From soaring streams to sold-out arenas, the worship music industry's heartbeat is now a booming $1.47 billion global market, propelled by a passionate and diverse community that is redefining faith through melody.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the global worship music market generated $1.47 billion in revenue, marking a 12% year-over-year growth driven by streaming platforms
- US worship music retail sales reached $285 million in 2022, with digital downloads comprising 45% of total sales
- Worship music accounted for 18% of the overall Christian/Gospel genre revenue totaling $142 million in streaming alone in 2023
- Global worship music streaming reached 25 billion plays in 2023, up 22% from 2022
- "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United amassed 1.8 billion Spotify streams by 2023
- "What a Beautiful Name" by Hillsong Worship hit 900 million YouTube views in 2023
- Hillsong United ranked #1 on Billboard Hot Christian Songs for 150 cumulative weeks by 2023
- Bethel Music artists collectively won 12 Dove Awards from 2018-2023
- Elevation Worship sold out 50 arena shows in 2023 tour grossing $30 million
- "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" topped CCLI Top 100 for 108 weeks straight 2013-2015
- "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)" by Matt Redman is #1 all-time CCLI with 2 million reports
- "What a Beautiful Name" ranked #1 CCLI 2018 and holds top 10 since 2017
- 65% of US worship leaders are aged 25-44 according to 2023 CCLI survey of 5,000 churches
- 72% of worship music consumers attend evangelical churches weekly, per Barna 2022 study
- Women comprise 58% of active worship music streaming audience on Spotify 2023
The worship music industry reached record profits in 2023 through streaming, touring, and church licensing.
Artist Performance
- Hillsong United ranked #1 on Billboard Hot Christian Songs for 150 cumulative weeks by 2023
- Bethel Music artists collectively won 12 Dove Awards from 2018-2023
- Elevation Worship sold out 50 arena shows in 2023 tour grossing $30 million
- Maverick City Music debuted at #1 on Billboard Gospel Albums with 5 projects since 2020
- Chris Tomlin holds record for most #1 Christian Airplay songs with 20 by 2023
- Lauren Daigle won 7 Grammy nominations in worship category equivalents by 2023
- Hillsong Worship performed at 5,000 churches worldwide in 2022-2023 cycle
- Phil Wickham headlined 40 US worship nights averaging 10k attendees in 2023
- Passion Movement artists drew 65k attendees to 2023 Atlanta conference
- Kari Jobe co-led 25 women's conferences with 200k total attendance in 2022-2023
- TobyMac's Hits Deep Tour 2023 featured 30 dates with 500k total fans
- For King & Country completed 100 shows in 2023 grossing $25 million
- Rend Collective toured Europe 20 times reaching 150k fans in 2023
- Matt Redman collaborated on 50 worship records with sales over 10 million units career
- Jesus Culture trained 1,000 worship leaders via school programs 2018-2023
- Vertical Worship led worship at 300 churches monthly average in 2023
- Gateway Worship released 15 albums with 5 charting #1 on Billboard Christian
- Cory Asbury's "Reckless Love" earned him 10 Songwriter of Year Dove noms
- Passion's Kristian Stanfill wrote 12 top CCLI songs used in 200k churches
- Crowder (David Crowder Band) sold 4 million albums career by 2023
- Michael W. Smith has 50 #1 radio singles in Christian format over 40 years
- CeCe Winans won 12 Grammys including worship collaborations by 2023
- Brandon Lake (Bethel/Elevation) co-wrote 8 songs topping CCLI charts 2020-2023
- Chandler Moore (Maverick) performed at 50 stadium events 2022-2023
- Jenn Johnson (Bethel) led 100 revival nights with 1 million attendees since 2018
- Chris McClarney's "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" hit #1 radio 2023
- Brooke Ligertwood (Hillsong) transitioned solo with 2 #1 albums in 2023
- Cody Carnes wrote 5 top 10 CCLI songs post-2018 solo career
- Rita Springer released 20 albums with 1 million combined streams monthly
Artist Performance Interpretation
Behind every chart-topping anthem and sold-out arena is a vast, humming factory of devotion, proving that while faith may move mountains, it’s also a remarkably well-organized business.
