Sarantos is a unique singer-songwriter known for his fresh monthly single and video releases. His first release of 2023 is an inspiring rock track, “Somethin’ to Believe In.”

Sarantos is a highly innovative and inspiring Chicago-based musician with an impressive body of work.  His latest album, “A Spoonful of Greece” has enjoyed more than 175K Spotify streams, earning multiple iTunes sales chart hits. The enigmatic singer-songwriter and musician has now released his first single and video for 2023, an uplifting and emotional rock song, “Somethin’ to Believe In.” With a natural knack for impactful writing, Sarantos has always believed in helping people feel happy, motivated and inspired through his lyrics.

Sarantos says, “This rock song is a hug, like a parent or friend reaching down to pick you up out of a hopeless pit, and giving you something to believe in – yourself.  The video has a haunting quality to it, as it unveils a story that both parents and lovers can relate to. It comes across as emotionally authentic and heartfelt.”

Watch the Official Music Video for “Somethin’ To Believe In”.

ABOUT SARANTOS:

Sarantos is a Chicago-based nerd and retired superhero who always has a story to tell. He is a DIY international award-winning solo music artist, #1 UK and South Africa iTunes Charting Artist, multi-instrumentalist, book author, comic book nut, radio show host, poet and part-time spy.

His music is a cross between Justin Bieber, Queen, Journey & Ed Sheeran. He’s an alien who landed here to infect the human race and spread the disease of music. 2023 is Year #10 of his journey, as he continues to release a new song, lyric video, music video, book chapter and poem every month bringing his music to life! In 9 years, he has released 18 albums with 226 original tracks as well as 9 fiction/fantasy books that parallel the songs. He has had numerous media placements for his songs, instrumentals & cues including several episodes of “The Young & the Restless” in 2021.

More details about Sarantos and “Somethin’ to Believe In” can be seen at http://www.melogia.com .

BRENTWOOD BENSON, the world’s leading contemporary evangelical choral catalog, features music from acclaimed arrangers Russell Mauldin, Travis Cottrell, Bradley Knight, Cliff Duren, Marty Hamby, Jay Rouse, Luke Gambill, and David and Celeste Clydesdale, to name a few. The catalog’s award-winning array of products is anchored by the best-selling choral series, READY TO SING, from arranger Russell Mauldin and songwriter Sue C. Smith, with over 3 million READY TO SING Series books sold.

Christian music publishing veteran, Dale Mathews, has been tagged to lead BRENTWOOD BENSON as Executive Vice President. Mathews will report to J. Thomas McAfee, Chairman and President of Celebrating Grace.

“I am beyond thrilled to be back at Brentwood Benson,” Mathews said. “I spent 28 years there, with the last 15 years of that time as President of the company. I have a special affection for the Brentwood Benson brand, and a passion for servicing the Church with excellent music resources. Nothing could make me happier than for things to have come full-circle, once again making these great products available to churches and creating new projects that will lead us into the future.”

“Brentwood Benson has been a respected name for a long time in the church music world,” McAfee said. “When Brentwood Benson closed last year, I began discussions regarding acquiring and relaunching the brand under Celebrating Grace’s banner. With its award-winning catalog and history of providing music for the church for over 100 years, I knew we could develop a great team to rebuild the publishing organization. Our team looks forward to making available accessible and worshipful music from the existing catalog and creating new music for the worship of God.”

“The suspension of the Brentwood Benson choral business last year left Capitol Christian Music Group with heavy hearts,” said Casey McGinty, General Manager at CCMG Publishing, “so we are elated to be passing this iconic choral catalog into the hands of Dale, Tom, and Celebrating Grace. With their experience and passion, they are the perfect people to reinvigorate this timeless catalog and provide compelling new choral resources to the church.  We look forward to supporting them in their launch and service to the church.”

Dream Label Group’s Branan Murphy releases new music with “Palaces.”

The official audio can be heard below. “Palaces” is available now.

Palaces – Branan Murphy

Jon Reddick releases new music with “I Believe It (The Life Of Jesus).” The official lyric video can be viewed below. “I Believe It (The Life Of Jesus)” is available now.

