Saturday, April 04, 2009
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Celebrated singer/songwriter Matthew West has initiated a national campaign around his song “The Motions.” West’s current radio hit has become the buzz among fan circles who are rallying behind the song at radio, retail and online.
Boasting the Most Played Christian AC Song of 2008 with “You Are Everything,” according to Radio & Records, Matthew West’s latest hit, “The Motions,” is following suit. The song currently holds at No. 2 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart and Top 5 on its Christian AC chart. Such momentum has driven nearly a 600 % increase in digital sales of the song over two months, currently making it the second best-selling Christian single, as indicated by SoundScan’s Christian/Gospel Digital Tracks chart. Sales of the album itself have tripled since the beginning of the year, and Something To Say is currently featured as part of iTunes $7.99 Easter promotion.
In response to the song’s popularity, West created a music video for “The Motions,” which premiered online at Tangle.com last week. The video has already received 86,000 plays and will be serviced to national video outlets later this month. Additionally, exclusive devotions around the song have been featured on major web sites including Beliefnet.com, CCMMagazine.com,GospelMusicChannel.com and JesusFreakHideout.com.
And to help further connect listeners with the message behind “The Motions,” West has developed a devoted web page, www.matthewwest.com/themotions, for fans to voice their commitment to “avoid the trap of simply going through the motions.” More than 800 have shared their “Motions Resolution,” and many have commented on how the song has changed their way of thinking.
“‘The Motions’ came from a very real place, inspired by my own struggle to rise above the lukewarm Christian life,” says West. “The overwhelming response to the song has showed me that people everywhere are tired of just going through the motions of their lives. This is what led us to create an online community at my website, a place where we can join in the journey together. Every day I visit the ‘Motions’ community, and I am blown away by the hundreds of people who have been inspired to rise above whatever their circumstances may be, and say ‘I will not go through the motions.’” West catapulted onto the Christian music scene in 2003 with his debut single, “More,” which was the most played Christian AC song of 2003. The multi-Dove Award nominee and sought-after songwriter released two critically-acclaimed recordings, Happy (2003) and History (2005); has been a mainstay at Christian radio with memorable hits like “Only Grace,” “History” and “Next Thing You Know”; and has toured with such artists as tobyMac and Jeremy Camp on the wildly popular 2008 “Boomin’ Beyond Measure” tour. In addition, West has penned songs for Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, Natalie Grant and Mandisa, among others.
West’s third studio recording, Something To Say, released January 15, 2008 and debuted on Nielsen SoundScan’s Christian Retail Chart at #10, while West was the best-selling Christian artist on iTunes the week of its release. The album’s debut single “You Are Everything” additionally peaked at No. 1 on Christian AC radio and was the most played Christian song of 2008, while “Something to Say” climbed to No. 7 at AC radio. Most recently, West wrapped the 27-city “Something to Say” fall tour featuring label mate Josh Wilson and a WAY-FM/Word Vision tour with Sanctus Real in February. For more information on Matthew West, visit www.matthewwest.com or www.myspace.com/matthewwest.
