Hillsong United began as the house youth band for Powerhouse Youth, the Sydney Australia, and Hillsong Church’s youth ministry.  The church has always had a large role in the gospel music world supporting several different musical teams.  The youth worship team grew so large that it was split into two groups,

Hillsong United – Reaching Millions

"A youth band was formed from the Hillsong music team, which took what was happening in the church musically and played it louder and rockier, appealing directly to a youth demographic".

Bringing gospel to youth has never been an easy task, unless of course, you can bring the musical flavor and lingo of their “now” into the mix.  

Hillsong United - From the beginning

Hillsong United began as the house youth band for Powerhouse Youth, the Sydney Australia, and Hillsong Church’s youth ministry.  The church has always had a large role in the gospel music world supporting several different musical teams.  The youth worship team grew so large that it was split into two groups, Powerhouse, the young adults, and the youth, Wildlife.  Powerhouse was organized under the direction of Reuben Morgan, Marcus Beaumont, and Tanya Riches while Wildlife was directed by Joel Houston and Marty Sampson with the two teams sharing Luke Munns (drums) and Michael Guy Chislett (guitar).  

The contemporary musical style and unique delivery of their message brought Powerhouse into the media and their popularity carried them beyond the summer camp performances with their momentum spilling over into church services. The huge success of the team at the 1997 Youth Summer camp caused the church to join several youth ministries bringing them together occasionally as “United” Nights.  

Morgan, Sampson, and Munns composed many songs as a way for the teams to “continue worshipping”, including single My Redeemer Lives, and albums By Your Side and Stay. EP “One” was packaged with the 1998 youth camp’s annual album – and made gold in Australia.  The live CD/DVD packages recorded during the previous October’s Encounterfest included the 1999 Everyday, 2000 Best Friend, 2001 King of Majesty, and 2002’s To the Ends of the Earth, all recorded as Powerhouse.  Joel Houston (son of senior pastor) stepped into Morgan’s leadership position when Morgan went to the main band, in 2002. The newly dubbed Hillsong United released 2004’s More than Life, 2005 Look to You, and 2006’s United We Stand (which was also recorded and released in Spanish, Unidos Permanecemos).

International success

United We Stand was the best-selling Christian album of 2006 in Canada making the team an international success. in late 2006, Marty Sampson left to join Hillsong Church’s main band, but not before contributing singles Devotion and Savior King for their first all-studio album.  The 2007 release of All of the Above made the top ten on the Aria Charts in Australia and sold over 10,000 in its first week, hitting #1 on iTunes, #3 on Billboard for Christian/Gospel, and#60 on Billboard 200.  The single Point of Difference made top 10 on Australian Christian radio.  

The other 2007 release, EP In a Valley by the Sea, was a compilation of the under 21 year old members.  The four month long Hillsong United 2007 Tour promoted their album in the US and Canada. The Across the Earth Spring Tour supported the 2008 release of the first of three in The I Heart project; The I Heart Revolution: With Hearts as One CD/DVD and Across the Earth Europe Tour 2010 supported the May 2009 2-part live album/DVD release, Across the Earth: Tear Down the Walls debuted at #2 on the US iTunes mainstream charts following Enimem (a rap superstar) to become the first worship album to hit #1 on that chart.

Hillsong United received the Best Christian and Gospel Music Album of 2009 on iTunes Rewind 2009.  I Heart Revolution: We’re All In this Together documentary feature film was released in November 2009.  This Means Love, the DVD for Part A’s second part, is due to be released in April 2010 coinciding with another US tour that includes two conferences.

Hillsong United has toured all over the globe, leading worship in venues including stadiums and open fields and with their passion and power; they plan to continue connecting people with Jesus.

Did you know…?

Hillsong Church has affiliates around the globe?

The team received the 2007 Christian Artists’ International Impact Dove Award in Nashville, Tennessee?

They claim to have seen 10’s of thousands of people accept Jesus.

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