BREATHEcast's Best Gospel Songs of the Century: Part 2

(Photo : RCA Inspiration) Fred Hammond

Welcome to Part 2 of BREATHEcast's roundup of the Best Gospel Songs of the Century. If you missed Part 1, you can see it here. And remember to let us know if you disagree - though we don't think you will!

"I Need You Now" - Smokie Norful: "I Need You Now" is a power ballad in its truest form, showcasing Norful's amazing vocal abilities. The title track from his 2002 debut album was so strong that it pushed the project to the top of Billboard's Best Gospel Album chart and #6 on Billboard's Heatseeker chart - an across-the-board listing of the best new talent.

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"Take Me to the King" - Tamela Mann: Though some know Mann best through her portrayal of "Cora" in Tyler Perry's many productions, the actress/singer/songwriter has been a staple of the music industry for some time after getting her start as a member of Kirk Franklin's groundbreaking group The Family. This single from her 2012 project, Best Days, is probably her best to date.

"Love Him Like I Do" - Dietrick Haddon, Mary Mary & Ruben Studdard: When three of the biggest acts in Gospel music join forces, you can be assured that a hit is on the way. "Love Him Like I Do" is proof of that, and the driving beat and hard bass line perfectly accompanies this uptempo profession of love for the One who saved us all.

"Turn It Around" - Israel Houghton: Israel Houghton goes with praise and worship like ketchup goes with mustard - or any other tired cliché you can think of. Seriously, though, some of the greatest P&W anthems were penned by Houghton, and 2005's "Turn It Around" is no exception.

"Closer Walk" - Fred Hammond: As a Gospel music icon, we love just about everything Hammond puts out, so we had to add him to this "best of" list as we anxiously await the release of the new United Tenors album. In a departure from typical Gospel fare, "Closer Walk" is a mellow groove perfect for jazz and R&B fans.

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