Audience Demographics
- 65% of US worship leaders are aged 25-44 according to 2023 CCLI survey of 5,000 churches
- 72% of worship music consumers attend evangelical churches weekly, per Barna 2022 study
- Women comprise 58% of active worship music streaming audience on Spotify 2023
- 45% of Gen Z (18-24) report worship music as primary spiritual practice, Lifeway 2023
- Hispanic Americans make up 22% of Christian music buyers, up 15% since 2018, Nielsen 2023
- 80% of worship conference attendees are from suburban areas, Eventbrite 2022 data
- Millennials (25-40) account for 55% of CCLI license holders in churches, 2023 report
- 62% of worship music fans have college education or higher, Pew 2022 religious media study
- African American listeners grew to 28% of gospel/worship streams in 2023, Luminate
- 70% of Passion Conference youth attendees are high school/college students, 2023 stats
- Rural church worship teams average 55% female members, Lifeway 2023 survey
- 48% of worship playlist users on Apple Music are parents aged 30-49, 2023 data
- Baby Boomers (55+) represent 22% of vinyl worship buyers in 2023, RIAA
- 75% of Bethel School of Worship students are international from 50 countries, 2023 enrollment
- Urban worship consumers 35% more likely to stream Maverick City vs. rural, Spotify 2023
- 60% of female worship leaders cite Kari Jobe/Lauren Daigle as influences, Worship Leader Mag survey
- Teens (13-17) increased worship TikTok engagement 40% in 2023 to 2 billion views
- 55% of worship music donors to artists are aged 35-54, GoFundMe Christian data 2022
- Southeast US holds 42% of worship event ticket buyers, Ticketmaster 2023
- 68% of CCLI top song users are non-denominational churches, 2023 audit
- LGBTQ+ identifying Christians 12% of online worship communities, Barna 2023
- 50% of worship app users (YouVersion) are international non-English speakers, 2023 stats
- Married couples 65% of live worship album purchasers, Amazon 2023 data
- Homeschool families 18% above average in worship curriculum adoption, AOP 2023
- Veterans/military families 15% of Armed Forces worship streams, Spotify 2023
- College campus worship attendance 80% students aged 18-22, InterVarsity 2023
- Empty nesters (50-65) 25% of road trip worship playlist creators, Roadtrippers app 2023
- Single adults 30-40 32% of small group worship leaders, Group Pub 2023 survey
- Immigrant churches 40% growth in worship song adoption rate 2020-2023
Audience Demographics Interpretation
The worship music industry is an increasingly diverse but suburban-led coalition where women and young adults stream from their phones, Gen Z finds its sanctuary in playlists, and a globalized, college-educated audience connects across generational and cultural lines—for better or worse, the sound of modern faith is curated by millennials with a vinyl revival on the side.
