"King of Kings" is a contemporary worship song by Hillsong Worship and is the lead single from their twenty-eighth album, Awake. Released on 12 July 2019,[1] it was written by Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood, and Jason Ingram[2] and produced by Michael Guy Chislett and Brooke Ligertwood.[3]
| "King of Kings" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Hillsong Worship | ||||
| from the album Awake | ||||
| Released | 12 July 2019 | |||
| Genre | Contemporary worship music | |||
| Length | 4:25 | |||
| Label | Hillsong Music Australia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Brooke Ligertwood · Scott Ligertwood · Jason Ingram | |||
| Producer(s) | Michael Guy Chislett · Brooke Ligertwood | |||
| Hillsong Worship singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background edit
Speaking with Worship Together, Scott Ligertwood shared that "King of Kings" was written when they met in Nashville, Tennessee. Ingram wrote the melody and Brooke Ligertwood wrote the lyrics, which focus on the gospel and the birth of the early church.[4]
About the song, Brooke Ligertwood said:[5]
The Gospel is a now reality that requires a now response. It should never be treated or viewed as a relic - no matter how reverently one might err in that direction. With origins before time and echoes beyond it, it stands at the intersection of eternity and our every-day present and beckons, urges, demands us to look. Look at the Christ, the Son of God - bloodied for your sin and the sin of all humanity - repent and believe and take your place in the story of all stories - the story of the King of Kings.
The song was inspired by Biblical passages found in Revelation 19:16 and Philippians 2:9-11, capturing the sovereignty and exaltation of Jesus from humility to victory.[6]
Composition edit
"King of Kings" is composed in the key of D major. The song has a tempo of 68 BPM, with a time signature of 4/4.[7]
Music videos edit
The lyric video for "King of Kings" was published the same day the song was released (12 July),[8] and the live music video, recorded during the 2019 Hillsong Conference, premiered on 5 August;[9] both videos were published on YouTube. On 27 February 2020, the Spanish lyric video for the song was released, titled "Rey De Reyes".[10] On 3 August 2020, a video showing Brooke Ligertwood singing the song at Passion 2020 was published.[11]
Awards and nominations edit
| Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | GMA Dove Awards | Song of the Year | Nominated | [12] |
| Worship Recorded Song of the Year | Nominated |
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
|
Year-end charts edit
|
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[19] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ "King of Kings - Single by Hillsong Worship". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "SongSelect by CCLI". songselect.ccli.com. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ Hillsong Worship – King of Kings, retrieved 2 July 2020
- ^ "Here's a Look at the Theology Behind Hillsong Worship's New Song 'King of Kings'". RELEVANT Magazine. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Hillsong Worship Releases New Single, King of Kings". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Unveiling the Deeper Narrative of King of Kings by Hillsong Worship". reallyabout.net. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "King of Kings by Hillsong Worship". www.multitracks.com. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "King of Kings Lyric Video - Hillsong Worship". YouTube. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "King of Kings (Live) - Hillsong Worship". YouTube. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "Rey De Reyes (Official Lyric Video ) - Hillsong Worship and Hillsong En Español". YouTube. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "King of Kings (Live at Passion 2020) - Hillsong Worship". YouTube. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "2020 Nominees | The 51st Annual GMA Dove Awards". GMA Dove Awards. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ "Hot Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand Limited. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ "Hillsong Worship Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Hillsong Worship Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Hot Christian Songs - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "Christian AC Songs - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "American single certifications – Hillsong Worship – Kings of Kings". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 October 2023.