The Generous Mr. Lovewell
Encyclopedia
The Generous Mr. Lovewell is the seventh major label, full-length studio album
from MercyMe
. Released in May of 2010, the album is a concept record revolving around a fictional character, 'Mr. Lovewell', and the overall theme of love. Produced by Brown Bannister
and Dan Muckala
, the album met with positive critical and commercial reception. The album sold over 88,000 copies its first week and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200
and number one on the Christian Albums chart.
Three singles were released in promotion of the album, all of them reaching number one on Billboard's
Christian Songs chart. Lead single
"All of Creation
" spent ten weeks at the top of the Christian Songs chart and also peaked at No. 14 on the Heatseekers Songs
chart and No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart. "Beautiful
" and "Move
" also reached number one on the Christian Songs chart, holding the top spot for one and nine weeks, respectively, with "Move" also peaking at No. 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
. Because of the character and the more diverse sound the album was going to have, the band felt the original name didn't fit and changed the album name to reflect the character of 'Mr. Lovewell'. Millard has described the character of 'Mr. Lovewell' as "like Buddy the Elf
meets Forrest Gump
. He sees the good in everyone and knows his neighbors enough to know their needs. Mr. Lovewell may not be the next Billy Graham
, but he’s changing the world each day in every little word and deed.”
The concept of 'loving well' was further developed when the band made a trip to the Dominican Republic
and were inspired by the resilient spirits of people living in poverty on the island. When the band started to write the songs for the album, they joined the character of 'Mr. Lovewell' and the concept of 'loving well', creating the overall message of love that is present in the album. Millard stated the band's dream for the album was "to inspire others to ‘pay it forward’ to the cross. It doesn’t have to be about major sacrifices. Just let your life become such that people know what you stand for".
The album was recorded mostly by Reid Shippen
at Sonic Ranch
in El Paso, Texas
, with the exceptions of "Won't You Be My Love" and "All of Creation
", which were recorded by Steve Bishir at Quad Studios.According to the inner liner notes of the album.
and then the band worked on the music, meaning the band didn't think much about the overall length of the songs. MercyMe further developed the sound of the album by looking to the work of The Beatles for inspiration.
The songs on the album often vary in genre, with many falling outside of MercyMe's usual Adult Contemporary
sound. Songs on the album take influences from many genres, including electronic rock on "This Life" and dance music
/dance-rock
on "Move
". "All of Creation
", "Only You Remain", and "Won't You Be My Love" have a more general worship
or Adult Contemporary feel, while the title track takes a musical feel similar to that of The Beatles.
Individual songs vary on the overall theme of love. "Beautiful
" was written for the daughters of the band members, expressing the Christian viewpoint that Jesus
saw something beautiful, something worth dying for, in everyone. "This So Called Love" expresses the belief that all good deeds done absent of Jesus are in vain, while "Crazy Enough" expresses the idea that unconditional love 'just might be crazy enough' to work.
". The song spent 10 weeks at the number 1 spot on the Billboard
Christian Songs chart and peaked at number 14 on the Heatseekers Songs chart. "All of Creation" was also ranked by Billboard at the top spot on the year-end Christian Songs chart. It also peaked at No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart.
The second single, "Beautiful
", was announced on September 17, 2010 and also peaked at the top spot on the Christian Songs chart, holding it for 1 week.
A third single, "Move
", was released in May 2011. "Move" peaked at the top spot on the Christian Songs chart, the third single from the album to do so, and has thus far held the top spot for nine weeks. It also peaked at No. 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
," you've missed out on some of the Christian genre's most accessible and well-known hits -- which means you might not fully appreciate the full artistic statement that the band makes on The Generous Mr. Lovewell, a daring reinvention that drove the band far outside its comfort zone and sparked a national social trend in the process," also noting that "the band's collaboration with Brown Bannister
and Dan Muckala
delivers the messages with authenticity and contemporary new sounds that make it perfectly believable to envision a world in which Lovewell's considerate and genuine actions are manifest in the lives of real everyday people". Kevin Davis of Christian Music Review, giving the album an A+, opined that the album reminds him "of a classic theme album like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
or Songs For Jane
[sic] by Maroon 5
, both in musical diversity and with the challenging lyrics" and "truly establishes MercyMe as the premier artist in all of Christian music".
Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday gave the album five out of five stars, opining that "[The Generous Mr. Lovewell] takes the formula that MercyMe has perfected and drop kicks it out of Mr. Lovewell's window". Brian Hall of The Christian Manifesto also gave the album five stars, stating that "when I initially heard the title for this new album, my mind instantly jumped to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. While it is absurd to compare anything to that album, I feel comfortable enough to say that this is possibly the closest Adult Contemporary CCM has come to holding a match to it", also opining that the album "is easily one of the band’s best records and history will look back on it kindly".
Tyler Hess of Christian Music Zine gave the album a B, opining that "Mercy Me [sic], the mega-band that everyone and their grandma knows about in Christian rock, has created a tale of two bands. One of them creative, daring and all over the place at the beginning of a concept album loosely based on Mr. Lovewell, a Christian to be emulated for His love... The other being the status quo, exactly what you’d expect in the first place, leaving much to the imagination". Roger Gelwicks of Jesus Freak Hideout
was even less positive, opining that "MercyMe is still on top of their game... however, The Generous Mr. Lovewell is undeniably a pretty forgettable record, and while there are a few gems to be found, it's only going to appeal to the already-existent fanbase MercyMe has garnered after all these years", also stating that "MercyMe still has great things to say and their musical progression has been adequate enough, but it's hard to see their sixth record as anything extraordinary and more desirable than their previous material." Billboard
reviewer Deborah Evans Price commented that "from the buoyant opener "This Life" to the brief but eloquent closer "This So Called Love," MercyMe's sixth studio album, "The Generous Mr. Lovewell," is a beautifully executed set that celebrates how the power of love can change the world... Music with a message has never sounded lovelier".
with almost 88,000 copies sold in its first week of release, MercyMe's highest peak on the chart to date. The album also debuted at number 1 on the Christian Albums chart. The high first week sales totals were led by a lengthy pre-order campaign. Accordingly, album sales slid sharply in it's second week, with the album selling 18,000 units (an 80% sales drop) and sliding 20 spots, to number 23 on the Billboard 200.
MercyMe
The band members' instruments are not credited on the album's liner notes, aside from crediting backing vocals and being part of the band. Their primary instruments are listed based on their accounts of their de facto primary roles in the group.
Additional performers
Technical
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
from MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
. Released in May of 2010, the album is a concept record revolving around a fictional character, 'Mr. Lovewell', and the overall theme of love. Produced by Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister is a CCM producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, Talk to One Another, in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records Label five years later, featuring a newer recording of the album's final cut, "Create In Me A Clean Heart"...
and Dan Muckala
Dan Muckala
-Awards :*ASCAP Songwriter of the year 2011 *Belmont’s prestigious Curtain Call Award -Discography :Below is a selected discography for Dan Muckala...
, the album met with positive critical and commercial reception. The album sold over 88,000 copies its first week and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number one on the Christian Albums chart.
Three singles were released in promotion of the album, all of them reaching number one on Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Christian Songs chart. Lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
"All of Creation
All of Creation (song)
"All of Creation" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song, written by MercyMe, Brown Bannister, and Dan Muckala, lyrically revolves around the theme of loves, life, and belief, as well as the foundation of Christian faith...
" spent ten weeks at the top of the Christian Songs chart and also peaked at No. 14 on the Heatseekers Songs
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart and No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart. "Beautiful
Beautiful (MercyMe song)
"Beautiful" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song's lyrics revolve around the love of God, and the song itself was written with the daughters of the band in mind....
" and "Move
Move (MercyMe song)
"Move" is a song by contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by MercyMe and Dan Muckala, "Move" is a dance-rock song with a sound similar to that of Maroon 5, particularly their songs "Maroon 5" and "Makes Me Wonder"...
" also reached number one on the Christian Songs chart, holding the top spot for one and nine weeks, respectively, with "Move" also peaking at No. 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
Background, concept, and recording
The idea for the character of "Mr. Lovewell" and the album while trying to figure out concepts for the record. According to lead singer Bart Millard "we [MercyMe] were trying to come up with the concept for our next record. For some reason, the words 'love well' got stuck in my head". Millard elaborated that "we're very good, as a nation, at loving well when a massive tragedy takes place... We all of a sudden become very unified, which is a great, great thing. But on a day-to-day basis, we pass up opportunities. We look the other way, or we try to ignore. So the idea of loving well is almost a kind of 'pay it forward' that revolves around the cross". With that general idea, MercyMe was going to name the album Love Well. However, the band decided to make a character that personifies the idea of 'loving well', and came up with the character of 'Mr. Lovewell', partly inspired by The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
. Because of the character and the more diverse sound the album was going to have, the band felt the original name didn't fit and changed the album name to reflect the character of 'Mr. Lovewell'. Millard has described the character of 'Mr. Lovewell' as "like Buddy the Elf
Elf (film)
Elf is a 2003 comedy film directed by Jon Favreau, written by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 and grossed over $220,400,000 worldwide.-Plot:A baby crawls into Santa Claus' sack while he is...
