10,000 Reasons is UK's favourite worship song
Premier Christian Radio has revealed the results of a national survey to find out Britain's favourite worship song, and Matt Redman's 2011 grammy-award winning hit has come out on top.
An online poll offered listeners the opportunity to vote for their favourite tracks, and classics such as Be Thou My Vision, How Great Thou Art and Amazing Grace also made the top ten.
In an interview with the Christian Post in 2011, Redman explained the heart behind his top-selling song, which featured on an album of the same name which hit number one in the US Christian charts.
"It's about the many, many reasons there are to worship God. And of course when I say '10,000 reasons' that's obviously a huge poetic understatement," he revealed.
"When it comes to worship, there are an eternity of reasons to respond to God and His worth. I love writing worship songs because there's an amazing amount of themes to get your heart into, and always a new way to say and respond to these ancient truths."
After its release Redman shared that people had written to him saying that their loved ones had requested that "10,000 Reasons" play as they went to be with the Lord.
"That's something I can't measure or put a value on," he told Christian Today.
"That kind of thing is the most encouraging thing a songwriter could ever hear. I'm grateful that God trusted my co-writer Jonas [Myrin] and I with this song and it has reminded me yet again how worship music has such amazing potential to carry hope and truth deep into people's hearts and lives."
Speaking to Premier following the results of the survey, Redman said he was surprised by the response the song has received.
"I wouldn't have a clue how to write it again. The funny thing is it's not complicated in any way, it doesn't have a pre-chorus, doesn't have a bridge, there's not tons of words in it; nothing progressive about it, creative-wise, or chord-wise," he said.
Despite his own modest review, Redman has received messages from people all over the world who say "10,000 Reasons" has helped them through difficult circumstances. One man was able to overcome his heroin addiction, while another was inspired to come back to faith.
"It's amazingly encouraging and a mark of the fact that people have taken the song into their hearts and lives," Redman added.
CEO of Premier Peter Kerridge has expressed his delight that some of the more traditional songs remain among the most loved, although he also notes that the place of "10,000 Reasons" at the top of the list shows the Christian music industry remains an exciting scene.
"It was equally heartening to see a relatively new song taking the number one position, spotlighting a new generation of worship songwriters," he commented.
Watch the official video for 10,000 reasons below:
Rend Collective also released their own rendition, check out their live acoustic version: