Sparrow Records

Sparrow Records is a Christian music record label and a division of Universal Music Group.

Sparrow Records
Parent companyUniversal Music Group
Founded1976 (1976)
FounderBilly Ray Hearn
Distributor(s)Capitol Christian Music Group
GenreContemporary Christian music, gospel
Country of originUnited States
LocationBrentwood, Tennessee, U.S.
Official websitesparrowrecords.com

Background

Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then artists and repertoire (A&R) director at Myrrh Records.[1] Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the Capitol Christian Music Group,[2][3] and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label". Sparrow Records rose to prominence with the signing of singer, songwriter, Contemporary Christian musician and minister Keith Green. Within a year of his 1976 signing by Sparrow, Keith Green was the top selling Christian artist in America.

As of 2009, Sparrow's artists include Britt Nicole, Chris Tomlin, Mandisa, Matt Redman, Matthew West, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Switchfoot. Since 1996, a popular production of Sparrow Records has been the annual WOW Hits contemporary Christian music series. The WOW franchise then added the annual WOW Gospel series of albums in 1998. The WOW Worship series was introduced in 1999, an annual compilation of the greatest hits in contemporary worship music.

Roster

Former

Compilations
  • Firewind: A Contemporary Dramatic Musical (1976)
  • Christmas (1988)
  • Passion: Awakening (2010)

See also

References
  1. Mount, Daniel J. (2005). A City on a Hilltop? The History of Contemporary Christian Music. pp. 48–50, 53. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
  2. Hendershot, Heather (2004). "Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music? Christian Music and the Secular Marketplace". Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. p. 56. ISBN 0-226-32679-9.
  3. Thorn EMI moves into gospel music with US purchase

Sparrow projects
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