for King & Country & Jordin Sparks’ ‘Love Me Like I Am’ Leads Christian Airplay Chart

February 23, 2023 E Jazz Reporter

Music

The coronation gives the duo its 13th leader and the American Idol champ her first.

for King & Country

Jeremy Cowart

For King & Country’s “Love Me Like I Am,” with Jordin Sparks, ascends to No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart (dated Feb. 25).

In the tracking week ending Feb. 16, the song increased by 4% to 8 million audience impressions, according to Luminate. As “Love” tops Christian Airplay, it gives For King & Country, the duo of brothers Luke and Joel Smallbone, its 13th No. 1.

Sparks rules Christian Airplay with her second entry on the chart. The artist, who won the 2007 edition of American Idol, was previously featured, with Danny Gokey, on Social Club Misfits’ “Tuyo,” which reached No. 27 in November 2018. It also hit No. 40 on the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs list that August.

Sparks tallied four top 10s on the Pop Airplay chart in 2008-09 and, with “Love” atop Christian AC Airplay for a third week as it crowns Christian Airplay, Sparks has scored her first leading song on any Billboard airplay chart.

(“Love Me” became for King & Country’s 11th Christian AC Airplay No. 1.)

For King & Country’s 13 Christian Airplay No. 1s mark the second-most since the chart began in 2003, after only MercyMe’s 18. Jeremy Camp and Matthew West follow with 12 each.

Here’s a recap of for King & Country’s Christian Airplay No. 1s: “Love Me Like I Am” (for one week, to-date); “Joy to the World” (one, December 2022); “For God Is With Us” (three weeks, July 2022); “Relate” (three, beginning in December 2021); “Amen” (one, July 2021); “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” featuring NEEDTOBREATHE (two, starting in December 2020); “Together,” with Kirk Franklin and Tori Kelly (five, beginning in August 2020); “Burn the Ships” (five, starting in January 2020); “God Only Knows” (10, beginning in April 2019); “joy.” (four, starting in August 2018); “Priceless” (three, October 2016); “Shoulders” (two, June 2015); and “Fix My Eyes” (one, September 2014).

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