Since 1991 Hillsong Music Australia (HMA) has been producing and distributing the music and teaching resources of Hillsong Church.

OUR PURPOSE

Hillsong Music exists to champion and resource the cause of the local church worldwide. Birthed from the vision of Senior Pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston their small church in the northwest of Sydney, Australia began in 1983, and has grown to become an internationally recognised congregation. Hillsong recorded its first album in 1988, and has since recorded 18 live albums, and numerous kids and youth albums - distributed in close to 90 countries and territories around the world.

The Hillsong Creative team is led by Joel Houston and Reuben Morgan, and is made up of hundreds of dedicated singers, musicians, songwriters, and production volunteers. The team gives of their time and energy each week at church, with the ultimate goal of leading people into an atmosphere of dynamic, powerful, and personal praise and worship. It is this dedication that is reflected on the albums year after year. Senior Pastor Brian Houston says of the success of the music "All we've ever done is just have church. This is what God has anointed us to do. It's about reaching and influencing people. The worship is what it is because of the spirit of the church. The songs reflect the heart of our church." More than a decade ago, a group of young people from Hillsong Church, involved in the Creative team, were naïve and passionate enough to believe that they could make a real difference for God on the planet. They wanted to take what was happening inside the church and create a generation of young people who were passionate to see justice and worship go hand in hand. Today, they are Hillsong United; a music group phenomenon grounded in the local youth ministry of Hillsong Church. Their fresh brand of melodic rock and simple lyrics has seen them become a top-selling worship group in Australia, and they continually pack out stadiums, churches, and open fields alike with their unique sound, and have literally seen tens of thousands of people connect with the life changing message of Jesus Christ. Since conception, Hillsong Music has sold over 11 million units worldwide and achieved more than 30 gold and platinum sales awards - yet the purpose has remained the same - to build a strong and healthy local church, that resources the Body of Christ EVERYWHERE.

Through our music and resource, our goal is to:

• Enable people to enter into new dimension and atmosphere of praise and worship to the Lord.
• To empower people, ministries and churches through relevant, bible-based teaching, leadership and praise and worship.
• To share some of what God is doing here at Hillsong with other Christians around the world, as well as people outside of the Church.

OUR HISTORY

Hillsong Music Australia is the resource arm of Hillsong Church, a rapidly growing Church in Sydney, Australia pastored by Brian and Bobbie Houston. Hillsong Church (formerly the Hills Christian Life Centre) had its first service on 14 August 1983 with a congregation of 45 people meeting in a high school hall.

From its humble beginnings as a single desk operation, HMA has grown to the dynamic music label it is today.

"Hillsongs"as it was originally called recorded its first album in 1988. 'Spirit And Truth' was a studio recording featuring eleven songs. The sphere of influence of this album was the church and a few friends of the church. From there, came 'Show Your Glory' in 1990. Also a studio recording, this was the first album to be marketed and distributed outside Australia, edging its way into the European market.

'Hillsongs' operated from a one room office based from the church for some years but as it began to grow, the marketing and distribution of the resources was taken on by Christian Marketing Australasia.

In time, the music began to become more established and the annual Hillsong Conference rapidly grew. As the popularity of the music spread throughout Australia and beyond, various distribution companies around the world began to seek after the distribution rights to the music in their territories. Today, Hillsong Music is distributed in close to 90 countries and territories worldwide. The music has also been translated into a number of languages the world over.

In July 1997, Hillsong Music Australia took over the Australian marketing and distribution responsibilities. HMA now distributes directly to all Christian retail stores nationally.

In January 1999, Hillsong resources were released into the mainstream Australian market by Warner Music Australia. Then in July 2003, an agreement was entered into with Sony Music Australia to distribute the Hillsong Live albums into this growing market sector.

Every week letters and emails are received telling of the impact Hillsong Music resource is having in people's lives. From every corner of the earth the music coming out of this 'local church from Down Under' is impacting people in ways that only God can be glorified for. What a privilege to work in partnership with Him.

Live Praise & Worship Albums

In 1992 we recorded our first live recording The Power Of Your Love, followed in 1993 Stone's Been Rolled Away which was our first live album to also be captured on video. This paved the way for a new live praise and worship album annually. These have included:

2009 - Faith+Hope+Love
2008 - This Is Our God
2007 - Saviour King
2006 - Mighty to Save
2005 - God He Reigns
2004 - For All You've Done
2003 - Hope
2003 - Unified Praise - Hillsong and Delirious
2002 - Blessed
2001 - You Are My World
2000 - For This Cause
1999 - By Your Side
1998 - Touching Heaven Changing Earth
1997 - All Things Are Possible
1996 - God Is In The House
1995 - Friends in High Places
1994 - People Just Like Us
1993 - Stone's Been Rolled Away
1992 - The Power of Your Love

Faith+Hope+Love is Hillsong's 18th and most recent live album. Recorded across two Campuses and the 'Sydney Entertainment Centre' with our church, it was released in July 2009.

Next Generation Praise & Worship

A fresh sound of contemporary Christian music is emerging. Hillsong United, is the 'next generation' of praise and worship, and since 1999 the youth ministry of Hillsong Church has released an album every year. The Hillsong United series has experienced incredible growth around the world. Titles include:

2009 - a_CROSS//the_EARTH::Tear Down The Walls
2008 - The I Heart Revolution, Part One///With Hearts As One
2007 - All Of The Above
2006 - United We Stand
2005 - Look to You
2004 - More than Life
2003 - To The Ends Of The Earth
2002 - King of Majesty
2001 - Best Friend
2000 - United Live: Everyday

With a vibrant and growing children's ministry, the Hillsong Kids series features live, energetic praise and worship specifically for kids and kid's ministries. Titles include:

2008 - Follow You
2007 - Tell The World
2006 - Supernatural
2005 - Super Strong God
2004 - Jesus Is My Superhero


Hillsong Church London has also released its own albums which build a 'UK flavour' into the Hillsong Live experience. They most recently released 'Hail To The King' in 2008, 'Shout God's Fame' in 2004, and in 2006 launched the 'Jesus Is' album.

HMA has also released a number of studio and compilation albums including 'Hillsong Worship Series', 'Hillsong Instrumental Series', and 'The Platinum Collection Volume 1 and 2', 'Celebrating Christmas', 'Hills Praise' and the recently released 'Songs For Communion'.

Integrity Music USA have recorded two live albums at Hillsong Church entitled 'Shout To The Lord', which has currently overshot the 500, 000 in worldwide sales mark, and 'Shout To The Lord 2000'. The latter attaining number two status on the US Christian charts and making it to the Billboard charts.

Awards & Recognition - Australia

• The 2009 Hillsong United album Tear Down the Walls , achieved #2 in the iTunes Top Albums charts in the US, Aus and NZ territories
• The 2008 Hillsong Live Album This Is Our God debuted at number No.2 on the ARIA charts
• The Hillsong United Album The I Heart Revolution /// With Hearts As One debuted at No.3 on the ARIA Australian Albums chart, and No.8 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart.
• To date, 18 CD’s and 8 DVD’s have been accredited with the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Gold status in Australia. One live praise & worship album, People Just Like Us has achieved ARIA Platinum status.
• Hillsong United album Look To You has achieved ARIA Gold status
• Hillsong Kids DVD Jesus Is My Superhero has achieved ARIA Gold status
• The latest Hillsong United album, All of the Above hit number six on the ARIA charts in 2007 and also reached number two on iTunes for the most downloaded album.
• The album God He Reigns debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA charts in July 2005, with the DVD debuting at No. 1 on the ARIA Top 20 DVD charts.
• The album For All You've Done debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA charts in July 2004 and remained in the Top 100 for 11 weeks. The DVD debuted at No. 4 on the ARIA Top 40 DVD charts.
• In July 2003, Hope debuted at Number 3 on the ARIA Album charts and the DVD of Hope debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Top 40 DVDs.
• In July 2002, Blessed debuted at Number 4 on the ARIA Top 100 Album charts. The DVD debuted at number 2 on the ARIA Top 40 DVD charts. Blessed became the number 2 best-selling Christian album in the USA on its release in September 2002.

Awards & Recognition - International

• Hillsong United, [a_CROSS//the_EARTH] :: Tear Down The Walls, Awarded Best Christian & Gospel album, US iTunes 2009
• 2009 Hillsong United album Tear Down the Walls, achieved #2 in the iTunes Top Albums charts, in the US, Aus and NZ territories
• The Compilation Album Shout To The Lord Platinum Collection Vol 1 hit Gold status in USA in 2009
• 2009 Dove Award presented for Worship Song Mighty To Save at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA
• Over 30 gold and platinum sales awards achieved worldwide
• The Hillsong United album, All of the Above debuted at the number one spot in three US Billboard charts; the Contemporary Christian Album chart, top Praise and Worship Album and the Digital Christian/Gospel Album chart. It also entered at number 60 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. Additionally, it debuted in the Canadian Christian Retail Chart at number one.
• In 2007, United was awarded an International Impact Dove Award for Christian Artists, which was presented in Nashville at the Gospel Music Awards.
• Blessed received a nomination for the Dove Awards 'Praise & Worship Album of the Year' at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA.
• Blessed became the No. 2 best-selling Christian album in the USA on its release in September 2002.
• You Are My World received a nomination for the 2002 Dove Awards 'Praise & Worship Album of the Year' at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA.
• By Your Side received a nomination for the 2001 Dove Awards 'Praise & Worship Album of the Year' at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA.
• The song Shout to the Lord written by Darlene Zschech was nominated for the 1998 Dove Awards 'Song of the Year' category at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA.
• The song My Hope written by Darlene Zschech was nominated for the 2004 Dove Awards 'Inspirational Song of the Year' at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville, USA.