Now is the time to praise. The 80s were a great time for music, but what about praise and worship? We’re taking a look at some of the most popular praise and worship songs from that decade, and breaking down why they stand out. Churchgists will provide you with all the relevant information you are looking for on 90s praise and worship songs, maranatha worship songs of the 80’s, 80’s praise and worship songs, christian music from the 80s and 90s, and so much more.
One of the first things to note is that these songs are all in English. This may come as a surprise to some people—after all, there’s no shortage of Christian music from other countries where English isn’t the primary language spoken. But for many people who grew up listening to these songs, it was important that they understood what was being said.
Another important feature of these songs is the use of instruments—specifically drums and guitars, which were often played together during this period. The drums would be used to help keep time while singing along with lyrics or repeating phrases over and over again; while guitars were used more traditionally in Western Christian music (as opposed to Eastern-style instruments like koto or shamisen).
80’s Praise and Worship Songs
| Song Title | Artist | Album | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Will Be Here | Steven Curtis Chapman | More To This Life | 4:29 |
| Awesome God | Rich Mullins | Winds Of Heaven, Stuff Of Earth | 3:04 |
| El-Shaddai | Amy Grant | Age To Age | 4:08 |
| Secret Ambition | Michael W. Smith | I 2 (Eye) | 6:27 |
| I Want to Be Where You Are – Live | Don Moen | Bless the Lord (Live) | 4:52 |
| He Is Exalted | Twila Paris | Kingdom Seekers | 3:44 |
| In the Name of the Lord | Sandi Patty | Morning Like This | 5:03 |
| Heavenbound | DC Talk | dc Talk | 3:53 |
| Easter Song | 2nd Chapter of Acts | Encores | 2:27 |
| How Many Times (Seventy Times Seven) | Whiteheart | Don’t Wait For The Movie | 4:25 |
| The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes & The Pride Of Life | 77s | The 77’s | 3:50 |
| Where Roses Grow | Resurrection Band | Innocent Blood | 7:24 |
| I Hope I’ll See You In Heaven | Larry Norman | Stop This Flight | 5:31 |
| House On the Rock | Maranatha! Music | Back To The Rock | 3:26 |
| Arise My Love | Newsong | Say Yes! | 4:52 |
| Heart And Soul | Geoff Moore & The Distance | A Place To Stand | 4:33 |
| To Hell with the Devil | Stryper | To Hell With The Devil | 4:05 |
| God Rules | Undercover | God Rules | 1:01 |
| Grave Robber | Petra | Not Of This World | 4:18 |
| Isaiah 6 | One Bad Pig | Smash | 2:38 |
| Heroes | Bride | Live To Die | 7:14 |
| Осанна/Величайте Господа и пойте | Integrity Worship Singers | Хвала И Поклонение – Исцели Нашу Землю | 5:15 |
| Human Sacrifice | Vengeance Rising | Human Sacrifice (Remastered) | 2:41 |
| Extraction From Mortality | Believer | Extraction From Mortality | 6:07 |
80’s praise and worship songs playlist
1980 Top Christian AC Songs
1 Got To Tell Somebody – Don Francisco
2 I’m Forgiven – Imperials
3 Jesus You’re So Wonderful – Andrus, Blackwood & Company
4 All You Need – Farrell & Farrell
5 I’ll Be Thinking Of You – Andrae Crouch
6 A Broken Heart – Dallas Holm & Praise
7 We Are Persuaded – Bill Gaither Trio
8 Do Right – Paul Davis
9 One Step Closer – Scott Wesley Brown
10 Jesus On My Mind – B.J. Thomas
80’s praise and worship songs
“Open Our Eyes” – Maranatha Singers
“Open Our Eyes” is a great song to add to your worship repertoire, especially if you’re looking for an upbeat tune with an inspirational message. This song was written by Maranatha Singers and released on their 2005 album Top 25 Praise Songs. It’s a highly popular praise and worship song, ranked as one of the top 100 Christian songs of all time according to CCM Magazine.
Here are some other praise and worship tunes that have stood the test of time:
“Majesty (Here I Am)” – Michael W. Smith
“Majesty (Here I Am)” is a praise and worship song written by Ed Cash and Michael W. Smith. It was recorded for the album “Worship” in 1984, and released as a single the same year on Star Song Records. The song was produced by Ed Cash with arrangements by Bill Maxwell.