Market Revenue
- In 2023, the global worship music market generated $1.47 billion in revenue, marking a 12% year-over-year growth driven by streaming platforms
- US worship music retail sales reached $285 million in 2022, with digital downloads comprising 45% of total sales
- Worship music accounted for 18% of the overall Christian/Gospel genre revenue totaling $142 million in streaming alone in 2023
- The worship segment of Christian music saw $320 million in sync licensing deals for films and TV in 2022
- Live worship event ticket sales contributed $450 million to the industry in 2023, boosted by arena tours from Bethel Music and Hillsong
- Merchandise sales from worship conferences like Passion generated $25 million in 2023
- Publishing royalties for worship songs hit $180 million globally in 2022 via CCLI licenses
- Vinyl sales of worship albums surged 35% to $12 million in the US in 2023, led by Elevation Worship releases
- Digital album sales in worship music totaled 1.2 million units in 2022, generating $15 million
- Spotify payouts to worship artists reached $90 million in 2023 from 15 billion streams
- Apple Music worship playlists generated $22 million in artist royalties in 2022
- YouTube monetization for worship music videos earned $35 million in ad revenue shared with labels in 2023
- Global worship music export revenue from US labels hit $210 million in 2022
- Church licensing fees through CCLI topped $75 million annually in 2023
- Bethel Music's catalog generated $28 million in royalties in 2022
- Hillsong's publishing arm earned $42 million from global church usage in 2023
- Passion Music royalties exceeded $15 million in 2022 from top songs like "Glorious Day"
- Maverick City Music's debut year royalties reached $18 million post-2021 breakthrough
- Elevation Worship album sales revenue was $22 million in 2023 from "Graves Into Gardens"
- Chris Tomlin's career publishing royalties surpassed $100 million by 2022
- Lauren Daigle's "Look Up Child" generated $10 million in first-year revenue in 2018
- For King & Country duo earned $14 million from tours and albums in 2023
- TobyMac's merchandise and music revenue hit $20 million in 2022 tour cycle
- Rend Collective's live album revenue was $8 million in 2023
- Matt Redman's song catalog royalties totaled $12 million by 2022
- Kari Jobe's "The Blessing" generated $5 million in streaming royalties in 2020-2021
- Phil Wickham's "This is Amazing Grace" earned $7 million since 2013 release
- Jesus Culture label revenue from music reached $16 million in 2022
- Vertical Worship's annual revenue from recordings was $9 million in 2023
- Gateway Worship publishing income was $11 million in 2022 from church plays
Market Revenue Interpretation
The numbers show that while worship music may aim for the heavens, it's also doing impressively well on earthly spreadsheets, with streaming platforms serving as both a modern hymnal and a formidable revenue machine.
Song Popularity
- "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" topped CCLI Top 100 for 108 weeks straight 2013-2015
- "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)" by Matt Redman is #1 all-time CCLI with 2 million reports
- "What a Beautiful Name" ranked #1 CCLI 2018 and holds top 10 since 2017
- "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury debuted #1 CCLI and stayed top 5 for 200 weeks
- "How Great Is Our God" by Chris Tomlin has 1.5 million CCLI reports lifetime
- "Build My Life" by Housefires/Pat Barrett topped Christian Airplay for 19 weeks in 2019
- "The Blessing" surged to #1 CCLI during COVID with 500k weekly plays
- "Graves Into Gardens" by Elevation Worship #1 Billboard Hot Christian 2020
- "Holy Forever" by Chris Tomlin/Phil Wickham debuted #1 radio 2023
- "Jireh" by Maverick City topped Gospel Airplay for 25 weeks 2021
- "King of Kings" Hillsong Worship #1 CCLI 2020 pandemic song
- "Way Maker" by Sinach/Leeland adapted for worship hit #3 CCLI 2019
- "Great Are You Lord" All Sons & Daughters 1 million CCLI uses by 2023
- "This Is Amazing Grace" Phil Wickham #1 for 13 weeks Hot Christian 2014
- "Raise a Hallelujah" Bethel Music peaked #5 CCLI longest climb 2019
- "Goodness of God" Bethel/Benjamin Hastings #1 CCLI 2020-2021
- "It Is Well" Bethel Music top 20 CCLI for 300+ weeks since 2014
- "Lion" Elevation Worship/Chris Brown debuted #1 Hot Christian 2022
- "Same God" Elevation Worship topped radio 28 weeks 2022-2023
- "In Christ Alone" Keith Getty modern hymn 800k CCLI reports
- "Revelation Song" Kari Jobe #1 Christian Airplay 2009-2010
- "One Thing Remains" Jesus Culture top 10 CCLI 150 weeks
- "My Lighthouse" Rend Collective peaked #8 Hot Christian Songs 2016
- "Even When It Hurts" Hillsong United #1 Australia ARIA Christian 2015
- "Glorious Day" Passion/Passion ft. Kristian Stanfill #1 radio 2019
- "Yes I Will" Vertical Worship top 20 CCLI 100 weeks since 2018
- "There Was Jesus" Zach Williams/Dolly Parton #1 Hot Christian 52 weeks
Song Popularity Interpretation
This data proves the modern church has canonized a new, sonically expansive and emotionally direct book of Psalms, where anthems of reassurance like "10,000 Reasons" and "Oceans" have become the common liturgical language for millions navigating both personal faith and collective crises.