GRAMMY winning multi-platinum group Casting Crowns re-imagines “Desert Road” with award-winning sibling trio CAIN. “Desert Road” was originally released on Casting Crowns’ 2022 Healer album.

The new version of “Desert Road” is available now to stream/download and the official lyric video can be seen below.

Desert Road – Casting Crowns Ft. CAIN

 Forrest Frank releases “No Longer Bound” feat. Hulvey.

The official audio can be heard below. “No Longer Bound” is available now.

No Longer Bound – Forrest Frank Feat. Hulvey

Five-time GRAMMY-nominated, eight-time Dove Award-winning Brandon Heath releases “That’s Enough” to radio following his sixth No. 1 hit “See Me Through It.” Both songs are featured on his first full-length, Centricity Music album, Enough Already, which likely would not have been written and recorded if it wasn’t for “That’s Enough” becoming the catalyst for new music.

In 2019, Heath was ready to be done with his career as an artist. One of the last remaining engagements on his calendar was an event with KLJY Joy 99.1 FM that the station broadcasted live. On a whim during the event, Heath played “That’s Enough,” a song that he had just written and planned to pitch to another artist to record.

The next morning, the station replayed the song from the previous night and listeners began calling the station. When the song’s impact continued, KLJY’s Sandi Brown contacted Heath, telling him that he needed to be the one to record the song. This experience lit a creative fire in Heath that ultimately led to him signing a new record deal with Centricity Music and writing a set of songs that became Enough Already.

Leaning into the album’s central theme, the award-winning artist breaks down the core elements of belief in “That’s Enough,” reminding listeners: You are here. You are loved. God is good, and that’s enough. “When it gets down to it, the Gospel’s really simple,” Heath offers. “So when God asks us to have a childlike faith, I think He really means it.”

Brandon Heath – That’s Enough

“By now most of us have probably seen the meme conveying that ‘Adulthood is saying, ‘After this week, things will slow down a bit’ over and over until you die’,’” muses Kris Love, Centricity Music’s Sr. Director of National Promotion. “Every day, there’s a car breaking down, a kid with a project due, bills to pay, a house thing to fix, a doctor’s appointment to schedule, meals to make, laundry to fold. It just feels like so much weight to carry. ‘That’s Enough’ is a song that gives the listener a moment to catch their breath; to rest in the fact that they are loved by God.”

Releasing a concept video for the song and singing it last fall on the Grand Ole Opry stage and on Huckabee, Heath recorded “That’s Enough” with GRAMMY-nominated producer Jeff Pardo. He also recorded select Enough Already songs with GRAMMY-nominated producer Jordan Sapp plus Kyle Williams (We Are Messengers), Apollo LTD and Christian Hale while Doug Weier, Nick Rad and five-time GRAMMY-winner Dave Clauss mixed select tracks. He further co-wrote songs with Paul Duncan, Ross King, Jonathan Smith, Mallary Hope, Molly Reed Grayson, Heather Morgan and GRAMMY Award-winning Ran Jackson.

JJ Heller releases new music with “You’re The One I Want.” The track was written by Heller, David Heller, and Cason Cooley.

The official audio can be heard below. “You’re The One I Want” is available now.

You’re The One I Want – JJ Heller

Gotee Records’ Cochren & Co. released their debut album, Don’t Lose Hope, two years ago to much acclaim and radio airplay. Helmed by singer/songwriter and worship leader Michael Cochren joined by his wife Leah, Cochren & Co. is back with a strong sophomore offering, Running Home, which will release on February 3rd. The 10-song project features hope-filled lyrics and timeless melodies as Cochren & Co. blurs the line between American pop/rock and soul/blues to create a classic sound all their own. Today fans can hear the title track “Running Home” as well as pre-order the new album here and watch the lyric video below.

