Empires (Hillsong United album)

Empires is the fourth studio album from Australian contemporary worship music band Hillsong United, a worship band from Hillsong Church. The album was released on 26 May 2015, under Hillsong Music, Sparrow Records and Capitol Christian Music Group.[1] Michael Guy Chislett served as the album's producer, with vocalist Joel Houston serving as creative director and co-producer.[2] "Touch the Sky" was released as the album's lead single in March 2015. The album won the Worship Album of the Year at the 47th Dove Awards.

Empires
Studio album by
Hillsong United
Released26 May 2015 (2015-05-26)
Recorded2014
GenreContemporary worship music, contemporary Christian music
Length71:31
LabelHillsong, Sparrow, Capitol CMG
ProducerMichael Guy Chislett, Joel Houston
Hillsong United studio album chronology
Zion
(2013)		 Empires
(2015)		 Wonder
(2017)
Hillsong United chronology
The White Album
(2014)		 Empires
(2015)		 Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land
(2016)
Singles from Empires
  1. "Touch the Sky"
    Released: 24 March 2015
  2. "Say the Word"
    Released: 1 February 2016

Background

The cover of Empires was launched into space on 12 March 2015.[3] To further promote the album, the group performed single "Touch the Sky" on the Today Show on 2 April 2015.[4] The album is United's fourth studio album, and was released on 26 May 2015 by Hillsong Music and Sparrow Records. It was released in CD, digital download, and vinyl formats.

Singles

The lead single from the album was "Touch the Sky", which was released to digital retailers on 24 March 2015,[5] and to Christian radio on 11 April 2015.[6]

"Say the Word" was released as the second single from the album on 1 February 2016.[7]

Promotional singles

"Prince of Peace" was released to digital retailers on 21 April 2015 as a promotional single[8] followed by "Heart Like Heaven", released to the iTunes Store and as a lyric video on Hillsong United's YouTube channel on 18 May 2015.[9][10]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
CCM Magazine[11]
Christian Music Review4.0/5[12]
CM Addict[13]
Cross Rhythms[14]
FDRMX[15]
Jesus Freak Hideout[16]
[17]
[18]
Louder Than the Music[19]
New Release Tuesday[20]
USA Today[21]
Worship Leader[22]

Giving the album three and a half stars at CCM Magazine, Caroline Lusk says, "Empires is a stunning display of universally relevant themes".[11] Brian Mansfield, rating the album two and a half stars out of four for USA Today, states, "Empires focuses on submission and service."[21] Rating the album four stars from New Release Tuesday, Marcus Hathcock describes feeling "awkward", after he finished listening to the album.[20] Awarding the album five stars from FDRMX, Jessica Morris writes, "Hillsong UNITED have done an extraordinary job in putting together and delivering an album that is both authentic and of the highest quality."[15]

Ryan Barbee, giving the album four and a half stars for Jesus Freak Hideout, says, "Empires, might continue to walk the love/hate line for some people".[16] Rating the album three and a half stars at Jesus Freak Hideout, Mark Rice writes, "Empires all the way through almost relegates it to the status of a lullaby album", as compared to their previous offering.[17] Scott Fryberer, awarding the album four stars from Jesus Freak Hideout, states, "United doesn't necessarly win points for the most creative lyricism, but they're leagues above where they used to be".[18] Indicating in a four and a half star review from Worship Leader, Jeremy Armstrong writes, "paradoxes of faith and God's greatness resound throughout."[22]

Awarding the album five stars at Louder Than the Music, Jono Davies says it's simply, "Superb."[19] Abby Baracskai, rating the album a 4.0 out of five for Christian Music Review, states, "the album was interesting to listen to musically because of all the minute details compiled together to create unique sounds, and lyric wise because of the important messages they illustrate."[12] Giving the album five stars from CM Addict, Michael Tackett writes, "Simply put…Empires is a masterpiece."[13] Tony Cummings, affixing a ten out of ten rating upon the album at Cross Rhythms, says, "United have produced a classic album with the potential to change tens of thousands of lives."[14]

Commercial performance

In the United States, the album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart in its first week with 50,000 units, 47,000 of which are pure album sales, making this Hillsong United's best ever sales week.[23] It also debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart and No. 2 on the Digital Albums.[24] The album has sold 122,000 copies in the United States as of June 2016.[25]

Accolades

This album was No. 12, on the Worship Leader's Top 20 Albums of 2015 list.[26]

The song, "Heart Like Heaven", was No. 6, on the Worship Leader's Top 20 Songs of 2015 list.[27]