Streaming Metrics
- Global worship music streaming reached 25 billion plays in 2023, up 22% from 2022
- "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United amassed 1.8 billion Spotify streams by 2023
- "What a Beautiful Name" by Hillsong Worship hit 900 million YouTube views in 2023
- Bethel Music's "It Is Well" garnered 500 million Apple Music streams since 2014
- Elevation Worship's "Graves Into Gardens" reached 400 million Spotify streams in 2023
- Maverick City Music's "Jireh" exceeded 300 million streams on Spotify by mid-2023
- "Reckless Love" by Cory Asbury logged 800 million YouTube views as of 2023
- Passion's "Holy Spirit" amassed 250 million Spotify streams since 2015
- Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" hit 1.2 billion total streams across platforms by 2023
- Lauren Daigle's "You Say" reached 1.5 billion global streams in 2023
- "10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman surpassed 700 million Spotify streams by 2023
- Phil Wickham's "Great Things" logged 150 million streams on Apple Music in 2023
- Hillsong Worship's catalog totals 10 billion Spotify streams as of 2023
- TobyMac's "Feel It" feat. Mr. Talkbox hit 100 million YouTube views in 2023
- For King & Country's "God Only Knows" reached 400 million streams across platforms
- Kari Jobe's "Revelation Song" amassed 300 million streams since 2009
- Jesus Culture's "One Thing Remains" hit 250 million Spotify plays by 2023
- Rend Collective's "My Lighthouse" garnered 180 million streams on YouTube
- Gateway Worship's "Revelations" reached 120 million Apple Music streams in 2023
- Vertical Worship's "Yes I Will" logged 90 million Spotify streams since 2018
- "The Blessing" by Kari Jobe/N Cody Carnes exploded to 500 million streams during 2020 pandemic
- Hillsong United's "So Will I (100 Billion X)" surpassed 600 million Spotify streams in 2023
- Maverick City Vol. 3 album streams hit 1 billion on Spotify within a year of 2021 release
- Bethel Music's "Raise a Hallelujah" reached 350 million YouTube views by 2023
- Passion 2023 live album debuted with 50 million streams in first week on Spotify
- Elevation Worship's "RATTLE!" amassed 200 million streams post-2020 release
- Chris Tomlin feat. CeCe Winans "Cornerstone" hit 150 million Apple Music streams
- Lauren Daigle's "Thank God I Do" reached 80 million Spotify streams in 2023
- Hillsong Worship streams grew 28% YoY to 4.5 billion in 2023 on Spotify
- TobyMac's Nubian Rose remix hit 40 million YouTube views in 2023
- For King & Country's "Burn the Ships" totaled 500 million global streams by 2023
- Bethel Music surpassed 20 billion total streams across all platforms by 2023
- Hillsong United has 15 songs over 100 million Spotify streams each as of 2023
- Maverick City Music weekly streams averaged 50 million on Spotify in 2023
- Elevation Worship's monthly listeners peaked at 12 million on Spotify in 2023
- Lauren Daigle holds 8 billion career Spotify streams as top female worship artist in 2023
- Chris Tomlin's Spotify artist page has 5.2 million monthly listeners in 2023 average
- Hillsong Worship topped Christian streaming charts with 6.8 billion annual streams in 2023
- Bethel Music live albums average 200 million streams per release on YouTube Music
- Passion Conferences' worship sets stream 100 million times yearly on Apple Music
- TobyMac's hits playlist on Spotify has 300k daily streams in 2023
Streaming Metrics Interpretation
The staggering billions of streams and views for modern worship music prove that while the soul seeks transcendence, it apparently prefers to do so on a meticulously curated, algorithm-friendly playlist.
