Katy Perry's music sales belittle this No Name Christian singer.
In 2012, her songs were played 1.4 million times on the radio. While Chris Tomlin's songs were played 3.12 million times in assemblies.
How come?
He has singing worshipers.
His raving fans sing his songs in churches.
As a kid in Saline, Texas, he learned to play the guitar from his dad and sing country songs by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and many more. He started to write Christian songs at a young age. In college, he wanted to become a Sports Doctor instead he wrote songs from his heart to celebrate the message of God. Chris writes simple songs that tell stories people sing-along too.
When a song is played on radio, at concerts, on television, or on the Internet, writers and record companies get royalties. Not much but it can add up if your song is played over and over again. Just like I get a big fat royalty check for my eBooks I publish with Amazon at Kindle Direct Publishers.
Now did you know that there is a licensing company that tracks music played in churches around the world?
The name of the company is Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI), and its president is Howard Rachinski. A holy name in the business. Maybe he should run for Pope ;-).
His company tracks the music of the world's best-selling songwriter of Christian music.
Last year alone, 20 to 30 million people in 60,000 to 120,000 US churches sang Chris Tomlin's songs. Now there's a target market for you.
Are you a Christian book writer? Think about the humongouos 20 million plus best-selling book, Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Are you a Christian movie producer? Think The Bible series by Roma Downey (she's an angel) and Mark Burnett (he's a TV reality producer) just hitting the History Channel 5 weeks before Easter. Get the idea. There is money in them church bells.
Just in 2012, churches around the world played 128 songs Chris wrote alone or co-authored with friends. And he got a big chunk of holy moolah from the $40 million dollars paid out by Christian Copyright Licensing International. Can you hear the church bells ringing?
The doors to the Sistine Chapel's vault first opened when Chris played his music at Christian Conferences with 10,000 raving fans.
Today at 41, he is a worship pastor at Passion City Church in Atlanta. It's the perfect music audience to test his new songs. Twice a month, he preaches and sings to his congregation.
Wow would you love a hungry fan base and music sales at your pulpit !
What's more he leads a series of sold-out Christian conferences around the world that attracts 60,000 plus raving fans at a time. Imagine pre-sales of his CDs ressurect just after these conferences.
Music sales: He has sold more than 4.2 million albums.
Fans downloaded more than 6 million digital records.
Plus his copywriting royalties keep rolling in his collection basket.
My mouth is salivating with words that take me down on my knees for more buyers of my eBooks. Lord have mercy on me. Can I sing you bet? Can I play the guitar? Yes I can.
Hearing people sing his songs and preaching the word of God is what motivates Chris Tomlin to write and perform. And his music sales skyrocket each times he opens his mouth.
Me I just write, pray and hope God is listening. Amen.