Wonder (Hillsong United album)

Wonder is the fifth studio album from Australian contemporary worship music band Hillsong United, a worship band from Hillsong Church. The album was released on 9 June 2017, under Hillsong Music, Sparrow Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. "Wonder" was released as the lead single for the album in May 2017, while "So Will I (100 Billion X)" and "Not Today" were released in 2018.

Wonder
Studio album by
Hillsong United
Released9 June 2017 (2017-06-09)
Recorded2016–2017
Studio
  • Record Plant, Hollywood, United States
  • Mandala House, Bali, Indonesia
  • Baxter House Studios, Sydney, Australia
  • The Base Recording Studios, South Melbourne, Australia
  • Golddust Studios, Sydney, Australia[1]
Genre
Length71:00
Label
Producer
Hillsong United studio album chronology
Empires
(2015)		 Wonder
(2017)
Hillsong United chronology
Hillsong: Let Hope Rise (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(2016)		 Wonder
(2017)		 People
(2019)
Singles from Wonder
  1. "Wonder"
    Released: 18 May 2017
  2. "So Will I (100 Billion X)"
    Released: 5 January 2018
  3. "Not Today[3]"
    Released: 28 September 2018
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
365 Days of Inspiring Media4.5/5[4]
CBN[5]
CCM Magazine[6]
Cross Rhythms[7]
Hallels4.5/5[8]
Louder Than the Music[9]
Jesus Freak Hideout[10]
The Christian Beat4.8/5[11]
Today's Christian Entertainment[12]

Background

The band had several recording sessions for Wonder at The Record Plant in Los Angeles.[13] Lead vocalist Joel Houston felt that the album's title and themes reflected returning wonder to both faith and worship, saying, "This is the challenge, and this is what worship— if worship can be summed up as an expression of art and music and story— is ultimately designed to do. To elevate the conversation, re-awaken the soul to something other, and lift our eyes to the wonder of a superlative truth."[14] "Splinters and Stones" was described as having "striking vocal modification and pulsing bass samplings" while containing personal lyrics.[15]

Promotion

Wonder was announced as a surprise album on May 2017, alongside its cover art, release date and track listing.[14] Hillsong United also toured Israel to promote Empires, where they debuted "Wonder" alongside several new songs.[15][16] "Wonder" and "Splinters and Stones" were released as instant-grat singles for those who pre-ordered the album, and the two songs were also available for streaming.[14] "Wonder" was released to radio airplay as the album's first single on the same day.[17] The official lyric video for "Wonder" was released on 18 May,[18] while the lyric video for "Splinters and Stones" was uploaded two days later.[19] Hillsong United also performed an acoustic version of "Wonder" for music website Worship Together.[20][21] "Shadow Step" was released as the album's third promotional single on 26 May 2017, with its lyric video released on the same day.[22] "Shape of Your Heart" was released as the album's fourth promotional single on 2 June.[23]

"Wonder" was debuted live during the band's concert in Caeserea, Israel, which was filmed in a live video and released on 24 May 2017.[16]

Hillsong United promoted the album during the 2017 Justice Conference on 9 June,[24] and had "launch nights" for the album at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on 18 June 2017,[25] and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on 23 June.[26] The band was also announced as part of the line-up of the 2017 Outcry Festival at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.[27]

On 5 January 2018, "So Will I (100 Billion X)" was released as the album's second single.[28][29][30]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Worship leader[31]Length
1."Wonder"
  • Joel Houston
  • Matt Crocker
[20][32]
  • Matt Crocker
4:54
2."Shadow Step"
[33][34]		Taya Smith5:34
3."Future Marches In"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
[35]		Matt Crocker5:42
4."So Will I (100 Billion X)"
  • Benjamin Hastings
  • Houston
  • Michael Fatkin
[36]		Benjamin Hastings6:51
5."Splinters and Stones"
  • Houston
  • Chislett
[37]
  • Joel Houston
  • Taya Smith
4:32
6."Glimmer in the Dust"
  • Aodhan King
  • Hastings
  • Dylan Thomas
  • Houston
[38]
  • Taya Smith
  • Jad Gillies
7:44
7."Greatest of These"
  • Hastings
  • Houston
  • Fatkin
[39]
3:59
8."Shape of Your Heart"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
[40]		Matt Crocker5:02
9."Not Today"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
[41]		Taya Smith4:13
10."Life"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
  • Chislett
[42]
  • Michelle Cook
  • Jonathon Douglass
6:08
11."Rain / Reign"
  • Houston
  • Crocker
[43]
  • Jad Gillies
  • Courtney Tennikoff
6:34
12."Water to Wine"Houston[44]Joel Houston9:47
Total length:71:00

