The Annual Top Ten

Every morning at The Singing School we are led in our chapel worship by our talented staff. It is in this setting that we are introduced to new songs and the instructors model various aspects of song leading to the students. Since 1989, we have had these assemblies in the Chapel on the Hill, a beautiful room that was designed with a cappella singing in mind. It has been said that the Chapel on the Hill is as close to acoustically perfect as one will find outside of a laboratory.

From the seventy-or-so songs we sing Monday-Thursday, students vote on their favorite two of each day. Thursday we take all the results, tally them, and produce The Top Ten for that year, the favorite songs of The Singing School.

Below you will see every Top Ten list we could find. It might serve as the beginning of a discussion on the transitional nature of church music, but also the enduring qualities of some great songs.

Top Ten – 2021
  1. Behold Our God
  2. All to Us
  3. Never Gonna Let Me Go
  4. Only a Holy God
  5. Do Not Abandon Me (Congregational)
  6. There’s a Stirring
  7. Do Not Abandon Me (Polyphonic)
  8. Highly Exalted
  9. Rescue Me
  10. Taste and See (Psalm 34)
Top Ten – 2020
  1. Only a Holy God
  2. Never Gonna Let Me Go
  3. Behold Our God
  4. All to Us
  5. How Can It Be? (Regen)
  6. Taste and See (Psalm 34)
  7. Do Not Abandon Me (Congregational)
  8. Eye of the Storm
  9. Rescue Me
  10. I Will Rise
Top Ten – 2019
  1. Behold Our God
  2. Rescue Me
  3. Do Not Abandon Me
  4. All to Us
  5. How Can it Be? (Regen)
  6. I Will Rise
  7. Let the Children Dance (Psalm 149)
  8. Never Gonna Let Me Go
  9. Eye of the Storm
  10. Only a Holy God
  11. Your Love Defends Me
Top Ten – 2018
  1. Build Your Kingdom Here
  2. All to Us
  3. Behold Our God
  4. Rescue Me
  5. Oceans
  6. Because He Lives (Amen)      (tied for sixth)
  7. Jesus Messiah                          (tied for sixth)
  8. Had it Not Been the Lord
  9. King of My Heart                   (tied for eighth)
  10. Do Not Abandon Me              (tied for eighth)
  11. Rabboni                                   (tied for ninth)
  12. Thomas’ Song                         (tied for ninth)
  13. Highly Exalted                        (tied for ninth)
  14. It Is Well With My Soul         (tied for tenth)
  15. Eye of the Storm                     (tied for tenth)
  16. Ancient Words                        (tied for tenth)
Top Ten – 2017
  1. All to Us
  2. Because He Lives (Amen)
  3. Un Grato Olor (A Sweet Aroma)
  4. Do Not Abandon Me
  5. Highly Exalted
  6. Master of the Storm
  7. Rescue Me
  8. Exalted
  9. Deep Calls to Deep
  10. Magnificat
Top Ten – 2016
  1. Living Sacrifice
  2. Our God
  3. Do Not Abandon Me
  4. At the Cross (Love Ran Red)
  5. On the Jericho Road
  6. All to Us
  7. Send Your Light, tied for seventh
  8. Magnificat, tied for seventh
  9. Rescue Me, tied for eighth
  10. I Saw the Light, tied for eighth
  11. Because He Lives (Amen), tied for ninth
  12. Exalted, tied for ninth
  13. When the Night is Falling
Top Ten – 2015
  1. Send Your Light
  2. Til the Storm Passes By
  3. Lean on His Arm
  4. Shout Hallelujah
  5. Rescue Me
  6. Do Not Abandon Me
  7. Who Shall Stand Before the King
  8. Never Once
  9. My God Is Singing Over Me
  10. Beautiful Things
Top Ten – 2014
  1. 10,000 Reasons
  2. Let It Rise
  3. Do Not Abandon Me
  4. Rescue Me
  5. El Shaddai
  6. Shout Hallelujah
  7. Who Shall Stand Before the King
  8. Agnus Dei
  9. Ancient Words
  10. Til the Storm Passes By,  tied for tenth
  11. Blessed Be Your Name (Redman),  tied for tenth
  12. My God Is Singing Over Me,  tied for tenth
  13. Go Light Your World,  tied for tenth
Top Ten – 2013
  1. Who Shall Stand Before the King?
  2. Do Not Abandon Me
  3. Rescue Me
  4. 10,000 Reasons
  5. Ancient Words
  6. A New Anointing
  7. El Shaddai
  8. Magnificat
  9. A Shield About Me (tied for 9th)
  10. Agnus Dei (tied for 9th)
  11. Blessed Be Your Name (tied for 9th)
  12. Till the Storm Passes By (tied for 9th)
  13. Salvation Has Been Brought Down
Top Ten – 2012
  1. Magnificat
  2. Do Not Abandon Me
  3. Till the Storm Passes By
  4. Blessed Be Your Name
  5. Who Shall Stand Before the King?
  6. Heavenly Love
  7. Salvation Has Been Brought Down
  8. El Shaddai
  9. His Grace Reaches Me
  10. Hide Me, Rock of Ages (tied for 10th)
  11. The New Song (tied for 10th)
Top Ten – 2011
  1. Days of Elijah
  2. I Will Call Upon the Lord
  3. Magnificat
  4. The Greatest Commands
  5. The New Song
  6. There’s a Stirring
  7. Blessed Be Your Name (Redman)
  8. Don’t You Want to Go to that Land
  9. Here I Am to Worship
  10. A New Anointing
Top Ten – 2010
  1. Who Shall Stand Before the King
  2. How Deep the Father’s Love
  3. There’s a Stirring
  4. Magnificat
  5. Here I Am to Worship
  6. The Lord Bless You and Keep You
  7. The Greatest Commands
  8. Salvation Has Been Brought Down
  9. Don’t You Want to Go To That Land
  10. The Offering of Calvary
Top Ten – 2009
  1. O Lord, Our Lord
  2. Who Shall Stand Before the King?
  3. Here I Am to Worship
  4. There’s a Stirring                                (tied for fourth)
  5. The Lord Bless You and Keep You   (tied for fourth)
  6. How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
  7. Blessed Be Your Name
  8. The Greatest Commands                    (tied for seventh)
  9. Down in the River to Pray                  (tied for seventh)
  10. Salvation Has Been Brought Down
  11. A New Anointing
  12. Faithful Love
Top Ten – 2008
  1. The Greatest Commands, 1973
  2. O Lord, Our Lord, 1874
  3. Still (tied for 3rd), 2002
  4. Who Shall Stand Before the King? (tied for 3rd), 2001
  5. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  6. Salvation Has Been Brought Down, 1940
  7. Thomas’ Song, 1993
  8. Faithful Love, 1993
  9. Here I Am to Worship, 2000
  10. Jesus, Flow Like a River (tied for 8th), 1989
  11. Days of Elijah (tied for 8th), 1996
  12. He Bore It All, 1926
  13. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, 1900
Top Ten – 2007
  1. Days of Elijah, 1996
  2. The Greatest Commands, 1973
  3. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  4. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, 1900
  5. Faithful Love, 1993
  6. He Bore It All, 1926
  7. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, traditional
  8. Shout To The Lord, 1993
  9. Wonderful Grace of Jesus, 1918
  10. My God And King, 2004
Top Ten – 2006
  1. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, 1900
  2. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  3. Light the Fire, 1986
  4. Faithful Love, 1993
  5. Shine, Jesus, Shine, 1987
  6. Days of Elijah, 1996
  7. Ring Out the Message, 1911
  8. You Are My All In All, 1991
  9. Jesus Flow Like A River, 1989
  10. He Bore It All, 1926
Top Ten – 2005
  1. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  2. Light the Fire, 1986
  3. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, 1900
  4. Days of Elijah, 1996
  5. You are My All in All, 1990
  6. Don’t You Want to Go to That Land?, traditional
  7. Shout to the Lord, 1993
  8. God Bless You, Go With God, 1959
  9. Shine, Jesus, Shine, 1987
  10. Glorify Thy Name, 1976
Top Ten – 2004
  1. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, traditional
  2. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  3. Shine on Us, 1996
  4. Light the Fire, 1986
  5. Don’t You Want to Go to That Land?, traditional
  6. O Lord, Our Lord, 1874
  7. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, 1707/1824
  8. My God and I, 1935
  9. It is Well with my Soul, 1873/1876
  10. He Gave Me a Song, 1977
Top Ten – 2003
  1. Light the Fire, 1986
  2. There’s a Stirring, 1992
  3. Don’t You Want to Go to That Land?, traditional
  4. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, traditional
  5. Listen to Our Hearts, 1992
  6. I Will Call Upon the Lord, 1981
  7. Nobody Fills My Heart Like Jesus, 1992
  8. Have You Seen Jesus My Lord?, 1970
  9. God Bless You, Go with God, 1959
  10. He is Able, 1989
Top Ten – 2002
  1. For Those Tears I Died, 1972
  2. I’m Gonna View that Holy City, traditional
  3. Listen to Our Hearts, 1992
  4. My Eyes Are Dry, 1978
  5. Everybody Will Be Happy Over There, 1921
  6. Shout to the Lord, 1993
  7. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, traditional
  8. Restore My Soul, 1985
  9. I Will Call Upon the Lord, 1981
  10. Boundless Love, 1980
Top Ten – 2001
  1. The New Song, 1926 (or The Great Redeemer, 1915) – conflicting reports
  2. Get Right, Church
  3. Ring Out the Message, 1911
  4. Listen to Our Hearts, 1992
  5. Jesus Paid It All, 1917
  6. Everybody Will Be Happy Over There, 1921
  7. Shine, Jesus, Shine, 1988
  8. I Will Call Upon the Lord, 1981
  9. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, 1900
  10. Boundless Love, 1980