The UK’s Christian and Gospel music scene is set to receive a major boost with the announcement of a new official singles chart, developed in partnership between AStepFWD and The Official Charts Company.
The new UK Christian & Gospel Singles Chart is scheduled to debut at the close of January and will formally recognise the growing impact of faith-based music within the wider UK music landscape.
Organisers say the chart builds on a decade of groundwork laid by AStepFWD through its independently run UK Christian Charts, which have consistently spotlighted emerging and established artists across multiple genres.
The collaboration is expected to give UK-based Christian and Gospel artists greater visibility, placing their work alongside other officially recognised music charts while continuing to celebrate the genre’s stylistic breadth — from worship and gospel to rap, afrobeat and electronic music.
The announcement comes in the wake of the StepFWD Awards 2025, which marked their fifth year with a packed celebration at Hackney Church last November.
Widely regarded as the UK’s only exclusive awards ceremony for Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and Gospel, the event brought together artists, industry leaders and supporters from across the country.
With Christian and Gospel music ranked among the fastest-growing genres globally, organisers described the night as both timely and celebratory.
Among the standout winners was Elle Limebear, who received three awards including Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Welcome to the Bloodline.
Her song, Vulnerable, also claimed Song of the Year in the Indie/Folk/Acoustic classification, an achievement she described as particularly meaningful amid the challenges of recording while raising a young family.
Rising rap artist DC3 was another major winner, receiving New Artist of the Year and Rap Song of the Year for I Know.
His growing international fan base reflects the expanding reach of UK Christian music beyond traditional audiences.
While IMRHAN took Male Artist of the Year, the awards also celebrated collective and global impact, with Rend Collective named Duo/Group of the Year and Gaise Baba receiving Global Talent of the Year.
The evening concluded with a series of Honour Awards, recognising long-standing contributions to the UK Christian and Gospel music ecosystem.
Among those honoured was Tim Jupp, who received the Outstanding Contribution Award for his role in establishing the Big Church Festival, now the UK’s largest Christian music gathering.
August 2025 marked a milestone for the festival as it reached full capacity, drawing more than 30,000 people and global performers.
The ceremony also acknowledged multiple Lifetime Achievement recipients whose work has helped shape the industry over several decades.
Closing the event, AStepFWD founder O’Neil Dennis highlighted the current financial challenges of sustaining platforms for Christian creatives, launching a fundraising campaign to support future awards and industry development. More than half of the £10,000 target has already been raised.
With the introduction of an official singles chart and continued investment in events and artist development, AStepFWD says its focus remains clear: to involve, assist and amplify Christian and Gospel creatives across genres, generations and regions.
Further details about the UK Christian & Gospel Singles Chart, along with announcements for the 2026 StepFWD Awards, are expected in the coming months.