The song has been covered by many artists including Brooke Barrettsmith on her album “This Is My Time”, Michelle Williams on her album “Do You Know”, and Kim Walker-Smith on her EP titled “The Wave”.
“Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord” – Bob Fitts
One of the most popular praise and worship songs of the ’80s was Bob Fitts’ “Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord.” This song has a classic sound that many people love, but it also has lyrics that can help people connect with God.
90s praise and worship songs
“Shine, Jesus, Shine” – Graham Kendrick
“Shine, Jesus, Shine” was written in 1987 by Graham Kendrick. The song is based on the Christian hymn “Crimond.” Kendrick wrote the song in response to Britain’s 1987 general election and its result; he was disappointed by Margaret Thatcher’s conservative government losing power and being replaced by left-leaning Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock.
The original recording of “Shine, Jesus, Shine” used a minor key for its melody line; however, it has since been re-recorded with a major key melody line. This change turned out to be a good move: many praise leaders have found that using this version of the song as an opener works well for small or medium-sized worship gatherings.
“Rise Again” – Dallas Holm and Praise
“Rise Again” is a song written by Dallas Holm and performed by him with the popular Christian music band Praise. It was released as a single in 1984 and appears on his album “The Best of Dallas Holm”.
“Lord, I Lift Your Name on High” – Maranatha! Singers
“Lord, I Lift Your Name on High” is a classic worship song that’s been covered by countless artists over the years. The Maranatha! Singers are one of those bands—a brand new band in the 80’s that used this song to introduce themselves to listeners.
The lyrics for this song are easy to sing along with and don’t require much musical knowledge; however, if you’re trying to learn about it as a musician or composer, there are plenty of resources available online (like chord charts) that detail how exactly each note is supposed to sound.
This song has been covered by many different artists including Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. It was originally written by Steve Miller (of Steve Miller Band fame) and was performed by Peter Gabriel in 1979 at an event called “Easter Rock Festival.” This version is still popular today even though it hasn’t been released since then!
There are several different variations of this track floating around out there so be sure not only listen closely but also compare multiple versions before deciding which one sounds best for your project or band rehearsal sessions 🙂
“Above All” – Michael W. Smith
A song that is perfect for worshiping the risen King. This song was written by Paul Baloche, who also wrote many other great songs like “I Will Follow” and “We Fall Down.” The song describes how God’s love is greater than any other love we can imagine.
Michael W. Smith sang this song on his 1989 album, I’ll Lead You Home.
“You Are My Hiding Place” – Michael Ledner and Maranatha Singers
The song was written by Michael Ledner, who also wrote the lyrics for “In Christ Alone.” The song is from his album The Worship Collection, released in 1981 on the Maranatha! label.
“Peace Like a River”
If you’re looking for a praise and worship song to sing with your group, I highly recommend this one. There are many versions of this song available online, with varying tempos and orchestrations—you can find a version that fits your group well. This song is particularly popular at campfire worship services because of its beautiful melody and lyrics.
“I Exalt Thee (I Will Call Upon the Lord)” – Petra Praise Band
I Exalt Thee (I Will Call Upon the Lord)
Released: 1986
Lyrics: I exalt thee, O God, my king; my heart shall sing and praise thy name. In godly fear and faithfulness I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. My soul thirsts for thee with a yearning that cannot be satisfied by those who worship false gods or by those devoted to their own selfish interests. Only he can satisfy my deepest longings, who alone has the power to give meaning and purpose to life’s journey through this vale of tears.
“Surely the Presence of the Lord Is In This Place”
The song is about God’s presence in our lives. The lyrics indicate that there is a place where God’s presence resides, and it is not a physical location. In fact, we are told that “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.” The song goes on to say that no matter where you go or what you do, His Spirit will always be with us — He never leaves us.
These songs are still popular today
It’s no secret that many of the songs we sing today were written in the 80’s. Though they may not have been written recently, they continue to be played and enjoyed by people all over the world.
In addition to being relevant then, these songs are still popular today. They’re so good that they have even inspired newer praise and worship songs!
maranatha worship songs of the 80’s
- “Shout to the Lord” by Darlene Zschech (1989)
- “Open up the Gates” by Kirk Franklin (1988)
- “The Presence of the Lord is Here” by Michael W. Smith (1988)
- “Shout to the Lord” by Darlene Zschech (1989)