Tye Tribbett's Greater Than Debuts at #1 on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums Chart, #4 on the Top Digital Albums Chart and #9 on Billboard's Top 200

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Motown Gospel's release of Tye Tribbett's Greater Than debuts at #1 on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums Chart, #4 on the Top Digital Albums chart and #9 on Billboard's Top 200. Greater Than, Tribbett's inaugural project with Motown Records, is his fifth recording and is the highest album debut in his recording career.  This week, Tribbett's hit single "If He Did It Before...Same God" moves up to #3 on Billboard's Hot Gospel Song chart and has an accumulative listening audience of over 15 million.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130814/NY64122)

Lauded by music critics across the country, Greater Than has received stellar reviews from two of the nation's top newspapers. The New York Times declares, "Tribbett is an exceptional gospel artist" (http://nyti.ms/19g8I0W). The Los Angeles Times awards the CD three out of four stars, stating, "Combined with Tribbett's breathless, exclamatory singing, this frenzied variety demonstrates the breadth of his devotion" (http://lat.ms/16g9tIN).

"The critics and the fans have spoken loudly and clearly," says Bill Hearn, President & CEO Capitol CMG. "Tye Tribbett is back with his best work to date. The entire team at Motown Gospel is very proud to help connect Tye and these incredible new songs with music fans all over the world. Together we are off to an amazing start."

"When we announced the launch of the Motown Gospel label in April, we expected big things," says Barry Weiss, Chairman and CEO UMG East. "And now we're pleased that the very first project released by Motown Gospel is Tye Tribbett's number one album."

Tribbett's album release event was held in Detroit, Motown's birthplace, at the Greater Grace Temple. Motown Gospel sponsored the event, in conjunction with Radio One and the Word Network. As the Motor City continues its economic struggles, Tribbett's music offers a message of hope and encouragement to its residents.  Over 5,000 people attended the standing room only event, and more than 2,000 people had to be turned away once the church was full to capacity. The Greater Than concert was also streamed live to nearly 250,000 people worldwide through a partnership with Motown Gospel and Yes Lord Radio. In addition to the United States (including Puerto Rico), viewers tuned in from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America, and South America.

The Greater Than promotional tour has been very successful, with standing room crowds at concerts across the country, including the historic Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., New York's WBLS City Parks Concert in Harlem, NY, Greater Allen Cathedral in Queens, NY, and Radio One's Praise in the Park in Atlanta, GA, which was attended by over 12,000 people. Motown Gospel will be announcing additional promotional dates in the coming weeks.

ABOUT CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Capitol Christian Music Group is the world's leading Christian Music company and market leader in recorded music, distribution, and music publishing. Part of Universal Music's Capitol Music Group, led by Chairman and CEO Steve Barnett, Capitol Christian Music Group operates several divisions including Capitol CMG Label Group (Sparrow Records, ForeFront Records, Credential Recordings, sixstepsrecords, Hillsong), Motown Gospel (in partnership with Motown Records), Capitol CMG Publishing (including Brentwood-Benson Music Publications) and Capitol Christian Distribution, CCMG owned labels are home to artists Chris Tomlin, TobyMac, Jeremy Camp, Hillsong United, Smokie Norful, Tye Tribbett, Britt Nicole, Newsboys, Colton Dixon, Mandisa, VaShawn Mitchell and many others. Capitol CMG Publishing, in addition to publishing many of CCMG label's premier artists/writers, represents many of the leading writers in Christian/Gospel including Matt Redman, Ben Glover, Matt Maher, Kirk Franklin, Mark Hall, Chris Stevens, Laura Story, Aaron Lindsey, David Garcia and many others. Key Distribution partners include The Gaither Music Group, Marantha Music, InPop Records, Worthy Book Publishing and Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment. Led by President and CEO Bill Hearn and a strong executive team of long-time Christian and Gospel music veterans, Capitol Christian Music Group is characterized by a passionate commitment to our artists, songwriters, our customers, business partners, and one another, as well as a strong spirit of community service.

ABOUT UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's premier music publishing operations worldwide.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol Records, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, I.R.S., Island Records, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group and Virgin Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.

Universal Music Group is a fully owned subsidiary of Vivendi.

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SOURCE Motown Gospel