Question: What is Urban Gospel?
Answer: Much like Southern Gospel music, Urban Gospel hit the big time via quartets. Most of the early groups were composed of all males, but there were a few female groups. Huge choirs eventually replaced the quartets in popularity and were soon joined by smaller groups, led by strong directors like Kirk Franklin. As younger fans discovered the joys of Urban Gospel, the genre added another facet in the form of the modern R&B sound.
Today, traditional gospel and contemporary gospel are both represented well, thus appealing to a broad range of age groups.
WOW Gospel, a 2-disc set that releases yearly, is hugely popular because it showcases established artists and introduces new artists.
Some of the more popular Traditional Urban Gospel artists of today are:
- Dottie Peoples
- Richard Smallwood
- Shirley Caesar
- Tamela Mann
- The Blind Boys of Alabama
Some of the more popular Contemporary Urban Gospel artists of today are:
- CeCe Winans
- Deitrick Haddon
- Fred Hammond
- Israel & New Breed
- Kirk Franklin
- Mary Mary
- Smokie Norful
- Yolanda Adams
Urban Gospel History
- Dove Awards Urban Album & Song of the Year History
- Dove Awards Traditional Gospel Album & Song of the Year History
- Dove Awards Contemporary Gospel Album & Song of the Year History
- Top Urban Gospel Albums
Recommended Urban Gospel Albums
- Take 6 - Take 6 - (Compare Prices)
- I Need You Now - Smokie Norful - (Compare Prices)
- Hooked On The Hits! - Fred Hammond - (Compare Prices)
- Yes Lord: Saints In Praise - West Angeles Church Of God In Christ Mass Choir - (Compare Prices)
- Still Tramaine - Tramaine Hawkins - (Compare Prices)
- The Sound - Mary Mary - (Compare Prices)
- Donnie McClurkin...Again - Donnie McClurkin - (Compare Prices)
- This Is Your Life - Out Of Eden - (Compare Prices)
- Somethin' 'Bout Love - Fred Hammond - (Compare Prices)
Recommended Urban Gospel Starter Songs
- "Cover Me" - 21:03 with Fred Hammond, Smorkie Norful & J. Moss (Purchase/Download)
- "For Every Mountain" - Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers (Purchase/Download)
- "God Favored Me" - Hezekiah Walker & LFC featuring Marvin Sapp & DJ Rogers (Purchase/Download)
- "In My Mind" - Heather Headley (Purchase/Download)
- "It Ain't Over" - Maurette Brown Clark (Purchase/Download)
- "Rebuild (Remix)" - J Moss (Purchase/Download)
- "Walking" - Mary Mary (Purchase/Download)
- "Well Done" - Deitrick Haddon (Purchase/Download)
Urban Gospel Online
