WOW series

"WOW" is a series of annual compilation albums featuring contemporary Christian music. The birth of the WOW record project can be traced Grant Cunningham, A&R Director at Sparrow Records. In November 1994 Grant made a business trip to EMI Limited in London, which at the time was the parent company of Sparrow Records. There he noticed that several British record labels were issuing an annual CD of top-rated songs, known as the NOW series, containing collections of pop songs. Grant brought the idea back to Sparrow. Sparrow executives suggested a similar project be developed for Christian pop music and Grant was assigned the task of getting the project off the ground. The WOW franchise represents the most successful collections of Christian music ever issued.

Released in late 1995, "WOW 1996" was the first in the WOW series and the first recording put together by the three major Christian record companies of the time: Word Records (now Word Entertainment), Sparrow Records (now part of EMI Christian Music Group), and Reunion Records (now part of Sony's Provident Label Group). Still today, after each submitting label agrees to a reduced master royalty, the final decision on the tracks to be included is made by committee. Production, marketing, and distribution for the "WOW Hits" series is handled by EMI Christian Music Group.

In 1999, the annual "WOW Worship" series was launched. Rather than using the year, each release is identified by the color of the cover. The worship series and hits series are today among the bestselling members of the product brand.

Comprising songs submitted by each partner label, the annual "WOW Hits" releases have typically been double CD sets. Beginning in 2008, however, "WOW" began releasing separate single-disc collections spread throughout each year, rather than a two-disc collection toward the end of each year. In addition to "WOW Hits," which focuses on the most popular pop and pop-rock music, plans call for edgier single-disc "WOW Rock Hits" and "WOW Pop Hits" collections released twice a year.

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