Best CDs, Singles and Historic Reissues of 2023

By Bob Marovich

As is our custom for this time of year, the Journal of Gospel Music presents its “Best Of 2023” list in the categories of singles, albums, and historical reissues.

The recordings were not chosen as “Best Of” based on sales, chart status, promotion, voting, fan popularity, number of likes or retweets, committee decisions, throwing darts, reading tea leaves, arm twisting, or anything other than 1) JGM was serviced with the music for review during 2023 and 2) JGM believes they best represented gospel/sacred music in 2023 in terms of overall music quality.

Artists whose music does not appear here: please don’t despair. These lists were compiled from many hundreds of releases that came across the JGM desk during 2023. I appreciate you all, but I had to narrow down the lists to a select few.

Best Single:
“I Still Have You” – Smokie Norful (Tre’Myles Music / IndieBlu)

The Rest of the Best (in alpha order by title):
“All Mighty God” – Andy E. McGuire (Independent)
“Cover Me” – Patrick Lundy & the Minsters of Music feat. LeJuene Thompson (Independent)
“Facing a New Fight” – Xirpit (Independent)
“Have My Heart Again” – Bethany Music (Independent)
“I Am” – Love Desrosiers (Independent)
“It’s Morning” – Latrice Pace (Independent)
“A Million Moments” – Amanda Joy Powell (Independent)
“Thank God I Do” – Lauren Daigle (Centricity / Atlantic)
“When Love Comes In” – Jonathan Butler (Mack Avenue Music Group / Artistry Music)

Best Album:
Believer a.k.a. The Last Shall be the First – Ray Curenton (Imagination Fury Arts)

The Rest of the Best (in alpha order by title):
Affirmations – Anthony Brown and Group TherAPy (Columbia Records Group)
Emanuel – Da’ T.R.U.T.H. (Mixed Bag Entertainment)
Gaither Tribute – Various Artists (Gaither Music Group)
Jekalyn – Jekalyn Carr (New Day Entertainment)
Live from New Orleans – Bethany Music (Independent)
Ubuntu – Jonathan Butler (Mack Avenue Music Group / Artistry Music)

Best Historic Reissue:
The Black Gospel Ladies: I Walked Out in Jesus’s Name, 1947-1970 (NarroWay)

The Rest of the Best (in alpha order by title):
The Best of the Specialty Years – The Pilgrim Travelers (Acrobat)
The Famous Ward Singers – The Ward Singers (Acrobat)
Lang-Worth Broadcasts: Spirituals – Deep River Boys (Southland Records)
Singles, Album Tracks, and Live Recordings, 1949-1962 – Brother Joe May (Acrobat)
The Singles Collection: 1949-1962 – The Famous Davis Sisters (Acrobat)