Matthew West’s “Don’t Stop Praying” Hits No. 1 on Christian Airplay Chart

Matthew West bets on his 13th leader BillboardThe Christian Airplay chart with “Don’t Stop Praying” tops the chart dated July 20.

During the July 5-11 tracking period, the song grew 1% to 6.7 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.

With new frontman Christian Airplay, West joins TobyMac for the most No. 1s among solo artists on the chart, which began in 2003. Jeremy Camp follows with 12 chart-topping titles. Among all groups, West and TobyMac trail only MercyMe (19) and For King & Country (14).

“Don’t Stop Praying” becomes West’s first Christian airplay leader since “Me on Your Mind” topped the chart for five weeks beginning in July 2022. In the meantime, he reached the top 10 with “My Story Your Glory” (No. 6, April 2023); he has 26 top 10s, the sixth-most in the chart’s history.

West, 47, of Downers Grove, Illinois, celebrates his 20th birthday on Billboard That year, he reached number one on the Christian Airplay charts with “More,” which spent five weeks starting in March 2004.

Norful Nets Become Fourth Leader

Smokie Norful scores his fourth No. 1 on the Gospel Airplay chart with “In My Name.” The single, which he co-wrote, saw a 4% increase in streaming over the tracking week.

Norful, who is based in the Chicago area, follows “I Still Have You,” which peaked at No. 2 on the chart in February. Prior to that, he fronted Todd Dulaney’s “Satisfied” for one week in September 2022, and “Um Good” for 13 weeks starting in January 2007, and “I Understand” for three frames starting in March 2005.