meets Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump (character)
Forrest Gump is a fictional character who first appears in the 1986 eponymous novel by Winston Groom. Forrest Gump also appeared on screen in the 1994 film of the same name directed by Robert Zemeckis. Gump was portrayed as a child by Michael Humphreys and portrayed as an adult by Tom Hanks, who...
. He sees the good in everyone and knows his neighbors enough to know their needs. Mr. Lovewell may not be the next Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
, but he’s changing the world each day in every little word and deed.”
The concept of 'loving well' was further developed when the band made a trip to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and were inspired by the resilient spirits of people living in poverty on the island. When the band started to write the songs for the album, they joined the character of 'Mr. Lovewell' and the concept of 'loving well', creating the overall message of love that is present in the album. Millard stated the band's dream for the album was "to inspire others to ‘pay it forward’ to the cross. It doesn’t have to be about major sacrifices. Just let your life become such that people know what you stand for".
The album was recorded mostly by Reid Shippen
F. Reid Shippen
F. Reid Shippen is a six-time Grammy Award-winning music mixer, engineer, and producer, currently based in Nashville, TN.-Biography:Growing up in Fair Haven, NJ, F. Reid Shippen performed in bands and eventually decided that he wanted to pursue a career in music. He attended , where he graduated...
at Sonic Ranch
Sonic Ranch
Sonic Ranch, in west Texas, is the world's largest residential recording studio complex. There are 5 world-class studios designed by on a pecan orchard which borders the Rio Grande River and old Mexico. Located east of El Paso, Texas, in the border town of Tornillo, there are 5 houses on the...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, with the exceptions of "Won't You Be My Love" and "All of Creation
All of Creation (song)
"All of Creation" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song, written by MercyMe, Brown Bannister, and Dan Muckala, lyrically revolves around the theme of loves, life, and belief, as well as the foundation of Christian faith...
", which were recorded by Steve Bishir at Quad Studios.According to the inner liner notes of the album.
Music
MercyMe wanted to get out of their comfort zone with the overall sound of the album, and brought in producer Dan Muckala. Millard has said that he initially wrote the songs on the album as poemsPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and then the band worked on the music, meaning the band didn't think much about the overall length of the songs. MercyMe further developed the sound of the album by looking to the work of The Beatles for inspiration.
The songs on the album often vary in genre, with many falling outside of MercyMe's usual Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
sound. Songs on the album take influences from many genres, including electronic rock on "This Life" and dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
/dance-rock
Dance-rock
Dance-rock is a post-disco movement connected with post-punk/no wave genres with fewer R&B/funk influences. An example of this "post-disco" is Gina X's "No G.D.M." and artists like Liquid Liquid, Polyrock, Dinosaur L, and Disco Not Disco [2000] compilation album...
on "Move
Move (MercyMe song)
"Move" is a song by contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by MercyMe and Dan Muckala, "Move" is a dance-rock song with a sound similar to that of Maroon 5, particularly their songs "Maroon 5" and "Makes Me Wonder"...
". "All of Creation
All of Creation (song)
"All of Creation" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song, written by MercyMe, Brown Bannister, and Dan Muckala, lyrically revolves around the theme of loves, life, and belief, as well as the foundation of Christian faith...
", "Only You Remain", and "Won't You Be My Love" have a more general worship
Contemporary worship
Contemporary worship is a form of Christian worship that emerged within Western evangelical Protestantism in the twentieth century. It was originally confined to the charismatic movement, but is now found to varying extents in a wide range of churches, including many that do not subscribe to a...
or Adult Contemporary feel, while the title track takes a musical feel similar to that of The Beatles.
Lyrics
The album's lyrical content generally revolves around a theme of unconditional love and a concept MercyMe has called 'loving well'. Other lyrical themes include worship and selflessness.Individual songs vary on the overall theme of love. "Beautiful
Beautiful (MercyMe song)
"Beautiful" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song's lyrics revolve around the love of God, and the song itself was written with the daughters of the band in mind....
