Building 429, the recently-signed Word Records rock foursome, reached #1 positions on eight different radio charts with their debut single, "Glory Defined." The song hit #1 on Christian Radio Weekly's (CRW) AC chart faster than any other single in the publication's history, and remained in the chart's top spot for ten consecutive weeks.
"Glory Defined" is the first single from Building 429's debut, the five-song EP Glory Defined, which released April 6. According to the press releases, the song also claimed the #1 position on the following charts: CRW CHR (4 weeks); Radio & Records (R&R) Monitored AC (five consecutive weeks); R&R CHR (three weeks); Billboard.com "AC Hot Christian Adult Contemporary" (four weeks); Billboard.com "AC Hot Christian Singles and Tracks" (five weeks); The PDAdvisor (PDA) CHR (eight weeks); and PDA AC (one week).
"Glory Defined" debuted in February at #22 on CRW's AC chart with an impressive 35 out-of-the-box adds its first week at radio. The song immediately jumped to #6 the following week and then moved straight to the #1 spot, the fastest climb up the chart ever for any song by a debut artist, according to CRW managing editor, Jim Veldhuis.
"Building 429's chart success for their initial single was unprecedented," commented Veldhuis. "The song reached #1 in just three weeks on AC, and stayed #1 for ten consecutive weeks - unheard of for a new artist. The song already has reached nearly 140 million impressions*...In fact, if the charting for 2004 ended today, 'Glory Defined' would be the #3 most-listened-to song in the country on Christian radio this year."
"Glory Defined" also made a record-breaking appearance on R&R's AC chart, becoming the first single from a debut artist to ever hold 100% of the AC panel all at the same time [prior to the chart changing to a monitored and indicator split chart]. It was only the second time for any artist, debut or veteran, to achieve that accolade, the other being Building 429's labelmate Jaci Velasquez, with her 2003 single "You're My God."
"The radio success of Building 429 has already been unprecedented in Christian music circles," said Rick Welke, Christian Editor of R&R. "This band has only begun to touch the surface as to what they are capable of. It will be fun to sit back and see what other milestones come tumbling down on their career path."
After ten consecutive weeks at the top of CRW's AC chart, "Glory Defined" is still holding strong in the chart's Top 5, and is also currently impacting Inspirational radio charts, with the #14 and #7 spots this week on the R&R and CRW Inspo charts, respectively.
"From the moment I heard 'Glory Defined,' I knew it was a smash," said Doug Hannah, network program director for WAY-FM Media Group. "It's got everything our listeners tell us they love: killer hook, power vocals, lyrics that connect - just a great rock/pop sound. Exactly one day after they finished the final master, I told the folks in Word's radio department it was an immediate add. They can't stop me! It's a natural fit for any station that has found success with Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew or Switchfoot. No station will be sorry they moved into Building 429 now!"
"From the first time we heard 'Glory Defined,' we knew it was a special song that would lyrically and sonically be right in the pocket of what is working at radio now," said Lori Cline, director of national promotions for Word Records. "After Doug Hannah, program director for WAY-FM network, heard the song in an early meeting and wanted to add it immediately, we made a strategic decision to release the single a month early, and used the excitement generated by WAY-FM to get radio all over excited about the song.
"'Glory Defined' has brought Building 429 record-breaking success at radio for a debut artist," Cline continued. "After hitting #1 on CRW's AC chart in just three weeks, 'Glory Defined' is now a multi-format, multi-chart smash hit single. It's truly a special song from a special group of guys, and we're thrilled that it's working and reaching so many people."
Wally Decker, program director for North Carolina's WBFJ radio station, has followed Building 429 since the band began its independent career there in 2000. "Having experienced the music and ministry of Building 429 for a number of years, I am fully aware of their presence of ministry," he said. "Glory Defined is but the tip of the iceberg from a group with more depth than what we've become accustomed to. These guys aren't 'here today/gone tomorrow.' They've been 'here' for quite some time....it's about time that everybody else finds out what people across the Carolinas already know to be true!"
Building 429 is currently preparing for the release of its first full-length studio project for Word, Space In Between Us, set to hit stores July 27. The album's title track will be the first single from Space In Between Us, and promises to be a strong follow-up to the success of "Glory Defined" when it goes for radio adds late this summer.
Since wrapping up their second leg opening for Sonicflood's "Cry Holy" Tour this spring, Building 429 is maintaining a heavy touring schedule in support of the Glory Defined EP and the launch of Space In Between Us. The band will continue through the summer and fall with multiple festival appearances including Alive Festival, Atlantafest, Creation East and West, and Spirit West Coast, and will appear on a national tour with BEC Recordings artist Jeremy Camp beginning in October.
Formed in North Carolina three years ago by Jason Roy (lead vocals, guitar) and Scotty Beshears (bass), with Paul Bowden (guitar) and Michael Anderson (drums) added soon after, Building 429 was signed to Word Records just six short months ago. The band takes its name from Ephesians 4:29, which states, "Let nothing unwholesome come out of your mouths, but only that which is good for building each other up..." Their straight-ahead rock sound and commitment to Christ-centered lyrics had already gained them a large regional fan base prior to signing with Word, and the group's audience is rapidly expanding with the release of the Glory Defined EP. In addition to its five original songs, the EP also includes a remixed alternative version of the title song.