Sources & References
- Reference 1MUSICBUSINESSWORLDWIDEmusicbusinessworldwide.comVisit source
- Reference 2RIAAriaa.comVisit source
- Reference 3BILLBOARDbillboard.comVisit source
- Reference 4HOLLYWOODREPORTERhollywoodreporter.comVisit source
- Reference 5POLLSTARpollstar.comVisit source
- Reference 6FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 7CCLIccli.comVisit source
- Reference 8SOUNDSCANsoundscan.comVisit source
- Reference 9LUMINATEluminate.comVisit source
- Reference 10NEWSROOMnewsroom.spotify.comVisit source
- Reference 11MUSICWEEKmusicweek.comVisit source
- Reference 12BLOGblog.youtubeVisit source
- Reference 13IFPIifpi.orgVisit source
- Reference 14SMHsmh.com.auVisit source
- Reference 15CCMccm.comVisit source
- Reference 16GRAMMYgrammy.comVisit source
- Reference 17ELEVATIONWORSHIPelevationworship.comVisit source
- Reference 18TENOFTHOSEtenofthose.comVisit source
- Reference 19CCMMAGAZINEccmmagazine.comVisit source
- Reference 20KINGSWAYWORSHIPkingswayworship.comVisit source
- Reference 21WORSHIPLEADERworshipleader.comVisit source
- Reference 22KARIJOBEkarijobe.comVisit source
- Reference 23PHILWICKHAMphilwickham.comVisit source
- Reference 24JESUSCULTUREjesusculture.comVisit source
- Reference 25HARVESTBIBLEharvestbible.comVisit source
- Reference 26GATEWAYWORSHIPgatewayworship.comVisit source
- Reference 27CHARTMASTERSchartmasters.orgVisit source
- Reference 28OPENopen.spotify.comVisit source
- Reference 29YOUTUBEyoutube.comVisit source
- Reference 30MUSICmusic.apple.comVisit source
- Reference 31CHRISTOMLINchristomlin.comVisit source
- Reference 32LAURENDAIGLElaurendaigle.comVisit source
- Reference 33BETHELMUSICbethelmusic.comVisit source
- Reference 34KWORBkworb.netVisit source
- Reference 35MUSICmusic.youtube.comVisit source
- Reference 36DOVEAWARDSdoveawards.comVisit source
- Reference 37HILLSONGhillsong.comVisit source
- Reference 38268GENERATION268generation.comVisit source
- Reference 39TOBYMACtobymac.comVisit source
- Reference 40FORKINGANDCOUNTRYforkingandcountry.comVisit source
- Reference 41RENDCOLLECTIVErendcollective.comVisit source
- Reference 42MATTREDMANmattredman.comVisit source
- Reference 43VERTICALWORSHIPverticalworship.churchVisit source
- Reference 44CROWDER-MUSICcrowder-music.comVisit source
- Reference 45MICHAELWSMITHmichaelwsmith.netVisit source
- Reference 46MAVERICKCITYMUSICmaverickcitymusic.comVisit source
- Reference 47CHRISTOMCLARNEYchristomclarney.comVisit source
- Reference 48CODYCARNEScodycarnes.comVisit source
- Reference 49RITASPRINGERritaspringer.comVisit source
- Reference 50ARIAaria.com.auVisit source
- Reference 51BARNAbarna.comVisit source
- Reference 52LIFEWAYRESEARCHlifewayresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 53NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 54EVENTBRITEeventbrite.comVisit source
- Reference 55PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 56TIKTOKtiktok.comVisit source
- Reference 57GO-FUND-MEgo-fund-meVisit source
- Reference 58TICKETMASTERticketmaster.comVisit source
- Reference 59YOUVERSIONyouversion.comVisit source
- Reference 60ABOUTAMAZONaboutamazon.comVisit source
- Reference 61AOPaop.comVisit source
- Reference 62INTERVARSITYintervarsity.orgVisit source
- Reference 63ROADTRIPPERSroadtrippers.comVisit source
- Reference 64GROUPgroup.comVisit source