Accolades

In 2018, it was announced that "So Will I (100 Billion X)" song won a GMA Dove Award in the category of Worship Recorded Song of the Year.[45] The song also nominated Song of the Year.[2] Wonder album was nominated Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year,[2] while Hillsong United band was nominated Artist of the Year.[2]

Charts

References
  1. "UNITED Wonder Album Credits". Zendesk.
  2. "2018 NOMINEES". GMA Dove Awards. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  3. "Not Today - Single by Hillsong United on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  4. "HILLSONG UNITED – WONDER". 365 Days of Inspiring Media. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  5. Banister, Christa. "Hillsong UNITED's Wonder: Music Review". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  6. "Hillsong UNITED – 'Wonder' album review". CCM Magazine. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  7. "Hillsong United - Wonder". crossrhythms. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  8. "Hillsong UNITED "Wonder" Album Review". hallels.com. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  9. "HILLSONG UNITED - WONDER". louderthanthemusic.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  10. "Hillsong UNITED, "Wonder" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  11. Major, Chris (9 June 2017). "Hillsong UNITED's 'Wonder' Is A Magnificent And Awe-Inspiring Worship Experience". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  12. Chambers, Laura (5 June 2017). "Hillsong United 'Wonder'". Todayschristianent.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  13. Chislett, Michael Guy (21 May 2017). "Michael Guy Chislett Facebook post". Facebook. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  14. Longs, Herb (18 May 2017). "Hillsong UNITED To Release New 'Wonder' Record June 9". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  15. Lewendon, Aaron (19 May 2017). "Wonder: Hillsong United's new 2017 album". Eden.co.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  16. Longs, Herb (25 May 2017). "Hillsong UNITED Performs "Wonder" Live in Israel". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  17. "Mediabase 24/7 Charts - Top Music Radio Song Chart Ratings - AllAccess.com". AllAccess. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  18. Longs, Herb (19 May 2017). "Hillsong UNITED Release Title Track For New Album "Wonder"". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  19. Longs, Herb (21 May 2017). "Hillsong United Pre-Order Track "Splinters And Stones""". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  20. "Worship Together: "Wonder" by United". Worship Together. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  21. Carey, Jesse (1 June 2017). "Watch a Hillsong United Acoustic Performance of 'Wonder' and Hear the Story Behind the Song". Relevant. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  22. Longs, Herb (26 May 2017). "Hillsong United Pre-Order Track "Shadow Step"". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  23. Longs, Herb (2 June 2017). "Hillsong United Pre-Order Track "Shape of Your Heart"". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  24. @fatai (26 May 2017). "@hillsongunited are coming out to @thejusticeconf at @WillowCreekCC June 9th! Register for the conference here: www.thejusticeconference.com/" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. "Hillsong UNITED Wonder Album Launch Night". Beacon Theatre (New York City). Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  26. @visitmusiccity (26 May 2017). ". @hillsongunited performs @TheRyman June 23. Tickets ON SALE @ 10am: www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/events/tickets …" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. Luna, Nicole (1 May 2017). "Lineup Announced for Outcry Festival at Toyota Stadium". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  28. "Mediabase 24/7 Charts - Top Music Radio Song Chart Ratings - AllAccess.com". AllAccess. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  29. @hillsongunited (23 January 2018). "You can listen to So Will I our most recent single from our album WONDER on @spotify" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. @CapitolCMGradio (4 January 2018). "These are some of our favorite lyrics from @hillsongunited's new single "So Will I." It goes for adds TOMORROW! #sowilli #hillsong" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  31. "Wonder UNITED Album Credits". Hillsong Zendesk. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  32. "Wonder Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  33. "Worship Together: "Shadow Step" by United". Worship Together. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  34. "Shadow Step Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  35. "Future Marches In Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  36. "So Will I (100 Billion X) Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  37. "Splinters and Stones Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  38. "Glimmer In The Dust Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  39. "Greatest Of These Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  40. "Shape Of Your Heart Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  41. "Not Today Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  42. "Life Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  43. "Rain / Reign Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  44. "Water to Wine Official Lyrics". Hillsong Official Website.
  45. "2018 WINNERS". GMA Dove Awards. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  46. "Australiancharts.com – Hillsong United – United - Wonder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  47. "Ultratop.be – Hillsong – Wonder" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  48. "Hillsong United Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  49. "Dutchcharts.nl – Hillsong – Wonder" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  50. "Charts.nz – Hillsong – United - Wonder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  51. "Norwegiancharts.com – Hillsong – United - Wonder". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  52. "Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart Top 20 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  53. "Hillsong United Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  54. "Hillsong United Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  55. "ARIA End of Year Albums 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  56. "Top Christian Albums - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  57. "Top Christian Albums - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  58. "Top Christian Albums - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  59. "Top Christian Albums - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
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