Almost There (MercyMe album)
Encyclopedia
Almost There is the first major-label studio album
from Contemporary Christian
band MercyMe
. Released on August 14, 2001, the album met to positive critical response and spawned the single "I Can Only Imagine
", which achieved crossover success on mainstream radio.
or any typical Contemporary Christian artist"; Chamberlin further stated that "musically, it's not the best, but lyrically it's one of the best albums out there".
The reviewer for Crosswalk
gave the album a B, noting that MercyMe reminded him of "SONICFLOOd
before Jeff Deyo
's departure" and describing lead singer Bart Millard's vocals as "raw, somewhat scratchy, and unique", while criticizing the overall consistency of the songs record. Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday gave the album 5 out of 5 stars, commenting that "written with creativity both lyrically and musically, Almost There is another defining album in this genre that continues to develop and grow with more and more artists jumping aboard", also opining that "instead of [I Can Only Imagine] being the only highlight, it's surrounded by 10 other songs penned with the same passion".
", received two Dove Awards at the 33rd GMA Dove Awards, for 'Song of the Year' and 'Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year'.
, number 1 on the Christian Albums chart, number 3 on the Heatseekers Albums
chart and number 3 on the Catalog Albums
chart. The album held the top spot on the Christian Albums chart for a total of nine weeks.
Almost There was certified double platinum
by the RIAA
, signifying sales of over 2 million units. The album was the fourth-highest selling Christian album of the 2000s, according to Billboard
.
MercyMe
Additional performers
Technical
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
from Contemporary Christian
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
band MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
. Released on August 14, 2001, the album met to positive critical response and spawned the single "I Can Only Imagine
I Can Only Imagine
"I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written and composed by Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing...
", which achieved crossover success on mainstream radio.
Critical reception
Almost There received positive reviews from critics. Allmusic reviewer Steve Losey gave the album four out of five stars and selected it as an AMG Album Pick, stating that "while praise & worship music seems to be the trend, MercyMe offers a disc that tends to be the exception and not the norm". Kevin Chamberlin of Jesusfreakhideout also gave the album four out of five stars, opining that "what's nice about the CD is the lyrics and the overall worship feel to it. Musically, it's like FFHFFH
FFH is a Contemporary Christian band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the United States. The band is occasionally known as Far From Home. They released six independent projects before being signed by Essential Records. Since then, they have released seven studio albums, as well as a "greatest-hits"...
or any typical Contemporary Christian artist"; Chamberlin further stated that "musically, it's not the best, but lyrically it's one of the best albums out there".
The reviewer for Crosswalk
Crosswalk.com
Crosswalk.com was a website acquired by Salem Web Network on October 4, 2002 for a reported $4.1 million.Crosswalk.com's slogan is "The Intersection of Faith and Life" and portrays the site's mission of "offering the fresh and compelling biblically-based content to Christians who take seriously...
gave the album a B, noting that MercyMe reminded him of "SONICFLOOd
Sonicflood
Sonicflood is an American Christian Worship band from Nashville, Tennessee. Originally under the name Zilch, the band formed in 1997. The group took the name Sonicflood in 1998 as they became known as a praise and worship band following some line-up changes...
before Jeff Deyo
Jeff Deyo
Jeff Deyo is an American Contemporary Christian music solo artist and worship leader. He was also the lead singer of the band SONICFLOOd from its creation in 1999 through 2000....
's departure" and describing lead singer Bart Millard's vocals as "raw, somewhat scratchy, and unique", while criticizing the overall consistency of the songs record. Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday gave the album 5 out of 5 stars, commenting that "written with creativity both lyrically and musically, Almost There is another defining album in this genre that continues to develop and grow with more and more artists jumping aboard", also opining that "instead of [I Can Only Imagine] being the only highlight, it's surrounded by 10 other songs penned with the same passion".
Awards and accolades
The only single released from the album, "I Can Only ImagineI Can Only Imagine
"I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written and composed by Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing...
", received two Dove Awards at the 33rd GMA Dove Awards, for 'Song of the Year' and 'Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year'.
Chart performance
Almost There peaked at number 37 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, number 1 on the Christian Albums chart, number 3 on the Heatseekers Albums
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart and number 3 on the Catalog Albums
Top Pop Catalog Albums
Top Pop Catalog Albums is a fifty-position weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. Billboard defines a catalog title as one that is more than eighteen months old and that has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200...
chart. The album held the top spot on the Christian Albums chart for a total of nine weeks.
Almost There was certified double platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, signifying sales of over 2 million units. The album was the fourth-highest selling Christian album of the 2000s, according to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
.
Track listing
Personnel
(Credits lifted from Allmusic and the inner liner album notes)According to the credits listed in the album.MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
- Bart MillardMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Jim BrysonMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Nathan CochranMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– bass guitar, vocals (background)Backing vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Mike ScheuchzerMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals (background) - Robby ShafferMercyMeMercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional performers
- Paltrow Performance Group – stringsString sectionThe string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
Technical
- Julian Kindred – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Pete Kipley – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock... - Skye McCaskey - engineer
- Salvo – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Shane Wilson – mixing
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2001-2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
2× Platinum |
| Chart (2002) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Albums |
4 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
128 |
| Chart (2003) | Peak Position |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Albums |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
128 |
| Chart (2004) | Peak Position |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Albums |
15 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Catalog Albums Top Pop Catalog Albums Top Pop Catalog Albums is a fifty-position weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. Billboard defines a catalog title as one that is more than eighteen months old and that has fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200... |
18 |
| Chart (2000s) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Albums |
4 |
| Year | Title | Chart peak positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ AC |
Christ CHR |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC |
US Adult |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Pop Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart... |
|||
| 2001 | "I Can Only Imagine I Can Only Imagine "I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written and composed by Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing... " |
1 | 15 | 71 | 4 | 27 | 52 | 33 |
|
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
INO Records INO Records INO Records, also known as Fair Trade Services, is an American record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, specializing in Contemporary Christian music . It is distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and was owned by Integrity Media until June 2011. When Integrity Media sold its assets... |
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| (DualDisc DualDisc DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America... ) |
Sony Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.... |
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| (Platinum edition) | INO Records INO Records INO Records, also known as Fair Trade Services, is an American record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, specializing in Contemporary Christian music . It is distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and was owned by Integrity Media until June 2011. When Integrity Media sold its assets... |