" was written for the daughters of the band members, expressing the Christian viewpoint that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
saw something beautiful, something worth dying for, in everyone. "This So Called Love" expresses the belief that all good deeds done absent of Jesus are in vain, while "Crazy Enough" expresses the idea that unconditional love 'just might be crazy enough' to work.
Singles
The first radio single released in support of the album was "All of CreationAll of Creation (song)
"All of Creation" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song, written by MercyMe, Brown Bannister, and Dan Muckala, lyrically revolves around the theme of loves, life, and belief, as well as the foundation of Christian faith...
". The song spent 10 weeks at the number 1 spot on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Christian Songs chart and peaked at number 14 on the Heatseekers Songs chart. "All of Creation" was also ranked by Billboard at the top spot on the year-end Christian Songs chart. It also peaked at No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart.
The second single, "Beautiful
Beautiful (MercyMe song)
"Beautiful" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song's lyrics revolve around the love of God, and the song itself was written with the daughters of the band in mind....
", was announced on September 17, 2010 and also peaked at the top spot on the Christian Songs chart, holding it for 1 week.
A third single, "Move
Move (MercyMe song)
"Move" is a song by contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by MercyMe and Dan Muckala, "Move" is a dance-rock song with a sound similar to that of Maroon 5, particularly their songs "Maroon 5" and "Makes Me Wonder"...
", was released in May 2011. "Move" peaked at the top spot on the Christian Songs chart, the third single from the album to do so, and has thus far held the top spot for nine weeks. It also peaked at No. 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
Reception
Critical
Critical reception to The Generous Mr. Lovewell was generally positive. Giving the album four-and-a-half out of five stars, Allmusic reviewer Jared Johnson stated "If you only know MercyMe for their 2001 ubiquitous AC crossover hit "I Can Only ImagineI Can Only Imagine
"I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written and composed by Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing...
," you've missed out on some of the Christian genre's most accessible and well-known hits -- which means you might not fully appreciate the full artistic statement that the band makes on The Generous Mr. Lovewell, a daring reinvention that drove the band far outside its comfort zone and sparked a national social trend in the process," also noting that "the band's collaboration with Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister
Brown Bannister is a CCM producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, Talk to One Another, in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records Label five years later, featuring a newer recording of the album's final cut, "Create In Me A Clean Heart"...
and Dan Muckala
Dan Muckala
-Awards :*ASCAP Songwriter of the year 2011 *Belmont’s prestigious Curtain Call Award -Discography :Below is a selected discography for Dan Muckala...
delivers the messages with authenticity and contemporary new sounds that make it perfectly believable to envision a world in which Lovewell's considerate and genuine actions are manifest in the lives of real everyday people". Kevin Davis of Christian Music Review, giving the album an A+, opined that the album reminds him "of a classic theme album like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
or Songs For Jane
Songs about Jane
Songs About Jane is the debut album of American pop rock band Maroon 5, released June 25, 2002 on J Records and Octone Records. The album became a sleeper hit with help of five singles that attained chart success, including the Billboard hit "Harder to Breathe" and international hits "This Love"...
[sic] by Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
, both in musical diversity and with the challenging lyrics" and "truly establishes MercyMe as the premier artist in all of Christian music".
Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday gave the album five out of five stars, opining that "[The Generous Mr. Lovewell] takes the formula that MercyMe has perfected and drop kicks it out of Mr. Lovewell's window". Brian Hall of The Christian Manifesto also gave the album five stars, stating that "when I initially heard the title for this new album, my mind instantly jumped to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. While it is absurd to compare anything to that album, I feel comfortable enough to say that this is possibly the closest Adult Contemporary CCM has come to holding a match to it", also opining that the album "is easily one of the band’s best records and history will look back on it kindly".
Tyler Hess of Christian Music Zine gave the album a B, opining that "Mercy Me [sic], the mega-band that everyone and their grandma knows about in Christian rock, has created a tale of two bands. One of them creative, daring and all over the place at the beginning of a concept album loosely based on Mr. Lovewell, a Christian to be emulated for His love... The other being the status quo, exactly what you’d expect in the first place, leaving much to the imagination". Roger Gelwicks of Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
was even less positive, opining that "MercyMe is still on top of their game... however, The Generous Mr. Lovewell is undeniably a pretty forgettable record, and while there are a few gems to be found, it's only going to appeal to the already-existent fanbase MercyMe has garnered after all these years", also stating that "MercyMe still has great things to say and their musical progression has been adequate enough, but it's hard to see their sixth record as anything extraordinary and more desirable than their previous material." Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
reviewer Deborah Evans Price commented that "from the buoyant opener "This Life" to the brief but eloquent closer "This So Called Love," MercyMe's sixth studio album, "The Generous Mr. Lovewell," is a beautifully executed set that celebrates how the power of love can change the world... Music with a message has never sounded lovelier".
