesus Freak Cruise, departing from Miami on July 11, 2017. Marking the first time in 16 years fans will be able to see the band perform, the cruise will travel to the ports of Nassau, Bahamas and Half Moon Cay (Private Island). TobyMac and the Diverse City Band, Newsboys, Kevin Max, Finding Favour, Capital Kings, Ryan Stevenson and Hollyn will perform alongside dc Talk on the Jesus Freak Cruise line-up. Tickets will be available for purchase on May 16, 2016 by visiting JesusFreakCruise.com.

The band demonstrated their sense of humor with the following tweet:

PR team's response after reading your tweets. #dctalk #jesusfreakcruise pic.twitter.com/RL6uspKY64

— dc Talk (@dctalkofficial) May 11, 2016

Newsboys Lead Singer Michael Tait Endorses Ted Cruz

Michael Tait, the frontman for the enormously popular Newsboys, has officially endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president, citing the GOP hopeful’s principles, saying that, as an African-American, he supports him “100 percent.”

Tait, who is an alumnus of Liberty University, told Fox News columnist Todd Starnes that when he saw the senator launch his campaign from the university in March of last year, that he saw Cruz’s “drive” and “hunger” for “solid principles.”

“I saw him, his family, the way he talked to people in person. I saw his drive, his hunger for solid principles, solid ideas going forward in our country that, even as an African-American, if you want to get really technical about it, I support 100 percent,” Tait told Starnes.

Tait went on to share some advice for fellow Christians who will be entering the voting booth.

“People of faith should vote for a man they believe in,” Tait said. “A man they feel can do the job, not falter, not say one thing before the election and do another whole thing after the election, a man that stands his ground, keeps his word, protects our freedom — that’s who you should vote for.”

Third Day's New Worship Album Premieres at #20 on Billboard 200

Third Day's new album, Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship debuted at #20 on the Billboard Top 200, at #13 on the SoundScan Top Current Albums Chart this week. Coinciding with the release, the popular band performed to a sold-out audience at the Beacon Theatre in New York on the day of release, March 3, and appeared on the national television show Fox & Friends on March 7.

The band has racked up 30 No. 1 radio singles. The band has sold more than 8.5 million albums, including two RIAA 2x Multi Platinum, five Platinum and 12 Gold certifications. A Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee (2009), THIRD DAY has garnered four Grammy Awards (with 11 career nominations), an American Music Award (with four American Music Award nominations), multiple ASCAP honors (including its coveted Vanguard Award for songwriting), and 24 career Dove Awards (from 42 nominations).

The Atlanta-based group has performed for audiences reaching into the millions all around the world. The group has been featured on "The Tonight Show," "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Fox & Friends," "60 Minutes," ABC's "Nightline," and has been written about in USA Today, the New York Times and Billboard magazine - a cover story which called Third Day "one of the best rock bands, period."

The new CD features guest appearances from Michael Tait, Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant, All Sons And Daughters, Harvest Parker --with background vocalists including David Crowder, Michael Gungor, Sarah MacIntosh and Daniel Bashta, among others.