Album Reviews
Movies
Concert Reviews

Top 10
Resources
Contact Us

Well, the Dove Awards for 2002 have come and gone, and  before hand Sparrow Records put together the first of many  Dove Award compilation albums. 

This album is full of songs that were nominated for Dove Awards this year from your favorite Christian Artists. For example, you’ll hear songs from Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, tobyMac, Rebecca St. James, ZOEgirl, Mark Schultz, Nichole Nordemen, and lots more!

As well as all of these artists, the final track is definitely a cool one! Track 15 is the famous “In God We Trust” single, where over 50 artists come together and create an amazing song. And sixteen of the fifty have solos; including all three dc Talk members, Michael W. Smith, Rachael Lampa, Steven Curtis Chapman, Mark Stuart (of Audio Adrenaline), and more.

One of the problems I have with the album is they changed the track list before its release! Before tobyMac’s track was to be “Extreme Days,” but now is “Somebody’s Watching” (one of the least favorites). Michael W. Smith’s “Above All” was going to be on the album, it’s now gone and he doesn’t have a song…period! Just things like that.  If they stuck with the original list this album would have been better, but it’s still a good album nonetheless.

So in short, if you want a compilation album to hold you until Wow 2003, then Dove Hits 2002 is definitely the one to pick up; it has loads of great songs. Sure, there are a few poor ones, but it’s still a great album overall.

Josh McConnell 6/2/2002

On April 9 Sparrow Records released Dove Hits 2002: 16 of the Year's Best Dove Award-Nominated Artists and Songs - one of the most complete compilation CDs around thanks to its mix of popular artists, songs and its musical diversity.

The CD starts with "Live Out Loud" (Steven Curtis Chapman) just as the actual Dove Awards did; the song gives a fun and energetic opening for the celebration of some of the years best CCM artists. Following is "Come Together," Third Day's hit song from their most recent album. Third Day rightfully won several awards this year, and presented an incredible performance of this song. Other top winners of the year also included on the album include ZOEgirl ("With All of My Heart") and Nicole C. Mullen ("Call on Jesus"). Other Dove performers featured are Yolanda dams (who was also MC), Shaun Groves, Point of Grace and tobyMac. The album also includes the bonus track "In God We Trust," which, acording to the promo material, "was commissioned by the Gospel Music Association and the
Christian music industry's unified response to the tragic events of September 11th." Artists with featured vocals include tobyMac, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Rachel Lampa, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Jaci Valesquez, while more than 50 additional Christian music artists participated in the choir for the song as well.

The only major disappointments of the album are that it does not include the song that gave one of the most inspirational and lyrically touching performances at the Doves by MercyME, "I Can Only Imagine," and that Artist of the Year Michael W. Smith is not represented.

Overall it is a genuine hit album - one for any CCM music fans to have!

Jessica Heikoop 7/8/2002