Commercial
"The Generous Mr. Lovewell" debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with almost 88,000 copies sold in its first week of release, MercyMe's highest peak on the chart to date. The album also debuted at number 1 on the Christian Albums chart. The high first week sales totals were led by a lengthy pre-order campaign. Accordingly, album sales slid sharply in it's second week, with the album selling 18,000 units (an 80% sales drop) and sliding 20 spots, to number 23 on the Billboard 200.
Track listing
(Writing credits lifted from the inner notes of the album)Personnel
(Credits lifted from Allmusic)MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
The band members' instruments are not credited on the album's liner notes, aside from crediting backing vocals and being part of the band. Their primary instruments are listed based on their accounts of their de facto primary roles in the group.
- Bart MillardMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, composer, group member, lyricist, vocals (background) - Jim BrysonMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– keyboards, casting, group member, vocals (background), wardrobe - Nathan CochranMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, group member, vocals (background), wardrobe - Barry GraulMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, group member, vocals (background) - Mike ScheuchzerMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– guitar, group member, vocals (background) - Robby ShafferMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– drums, group member
Additional performers
- Carly Bannister – vocals (background)
- Matt Fuqua – vocals (background)
- Josh Havens – vocals (background)
- Ellie Holcomb – vocals (background)
- Adam Lester – musician
- Dan Ostebo – vocals (background)
Technical
- Brown BannisterBrown BannisterBrown Bannister is a CCM producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, Talk to One Another, in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records Label five years later, featuring a newer recording of the album's final cut, "Create In Me A Clean Heart"...
– composer, digital editing, lyricist, overdub engineer, producer - Steve Bishir – engineer
- Chuck Butler – digital editing, musician
- Aaron Chmielewski – assistant
- Thad Cockrell – composer, lyricist, vocals (background)
- Dan Deurloo – assistant, digital editing
- David Edmonson – photography
- Luke Edmonson – photography
- Charles Godfrey – assistant
- Brody Harper – art direction, cover design
- Jason IngramJason IngramJason Ingram is a Christian music producer and songwriter. He has served as a songwriter for many Christian artists, including Sonicflood, Rebecca St. James, Bebo Norman, Point of Grace, and Brandon Heath, among others.-Career:...
– composer, lyricist - Keller Jahner – assistant
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Danielle Kelley – casting
- Nick Kish – composer, lyricist
- Daniel Martin – casting
- Ben McCraw – package design
- Buckley Miller – assistant
- Dan MuckalaDan Muckala-Awards :*ASCAP Songwriter of the year 2011 *Belmont’s prestigious Curtain Call Award -Discography :Below is a selected discography for Dan Muckala...
– composer, digital editing, lyricist, overdub engineer, producer, programming, vocals (background) - Leigh Ragan – hair stylist, make-up
- Reid Shippen – engineer, mixing
- Kristin Weidemann – artwork
- Bill Whittington – digital editing, overdub engineer
Album charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Year-end album charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
158 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Albums |
6 |
Singles charts
| Year | Song | Peak Chart Position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ |
US Heat |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
||
| 2010 | "All of Creation All of Creation (song) "All of Creation" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song, written by MercyMe, Brown Bannister, and Dan Muckala, lyrically revolves around the theme of loves, life, and belief, as well as the foundation of Christian faith... " |
1 | 14 | 102 |
| "Beautiful Beautiful (MercyMe song) "Beautiful" is a song by Contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. The song's lyrics revolve around the love of God, and the song itself was written with the daughters of the band in mind.... " |
1 | — | — | |
| 2011 | "Move Move (MercyMe song) "Move" is a song by contemporary Christian/Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by MercyMe and Dan Muckala, "Move" is a dance-rock song with a sound similar to that of Maroon 5, particularly their songs "Maroon 5" and "Makes Me Wonder"... " |
1 | — | 120 |
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
INO Records INO Records INO Records, also known as Fair Trade Services, is an American record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, specializing in Contemporary Christian music . It is distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and was owned by Integrity Media until June 2011. When Integrity Media sold its assets... |