Sounds of Praise Weekend Listening: Gospel Music to Add to Your Playlist

By Godfrey Chimbganda | Sounds of Praise, Spirit Radio

Looking for something fresh to soundtrack your weekend?

Every week on Sounds of Praise on Spirit Radio, we explore gospel and Christian music across generations and genres — from the legends who helped shape gospel music to the artists pushing Christian music into new territory today.

This weekend, I’ve put together a selection that moves through classic gospel, soul, jazz, worship, Christian hip-hop and Afrobeat. Some names will be very familiar. Others might become new favourites.

THE LEGENDS ARE STILL SPEAKING

Andraé Crouch – “Still Walking On”

Few people have influenced modern gospel music as profoundly as Andraé Crouch.

Although Crouch passed away in 2015, music from his remarkable catalogue continues to reach new generations. “Still Walking On” is another opportunity to revisit the work of one of gospel music’s genuine pioneers.

For younger listeners who may know the artists influenced by Crouch without knowing his music, this is a great place to start.

Weekend listen: “Still Walking On”

Kirk Franklin ft. GloRilla – “This Time”

Kirk Franklin has spent decades proving that gospel music doesn't have to stand still.

“This Time” sees him connect once again with rapper GloRilla, bringing contemporary hip-hop culture into Kirk's unmistakable gospel world.

It is precisely the kind of collaboration that creates conversations beyond the traditional gospel audience while keeping Christian music connected to contemporary culture.

Weekend listen: “This Time”

Tank, Fred Hammond & Lecrae – “It Won’t Work”

This is an interesting meeting of R&B, gospel and Christian hip-hop.

Tank connects with gospel legend Fred Hammond and Lecrae on “It Won’t Work”, drawing on Hammond’s gospel classic “No Weapon”.

For listeners who grew up with Fred Hammond, there is immediate familiarity. Lecrae then helps connect that gospel heritage with another generation.

Weekend listen: “It Won’t Work”

NEW TO SOUNDS OF PRAISE: MARK BARLOW

One artist I particularly want Sounds of Praise listeners to discover is Mark Barlow.

Barlow brings together gospel, jazz, soul, indie pop and cinematic influences while keeping faith at the centre of his songwriting.

His album Looking For Water is the sort of project worth experiencing rather than simply skipping through. There is musicianship here, but there is also atmosphere.

If gospel jazz with an urban edge is your thing, start with:

“Union”
“Looking For Water”
“Something About Your Name”

Put the headphones on for this one.

WATCH JOHN KEITH

Christian hip-hop continues to produce artists who are increasingly difficult to place into one musical box.

Jon Keith, known both as a solo artist and through his work with indie tribe, is one of those names.

There is rap, melody and contemporary production in his music, giving him the potential to work not only on specialist Christian hip-hop programmes but across broader Christian radio.

Two tracks worth adding to your weekend:

Jon Keith ft. Dende – “New Me”

and

Jon Keith ft. Chance the Rapper – “You Can Always Come Back”

The Chance the Rapper collaboration in partiwcular is one to hear.

MEET THE “RAPPING PASTOR”

Dante Pride brings together two worlds that have always had more in common than people sometimes realise: ministry and hip-hop.

A Christian hip-hop artist and pastor, Pride represents a generation of artists for whom music and ministry don't have to exist separately.

Three tracks worth exploring are:

Dante Pride ft. Miles Minnick

“Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah” ft. Lisa Page Brooks

“Oil” ft. Erica Campbell

Those collaborations alone tell you something about the space Dante Pride is occupying — connecting Christian hip-hop with established gospel voices.

AFROBEATS: GOSPEL WITHOUT BORDERS

One of the most exciting developments in Christian music over the last few years has been the continued international growth of African-influenced gospel.

Ryan Ofei ft. Lecrae & Aaron Cole – “Send Me”

Many listeners will associate Ryan Ofei with worship music, which makes “Send Me” particularly interesting.

Bringing Lecrae and Aaron Cole into the record creates a different energy and demonstrates how fluid the boundaries between worship, gospel, Afro-influenced music and Christian hip-hop have become.

Limoblaze ft. RUA YOUNG – “Superpower II”

Limoblaze has become one of the most recognisable names in Christian Afrobeat, taking the sound to audiences far beyond Africa.

“Superpower II” continues that international outlook through a collaboration with South Korean artist RUA YOUNG.

African Christian music meeting Korean music culture is exactly the kind of cross-cultural collaboration worth watching.

WORSHIP FOR THE WEEKEND

Todd Dulaney – “Psalms 24”

Irish gospel audiences will already have a connection with Todd Dulaney following his Dublin appearance last year.

“Psalms 24” comes from his 2026 project Back to the Book II and brings us firmly back into worship territory.

If your weekend playlist needs a moment to move away from beats and simply focus on worship, put this one on.

WHEN TIMBALAND MEETS STREET GOSPEL

1K Phew ft. Timbaland – “Safe”

This is one of the collaborations that immediately catches your attention.

1K Phew and Timbaland.

Timbaland is one of the most influential producers in modern R&B and hip-hop, while 1K Phew has been one of the artists helping define the sound of contemporary Christian rap.

“Safe” arrives ahead of their collaborative Seven Trumpets project, with the music being described as Street Gospel.

Whether that becomes a wider movement or simply the identity of this project remains to be seen, but the combination is fascinating.

Christian hip-hop continues to develop its own sounds rather than simply following mainstream rap — and this collaboration deserves attention.

TERRIAN: A BIG WORLD INDEED

Terrian returned in August with the 17-track album Mad Big World.

She has developed into one of Christian music's most versatile voices, able to move between contemporary Christian music, gospel, pop and more rhythmic sounds without losing her identity.

Two songs I'd recommend starting with are:

“Walking With My God”

and

“You Remain”

“You Remain” has strong radio potential, while “Walking With My God” demonstrates another side of Terrian's increasingly international sound.

DOE: WORSHIP THAT NEEDS ROOM TO BREATHE

Finally, DOE has been busy.

Her third studio album Shiloh arrived in August, followed in September by The DOE Song Sessions EP.

These aren't necessarily three-minute, get-in-and-get-out radio records. Some of the Song Sessions performances stretch towards seven minutes — and that's part of their appeal.

Sometimes worship music needs space.

Three tracks to spend time with are:

“Every Second”

“On God”

“Mighty God”

Don't rush them.

YOUR WEEKEND STARTS HERE

That's a lot of music — but that's also the point.

Gospel music in 2026 isn't one sound.

It can be Andraé Crouch one moment, Limoblaze the next. It can move from Fred Hammond to Lecrae, from jazz and soul to Afrobeat, worship and Christian hip-hop.

And somewhere amongst all of that, there is probably a song you haven't heard yet that will become part of your own soundtrack.

So this weekend, try something new.

And then join me on Sounds of Praise on Spirit Radio, Saturdays from 8pm–10pm, as we continue discovering gospel music from Ireland and around the world.

What are you listening to this weekend?

Godfrey Chimbganda presents Sounds of Praise on Spirit Radio and is the founder of Gospel Music Ireland.