Hello Franklin!

Fresh music, big stories, and a brand new artist hit the countdown this week on 20 The Countdown Magazine. Bay Turner makes his debut on the chart and shares the story behind his new song, plus we catch up with Phil Wickham about an exciting new project coming later this year. We also spotlight our Station of the Week from the Caribbean and bring you this week’s Future Fan Favorite winner. Plus, Matthew West, MercyMe, Elevation Worship, Zach Williams, and more battle it out across this week’s Top 20. 20 The Countdown Magazine is listener-supported. Visit 20thecountdown.com to help us with our mission of spreading the Gospel around the world through music, one countdown at a time!

We are checking out all music released in the first 4 months of 2026.--- TRACK LIST FOR EP.118 ---"Evidence" - Taylor Leonhardt"The Long Surrender" - Needtobreathe"Not By Might" - Mountains in the Sea"Complexity" - Allie Crummy"Wake Up, Mr. Crow" - Switchfoot"Carolina" - Cindy Morgan"Catch A Fire" - Mat Kearney"How Beautiful" - Christopher Williams"How Do We Get There from Here" - Amy Grant (ft. Ruby Amanfu)"Till The Beginning" - Jenny & Tyler"God of My Seasons" - Allie Paige"Heaven in His Eyes" - Zion--- CREDITS ---Host & Producer: Dave TroutZion Kickstarter Pre-Launch - https://bit.ly/zionksUTR's Critics Picks Playlist - https://utrmedia.org/cp2025New & Notable for April 2026 - https://utrmedia.org/nn0426Email: [email protected] songs used with permission or under fair use provisions(c) 2026 UTR Media. All Rights Reserved. A 501(c)(3) non-profit org - info at https://utrmedia.org

Today’s guest is no stranger to this show — and if you grew up on Christian rock, he’s definitely no stranger to you either.He’s a two-time guest, the co-founder and original lead singer of Newsboys, and one of the most recognizable voices in Christian music history — John James is back with us.From chart-topping fame and sold-out arenas to a devastating personal collapse behind the scenes, John’s journey is anything but ordinary. At the height of success, while the music was reaching millions, his private world was unraveling. Career, marriage, identity — shattered. What followed was a descent into rock bottom… and a redemption story only God could write.His upcoming book, Newsboy: My Story of Hope and Second Chances, releasing June 2, is his most raw and unfiltered account yet. In it, John pulls back the curtain on fame, failure, shame, and the life-changing grace that rebuilt him from the ground up.Welcome back John [email protected]

Andy sits down with legendary vocalist Matthew Ward to explore a career that helped define contemporary Christian music. From his early days with 2nd Chapter of Acts to his groundbreaking solo work, Matthew shares stories of loss, discovery, and the unexpected path that led to one of the most distinctive voices in the genre.

Today on the Christian Music Guys, we chat with Kaelob Mecum! Born in the wheat fields of Southwest Kansas, a first-generation musician who started writing songs on a JC Penney catalog guitar he found in an attic, a worship pastor at 7 Hills Church and founder of 7 Hills Worship, he’s collaborated with artists like David Leonard, Chris Tomlin, Elevation Worship, and Cochren & Co., and he’s stepping into a new season with his brand new album The Lion—so get ready for a powerful conversation about pain, purpose, and the love of God… help us welcome Kaelob Mecum. @[email protected]

Today on Christian Music Guys, we’ve got a fun and real conversation lined up with Derek Harsch — the guy behind the viral Sunday Worship Fails and a key part of the Outcry Collective. Derek has built a platform that brings humor, honesty, and a behind-the-scenes look at church worship culture, connecting with thousands through moments every worship leader can relate to. We’re diving into how it all started, what he’s learned along the way, and why authenticity in worship matters now more than ever.@[email protected]

We continue sharing some of the BEST individual songs of 2025 as picked out by our UTR Panel of Critics.--- TRACK LIST FOR EP. 117 ---Time on my Hands - Wilder Woods ft. Jim JamesIDK - Allison EideCicada - DrakefordThe God I Met in Albuquerque - Allie CrummyFire Fire - Jonathan TraylorAncient Love - John Mark McMillan1999 - MARKOverthink It Baby - FielderReckoner (An Axe Laid at the Root) - Jon GuerraAll That You Love - Christa WellsSunset Silhouette - Strings & HeartJoy - Nick Schrader--- CREDITS ---Host/Producer - Dave TroutFull article of Best Songs of 2025 - https://utrmedia.org/songs25Full article of UTR's Top 11 Gourmet Albums of 2025 - https://utrmedia.org/t11ga25UTR's Critics Picks Playlist - https://utrmedia.org/cp2025Special Thanks to the UTR Panel of Critics!Email: [email protected] songs featured are with permission or under fair-use provisions(c) 2026 UTR Media. All Rights Reserved. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization - info at https://utrmedia.org