Empires (Hillsong United album)

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Empires
Empires (Official Cover) by Hillsong UNITED.jpeg
Studio album by Hillsong United
Released 26 May 2015 (2015-05-26)
Recorded 2014
Genre Contemporary worship music, contemporary Christian music
Length 71:31
Label Hillsong, Sparrow, Capitol CMG
Producer Michael Guy Chislett, Joel Houston
Hillsong United studio album chronology
Zion
(2013)Zion2013		 Empires
(2015)
Hillsong United chronology
The White Album
(2014)		 Empires
(2015)
Singles from Empires
  1. "Touch the Sky"
    Released: 24 March 2015
  2. "Say the Word"
    Released: 1 February 2016

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.

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
Source Rating
CCM Magazine 3.5/5 stars[11]
Christian Music Review 4.0/5[12]
CM Addict 5/5 stars[13]
Cross Rhythms 10/10 squares[14]
FDRMX 5/5 stars[15]
Jesus Freak Hideout 4.5/5 stars[16]
3.5/5 stars[17]
4/5 stars[18]
Louder Than the Music 5/5 stars[19]
New Release Tuesday 4/5 stars[20]
USA Today 2.5/4 stars[21]
Worship Leader 4.5/5 stars[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]

Awards and accolades

This album was No. 12, on the Worship Leader's Top 20 Albums of 2015 list.[23]

The song, "Heart Like Heaven", was No. 6, on the Worship Leader's Top 20 Songs of 2015 list.[24]

Track listing

Standard edition[1]
No. Title Writer(s) Worship leader Length
1. "Here Now (Madness)"   Joel Houston, Michael Guy Chislett Jad Gillies, Joel Houston 7:22
2. "Say the Word"   Houston Taya Smith 4:24
3. "Heart Like Heaven"   Crocker, Houston Jad Gillies 6:29
4. "Touch the Sky"   Houston, Dylan Thomas, Chislett Taya Smith 4:22
5. "Street Called Mercy"   Crocker, Houston Jonathon Douglass, Taya Smith, Matt Crocker 4:21
6. "When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah)"   Houston Joel Houston 4:45
7. "Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)"   Houston Taya Smith 6:18
8. "Prince of Peace"   Thomas, Houston, Crocker Joel Houston 5:56
9. "Empires"   Houston, Thomas, Chris Davenport, Ben Tennikoff Jad Gillies 8:14
10. "Rule"   Crocker, Houston, Tennikoff Matt Crocker 4:12
11. "Captain"   Benjamin Hastings, Seth Simmons Taya Smith 5:31
12. "Closer Than You Know"   Houston, Crocker, Chislett Joel Houston, Taya Smith 9:30
Total length:
 71:31
Notes
  • Worship leaders for each song can be found at this link.[26]

Charts

Album

Weekly charts
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[28] 124
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[29] 164
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[30] 12
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[31] 19
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[32] 7
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[33] 7
UK Albums (OCC)[34] 34
US Billboard 200[35] 5
Year-end charts
Chart (2015) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[36] 53

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions
US Christian
[37]		 Christian Airplay
[38]		 Christian Digital Songs
[39]		 Christian Streaming Songs
[40]
2015 "Touch the Sky" 3 5 1 8

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Empires album booklet
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Hillsong – United - Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  28. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  29. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  30. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Hillsong – United - Empires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  31. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2015. 22. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  32. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Hillsong – United - Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  33. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Hillsong – United - Empires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  34. ↑ "Hillsong United | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  35. ↑ "Hillsong United – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Hillsong United. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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