Track listing
Standard edition[1][28]
No.TitleWriter(s)Worship leaderLength
1."Here Now (Madness)"
  • Joel Houston
  • Michael Guy Chislett
Jad Gillies7:22
2."Say the Word"HoustonTaya Smith4:24
3."Heart Like Heaven"
  • Matt Crocker
  • Houston
Jad Gillies6:29
4."Touch the Sky"
  • Houston
  • Dylan Thomas
  • Chislett
Taya Smith4:22
5."Street Called Mercy"
  • Crocker
  • Houston
  • Jonathan Douglass
  • Matt Crocker
  • Taya Smith
4:21
6."When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah)"HoustonJoel Houston4:45
7."Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)"HoustonTaya Smith6:18
8."Prince of Peace"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
  • Thomas
  • Joel Houston
  • Jad Gillies
5:56
9."Empires"
  • Houston
  • Thomas
  • Chris Davenport
  • Ben Tennikoff
Jad Gillies8:14
10."Rule"
  • Crocker
  • Houston
  • Tennikoff
Matt Crocker4:12
11."Captain"
  • Benjamin Hastings
  • Seth Simmons
Taya Smith5:31
12."Closer Than You Know"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
  • Chislett
  • Joel Houston
  • Taya Smith
9:30
Total length:71:31
Target bonus track[29]
No.TitleWriter(s)Worship LeaderLength
13."Sunburst"
  • Crocker
  • Houston
  • Scott Ligertwood
  • Chislett
Matt Crocker5:19
Total length:1:16:50
Notes
  • Worship leaders for each song can be found at this link.[30]

Charts

Album
Weekly charts
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[32] 124
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[33] 164
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[34] 12
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[35] 19
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[36] 7
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[37] 7
UK Albums (OCC)[38] 34
US Billboard 200[39] 5
Year-end charts
Chart (2015) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[40] 53

Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
US Christian
[41]		 Christian Airplay
[42]		 Christian Digital Songs
[43]		 Christian Streaming Songs
[44]
2015 "Touch the Sky" 3 5 1 8
2016 "Say the Word" 24 29 – –

References
  1. "iTunes - Music - Empires by Hillsong United". iTunes.
  2. Empires album booklet
  3. Ong, Czarina (21 March 2015). "Hillsong United's album cover makes it into space, shares Joel Houston". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. Sarachik, Justin (2 April 2015). "Hillsong United Perform 'Touch the Sky' on 'Today Show'; Group Makes First National Television Appearance [WATCH HERE]". Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. "Amazon". Amazon (US). 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  6. "Billboard". 11 April 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  7. "Mediabase 24/7 Charts - Top Music Radio Song Chart Ratings - AllAccess.com". AllAccess. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  8. "Amazon". Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  9. "iTunes". Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  10. Heart Like Heaven Official Lyric Video -- Hillsong UNITED. YouTube. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  11. Lusk, Caroline (1 June 2015). "Hillsong United: Empires". CCM Magazine. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  12. Baracskai, Abby (25 May 2015). "Hillsong UNITED 'Empires'". Christian Music Review. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  13. Tackett, Michael (26 May 2015). "Hillsong UNITED "Empires" (Review)". CM Addict. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  14. Cummings, Tony (16 March 2016). "Review: Empires - Hillsong United". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  15. Morris, Jessica (12 May 2015). "Hillsong UNITED: 'Empires' Track-by-Track Album Review". FDRMX. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  16. Barbee, Ryan (23 May 2014). "Hillsong UNITED, "Empires" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  17. Rice, Mark (24 May 2014). "Hillsong UNITED, "Empires" Review - Second Staff Opinion". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  18. Fryberger, Scott (23 May 2014). "Hillsong UNITED, "Empires" Review - JFH Staff's Additional 2 Cents". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  19. Davies, Jono (7 May 2015). "Reviews - Hillsong United - Empires". Louder Than the Music. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  20. Hathcock, Marcus (26 May 2015). "An Open Letter to UNITED". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  21. Mansfield, Brian (26 May 2015). "Album of the week: Hillsong United". USA Today. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  22. Armstrong, Jeremy. "Hillsong United: Empires". Worship Leader. pp. 52–3. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  23. Caulfield, Keith (3 June 2015). "A$AP Rocky Earns Second No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard.
  24. "Hillsong United's "Empires" Debuts #1 Top Christian Albums Chart". The Christian Beat. 3 June 2015.
  25. "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016.
  26. Staff. "2015 Top Albums". Worship Leader. pp. 58–9. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  27. Staff. "2015 Top Songs". Worship Leader. pp. 62–3. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  28. "Empires UNITED Album Credits". Zendesk.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  29. "Hillsong United - Empires - Target Exclusive : Target". Target. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  30. "Empires Album Credits - Hillsong Help". Hillsong. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  31. "Australiancharts.com – Hillsong United – Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  32. "Ultratop.be – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  33. "Ultratop.be – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  34. "Dutchcharts.nl – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  35. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2015. 22. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  36. "Charts.nz – Hillsong – United - Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  37. "Norwegiancharts.com – Hillsong – United - Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  38. "Hillsong United | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  39. "Hillsong United Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  40. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2015". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  41. "Billboard". Billboard. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  42. "Billboard". Billboard. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  43. "Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  44. "Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
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