NEWS SOURCE: Hoganson Media
September 11, 2013

Bethel Music, the worship ministry of Redding, CA-based Bethel Church, launched its first-ever studio album, TIDES, to unprecedented international acclaim. Released Sept. 3 with global distribution through Fuel Music Distribution, the album became the biggest retail debut ever for Bethel Music, selling nearly 15,000 copies and marking a 134% growth over last year's debut of its best-selling album, For The Sake Of The World. This week, TIDES not only hit No. 30 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 12 on the Overall Digital Albums (between Neko Case and Avenge Sevenfold) charts, but also No. 1 on the overall Top Christian/Gospel Albums and Praise & Worship Billboard retail charts.

"Bethel Music is an amazing ministry sharing music that not only resonates with and impacts people across this nation, but across the world," says Tony Patoto, The Fuel Music Management Co president. "This new partnership between Bethel and Fuel Music Distribution highlights what can be achieved with focus, determination and expertise and with incredible music, ministry and vision."

Hitting as high as No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 10 in Canada on the overall iTunes® Album charts, TIDES further sold more than 10,000 singles, including 4,000 copies of the Jenn Johnson led "Chasing You." One of the most downloaded digital Christian singles this week, "Chasing You" is a song about following God with insatiable abandon. While other artists have garnered significant airplay with their recordings of Bethel Music songs, "Chasing You" went to radio earlier this month, becoming the first Bethel Music single to ever be serviced directly to radio.

In addition to "Chasing You," TIDES is filled with songs of adoration, instruction and worship that speak not only of what God has done, but also what He is doing now, in the highest and lowest of tides. Taking the new music and worship favorites like the 2013 Dove Award nominated "One Thing Remains" to the masses, Bethel Music's Brian and Jenn Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger and William Matthews have recently seen capacity crowds across the West Coast in cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Portland. Their "Night of Worship & Ministry" tour continues tonight in Seattle and tomorrow in Vancouver, BC before wrapping up in Kelowna, BC (9/13). For all the latest tour detail, go to http://bethelmusic.com/tidestour/.

"Our events are not just singing worship songs, but also amazing nights of ministry time as well," says Joel Taylor, Director of Bethel Music. "We are partnering with each city to press in and experience God's presence that we believe is shifting spiritual atmospheres."

Over the last four years, Bethel Music has grown from being a local church music ministry to becoming a global outreach featuring a cadre of songwriters and worship leaders, a half-dozen CDs, chart-topping songs, and both online and on-campus worship schools. TIDES is again extending Bethel Music's reach. An expression of passionate emotion, anthemic declaration, and sometimes surprising experimentation, the album features original songs and music led by the aforementioned artists, as well as Matt Stinton and Hunter Thompson.

The album also addresses the popular maxim that "the only thing you can count on is change." Brian Johnson's answer is that there is one more thing you can count on. "Through it all," he declares, "God is in control. Through the whole album, there's struggle, there's tension, but then there is a reminder that God is always in control."

Here is what the critics are saying about TIDES:

"Bethel welcomes creativity and musical growth, and TIDES is a perfect example. More importantly, this fresh expression is revealed in the prayer poetry filling each song… Almost without flaw, the music marries the tone of the lyric perfectly…the artistry of Tides is outstanding… Studio produced album of outstanding congregational music from one of the most influential teams in the worship genre." - Worship Leader

"TIDES is about proclaiming the majesty of God and crying out for His Presence throughout this incredible worship experience. This album is a must-have for your praise and worship collection… one of the best of the year" - NewReleaseTuesday.com

"The innovative thing about recording in the studio, versus live, is not only a more polished sound, but also a more full one. This disc plays with dynamics and is able to make a much more relevant and contemporary worship album…this album is chock full of vocal powerhouses, and is definitely not your typical worship album." - HollywoodJesus.com

"Bethel Music…is wowing the hearts and ears of many around the world…injecting fresh arrangements of songs and new life into an industry that is otherwise a little bit stale… the 60 minute musical masterpiece [TIDES] is a treasure that is to be explored over and over…In fact, the whole record of TIDES is a great success…A brilliant album…A must buy!" - ChristianMusicZine.com

"What is amazing about the Bethel Music team is that their voices beautifully complement each other giving us a richly textured overall sound…TIDES is an album that is so firmly rooted in Christ's victory over the 'sea' that we can help but sing with affirmation…" - Breathecast.com

"With a variety of singers and musicians that deliver their own songs throughout the album, Bethel's new album stands tall as it showcases some of the most prolific and powerful vocals and song-writing skills shown in worship music today…these songs that capture the heart of our desperation for the Lord are great highlights on an album that's certain to be a standout in the history of Bethel Music, and the history of modern music altogether." - IndieVisionMusic.com

About Bethel Music:
Bethel Music, is a worship ministry that formed as an organic extension of Bethel Church, in Redding CA, which facilitates a rapidly growing relational network of churches around the world known as Global Legacy. The heart of Bethel Music is to be a steward of the worship being created and released at Bethel Church, making it a resource available to the world. In addition to the thousands of people that attend Bethel Church's weekly worship services, another 100,000-plus people subscribe to the online stream of the services at www.ibethel.org. More about Bethel Music can be found at www.bethelmusic.com, www.facebook.com/Ibethelmusic and www.twitter.com/bethelmusic.

About Fuel Distribution / Tonetree Music
Fuel Distribution/Tonetree Music, a division of Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is one of the leading independent distributors of Christian music, CD's, tapes and vinyl records internationally and enjoys a growing base in artist merchandise sales. Based in Tennessee, the Fuel team brings nearly 50 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations (Furious? Records), record distribution and marketing (EMI Label Group), and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to Dove and GRAMMY Award nominated, multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.