Our History
Hillsong Music Australia is the resource arm of Hillsong Church, a rapidly growing Church in Sydney, Australia pastored by Brian and Bobbie Houston. Hills Christian Life Centre, as it was formerly known, had its first service on 14 August 1983 with a congregation of 45 people meeting in a High School hall.
From its humble beginnings as a single desk operation, Hillsong Music Australia has grown to the dynamic Music label it is today. Operating with one casual staff member in its beginnings, now in 2005 HMA employs twelve full time staff members to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for music resources all over the globe.
"Hillsongs" as it was originally called recorded its first album in 1988. 'Spirit And Truth' was a studio recording featuring eleven songs. The sphere of influence of this album was the church and a few friends of the church. From there, came 'Show Your Glory' in 1990. Also a studio recording, this was the first album to be marketed and distributed outside Australia, edging its way into the European market.
Then in 1992 came the first live recording 'The Power Of Your Love'. In 1993 'Stone's Been Rolled Away' was recorded, the first live album to be captured on video tape. This paved the way for a new live praise and worship album each year since, including 'People Just Like Us', 'Friends In High Places', 'God Is In The House', 'All Things Are Possible', 'Touching Heaven Changing Earth', 'By Your Side', 'For This Cause', 'You Are My World', 'Blessed', 'Hope', 'For All You've Done', and in July 2005 'God He Reigns' was released, Hillsong's fourteenth and most recent live Praise and Worship album.
HMA have also released a number of compilation albums including the 'Hillsong Worship Series', 'Hillsong Instrumental Series', and 'The Platinum Collection Volume 1 and 2', 'Christmas' and 'Hills Praise'. Hillsong Youth recorded their first album in 1999, 'United Live: Everyday', this has been followed by five other United albums. In 2004 Hillsong released their first live Kids' worship album, 'Jesus Is My Superhero'. Integrity Music USA have recorded two live albums at Hillsong Church entitled 'Shout To The Lord', which has currently overshot the 500 000 in worldwide sales mark, and 'Shout To The Lord 2000'. The latter attaining number two status on the US Christian charts and making it to the Billboard charts.
HMA has celebrated the achievement of fifteen albums attaining ARIA Gold Status in Australia, and one achieving Platinum Status, 'People Just Like Us'. 'People Just Like Us' was the first-ever Christian album to go Gold in Australia. In 2004 the annual Live Worship album 'For All You've Done' debuted on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart at Number 1. The latest release in the Hillsong Live Worship Series, 'God He Reigns', debuted on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart at Number 2, with the DVD of the same title debuting at Number 1.
Senior Pastor Brian Houston says of the success of the music "All we've ever done is just have church. This is what God has anointed us to do. It's about reaching and influencing people. The worship is what it is because of the spirit of the church. The songs reflect the heart of the church."
Hillsongs operated from a one room office at Hillsong Church for some years. As it began to grow, the marketing and distribution of the resources was taken on by Christian Marketing Australasia.
Hillsongs was originally given the name 'Power Ministries International' - the incorporation of the word 'International' was ridiculed in some circles with many not believing that this little local church from 'Down Under' could amount to anything of international proportion.
However as the music began to become more established and the annual Hillsong Conference rapidly grew, 'Power Ministries International' in 1994 became Hillsongs Australia and in 1998 Hillsong Music Australia.
As the popularity of the music spread throughout Australia and beyond, various distribution companies around the world began to seek after the distribution rights to the music in their territories. Today, Hillsong Music is distributed throughout over thirty different countries worldwide. The music has been translated into multiple languages the world over.
In July 1997, Hillsongs Australia took over the Australian marketing and distribution responsibilities. HMA now distributes directly to all Christian Retail Stores Australia wide.
In January 1999, Hillsong resources were released into the mainstream Australian market by Warner Music Australia. Then in July 2003 an agreement was entered into with Sony Music Australia to distribute the Hillsong Live albums into this growing market sector.
A large percentage of Hillsong music sales comes through direct marketing. Every day people from every nation send emails and faxes, make phone calls and access the HMA website to order online.
Hillsong Music is at the forefront of Christian Music throughout the world, with the live praise and worship albums now achieving gold status sales within only weeks from the date of release.
The worship team at Hillsong Church is led by Worship Pastor Darlene Zschech, writer of Shout To The Lord. Darlene works with a dedicated group of singers and musicians who week in and week out give of their time and energy to lead their church into an atmosphere of worship. It is this dedication that is reflected on the albums. God is continually raising up new talent within the team with the result that new songs are being taught to the church almost every weekend.
Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in the United States said "The worship music from Hillsong has not only had a powerful effect on my life, but it has touched our whole congregation at Willow Creek. There is a rare blend of fresh lyrics with an infectious musicality that inspires all of us to sing the songs again and again. What a gift to the Christian community worldwide!"
Every week letters with comments such as this are received through the Hillsong office. From the Middle East, to Africa, throughout the depths of China and into small tribal villages in the Philippines the music coming out of this 'local church from Down Under' is impacting people in ways that only God can be glorified for. What a privilege to work in partnership with Him.
