Jesusfreakhideout.com celebrates 30 Years online in 2026... Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation August 13, 2026!

    For our 11th annual Highlighting feature, we split the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December. Each list contains 10 artists/releases for a total of 20 in total for 2017. So, without further ado, we give you Highlighting Second-Half 2017! (For our January to June list, click here!)



  1 of 10


 

JFH's Highlighting 2017 Winner!

Album Cover
#1. John Mark McMillan
Mercury & Lightning

Release Date: August 4, 2017
Renowned songwriter John Mark McMillan never ceases to push the envelope, usually with varying degrees of success. As one of the few industry staples who’s willing to take risks, all of his offerings -whether sloppy and wet or unforeseen- have the potential to keep listeners intrigued.
        - David Craft

Right after the presidential election, John Mark McMillan released a clip of his music video for his single "No Country," which will be featured on upcoming album Mercury & Lightning. No context was immediately given for the single, and McMillan felt content at that time to let his music speak for itself. Given the reflective nature of McMillan's music, Mercury & Lightning is poised to be one of the boldest, most somber and perhaps most controversial albums we've heard from him yet.
        - Nicole Vacca

Worship releases this year have mainly continued the trend of being bland and forgettable, but hopefully it’ll all work together to make John Mark McMillan’s newest effort feel like lightning in a bottle! All the news surrounding Mercury & Lightning has been nothing if not intriguing, so the album ought to be worth discussing come release time.         - Mason Hayne

With the exception of The City Harmonic's beautiful farewell album this past June, we've seen an unfortunate shortage of strong worship releases this year. With news of a new album around the corner, I trust that Mercury & Lightning will give the genre an offering it truly deserves.
        - Lucas Munachen

I’ll always be grateful for a worship artist like John Mark McMillan who’s able to balance artistic integrity with unfettered honesty. And really, there’s little reason to believe Mercury & Lightning will betray our expectations, even after the long wait. It’s been established; JMM is one of the more accomplished artists working today, and his unblemished track record more than earns #1 on this list.
        - Roger Gelwicks

I’ve always liked John Mark McMillan, but I’d never found myself overly excited for new material from him...until I heard Live at the Knight last year. Something about that live album sparked a greater interest in his music. If I wasn’t excited for Mercury & Lightning before, I am now!
        - Scott Fryberger

John Mark McMillan is in need of breaking out of his particular sonic rut. Having seen him live last year, I can report that his songs performed live are better than the slightly more sluggish album versions. I hope Mercury & Lightning lives up to its fearsome title.
        - Alex Caldwell

I was bummed last winter when I heard this album was being pushed back, because there is no worship artist out there right now who is more interesting than John Mark McMillan. I will be very surprised if Mercury & Lightning isn’t worth the wait.
        - Mark Rice

  • Visit our John Mark McMillan page for more information about him...

  • 2017 Countdown: July to December

    10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1


    HONORABLE MENTIONS: Here are a few other artists that made our staff's individual lists that didn't quite make the top 10... Nicole Nordeman, Unspoken, Kings Kaleidoscope, Andy Mineo, K I D S, Family Force 5, Stavesacre, Tauren Wells, JGivens, The Ongoing Concept, & more!
    Highlighting 2017
    ©June 2017 Jesusfreakhideout.com



     

     

                     
    Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

    Search JFH



    This Thursday, November 5
    ALBUMS
    Scroll Eater In The Mouth Of The Prophet - EP [Facedown]

    SINGLES
    NEEDTOBREATHE Free Fall (feat. Conner Smith) - Single [UMG]

    VINYL
    Chris Renzema Every December Vinyl [Centricity]

    This Friday, November 6
    ALBUMS
    The Band JAREN O Holy Night - EP [Provident / Sony]
    Big Daddy Weave It's Time for Christmas - EP [Curb]
    Extol Aura of Decay [Solid State]
    Grace Graber Sophomore Year (independent)
    Hillside Recording & Addy Prado Come and See - EP (independent)
    LO Worship The Drought Is Over (Live from LO Conference) [Integrity]
    Meadows DESERT WALKER (CD) [Facedown Records]
    Mystical Death Across [Rottweiler]
    Anita Ranae Dwell in Hope - EP [Rottweiler]
    Sleeping At Last Atlas: Sustain - EP (independent)
    Chris Tomlin Good News Of Great Joy (Christmas Songs Of Worship) [Capitol CMG]
    We Are Messengers Rejoice! (A Celtic Christmas Live) [Curb]
    Mark Wills Grand Ole Revival [Gaither]

    SINGLES
    Bryan Andrew Wilson, Lola Falana O Holy Night! - Single (independent)
    Steven Curtis Chapman 10,000 Reasons/Greater Things - Single [The Fuel]
    The Choir Room Better Than This (feat. Dorinda Clark-Cole) - Single [Centricity]
    Dise Prevail - Single (independent)
    Dragons & Astronauts On The First Day Of Christmas (I Wrote A Song In D) - Single (independent)
    Elan Brio, Illustrate Reactors - Single [Polished Arrow]
    Forrest Frank Go! Go! Go! (feat. Lecrae & KB) - Single [River House]
    Garrett & Kate Serban O Come All Ye Faithful / All Hail King Jesus - Single [Bethel]
    Ellie Holcomb Waterfalling - Single [Capitol CMG]
    Olivia Lane Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Single [BEC]
    Tasha Layton & Dave Barnes What Should I Get You For Christmas - Single [BEC]
    Blessing Offor The King Has Come - Single [Capitol CMG]
    Hunter Plake Holly Jolly Christmas - Single [BEC]
    Presence Music The Darkness Didn't Know - Single [Syntax]
    River Valley Worship Come and Behold - Single [BEC]
    Allan Scott Loser - Single [DREAM]
    SEU Worship SEU Worship releases “Wild Rushing Wind (Viento Recio) - Single [Provident]
    Tae Lamar, YP aka Young Paul The Re-Up - Single [Polished Arrow]
    Vineyard Worship Jesus Our Christ - Single [Vineyard]
    Phil Wickham, CeCe Winans Peace on Earth - Single [Fair Trade]

    VINYL
    Meadows DESERT WALKER Vinyl [Facedown]

    Next Wednesday, November 11
    ALBUMS
    Anberlin Currency [Equal Vision]

    Next Friday, November 13
    ALBUMS
    Blanca A Christmas To Remember [Curb]
    Amy Grant Tennessee Christmas: 10th Anniversary Edition [Capitol CMG/AG]
    Lily Hooten Promise Land [Anotherland]
    Jackie Hill Perry Still Blameless (Deluxe) [Velvet Blue]
    Leem of the Earth See [Velvet Blue]
    Tye Tribbett V20: First Semester (Live) [Freligious]

    SINGLES
    Jordan Feliz Fast - Single [Centricity]
    Josh Grove Glory - Single (independent)
    Living Again Get This Far - Single (independent)
    Magdalene Rose the terrifying reality of it all - Single [Rockfest]
    Hunter Plake Silver Bells - Single [BEC]
    Matthew Plante OVEN MITT! - Single [Dream]
    Jordan St. Cyr Angels We Have Heard On High - Single [BEC]
    Natasha Zimbaro Emmanuel - Single [Wings]

    VINYL
    Anberlin Currency Vinyl [Equal Vision]

    For all release dates, click here!