“This album is all about running into the arms of God,” shares Michael Cochren, frontman for Cochren & Co. “It’s my story, but I also believe it’s the story of anyone who has found themselves far from home spiritually. We’ve all heard the saying there’s no place like home. When I think of what ‘home’ means, I think of comfort, rest, safety, and love. When we go off looking for these things in the broken world, we will never find them. Ultimately, we only find what we need when we return to our loving God.”

The album’s energetic title track is also currently being played on Sirius XM and is the only song from a Christian & Gospel artist this week to be featured in the global New Music Friday playlist from Spotify, a playlist featuring songs from all genres with more than four million listeners. “Running Home” was co-written by Matthew West and Jeff Pardo, as well as also produced by Pardo (2022 Dove Awards Producer of the Year). Additional producers for the project include Chris Stevens (Gloria Gaynor), Kyle Williams (We Are Messengers) and David Leonard (All Sons & Daughters).

He continues, “The title track is an anthem declaring, I’m done running away, I’m running home! And for my story, in my wandering years when it became more and more clear that the things I was using to fill my emptiness were really making me more empty, like the prodigal son, I began feeling a draw on my heart to return to my spiritual home. Yet I had this fear in my mind that God was just waiting for me in anger, to punish me. But that’s not how the parable ends… the father runs to greet the son, throws a robe around his back, a ring on his finger, a kiss on his cheek, and then they throw a party for him! I received this welcome from God, and that’s the welcome that’s waiting for anyone who says: I’m done running away, I’m running home!”

Cochren & Co.’s sophomore project features the 2022 Top 15 Billboard Christian Airplay & AC radio single, “Thank God For Sunday Morning,” which has amassed over 10 million streams in less than a year. This song was highlighted on K-LOVE’s end-of-the-year charts including “22 Songs that Defined 2022” and “Top 30 Songs of 2022.” The album includes already released songs “The Lows” and “Good Memories,” which have each received multiple playlisting features. Running Home also features guest vocalist Josh Baldwin on the song “The Final Say.”

Cochren & Co. will be back again this year on the upcoming 2023 TobyMac Hits Deep Tour that will also feature CROWDER, Tasha Layton, Jon Reddick and Terrian. The tour kicks off on January 26th. Click here for tour dates and tickets.

Community-driven collective Housefires, the group behind worship staples like “Build My Life” and “Good Good Father,” shares “If I Could Have Anything (feat. Blake Wiggins & Ahjah Walls)” via Capitol CMG / TRIBL Records. This is the third single from the group’s forthcoming album ‘How To Start A Housefire,’ due January 27.

“If I Could Have Anything” opens with 3x GRAMMY nominated singer Ahjah Walls’ introspective prayer, sharing her desire to be known and loved by the Creator over an elegant piano progression. The minimalist instrumentation erupts into a full-fledged worship session led by core member Blake Wiggins, with convicting vocals, booming harmonies and inspiring passion. The song immerses the listener into the community that Housefires has become known for through the years, showcasing the raw, unfiltered approach that the group takes from writing to recording.

Listen to “If I Could Have Anything (feat. Blake Wiggins & Ahjah Walls)” here: housefires.lnk.to/HowToPR

Housefires consists of core members including GRAMMY-nominee Nate Moore, chart-topping songwriter Ryan Ellis (Chris Tomlin, Natalie Grant, Matt Redman), Kirby Kaple (Chris Tomlin, Passion Music) and others. On ‘How To Start A Housefire,’ the group grows its community with features from 2x GRAMMY-nominee DOE (Forever Jones), GRAMMY-winner KJ Scriven, GRAMMY-winner Chandler Moore (Maverick City Music) and more.

“If I Could Have Anything” follows the album’s first two singles “Lean on the Lord (feat. Ryan Ellis & Cecily)” (11.18) and “Only Jesus (feat. Kirby Kaple, Chandler Moore & DOE)” (10.28). On ‘How To Start A Housefire,’ the group creates music that is not your typical addition to a church playlist. It’s a thought-provoking source of faith.

With more music and tour dates for 2023 to be announced, fans can keep up to date with all things Housefires at housefires.org and can pre-order ‘How To Start A Housefire’ here.

If I Could Have Anything – Housefires