| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Cross Rhythms |   [2] |
| HM Magazine | No rating[3][4] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [5] |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | No rating[6] |
Step Up to the Microphone is the seventh studio album by Christian pop rock band Newsboys, released in 1998 through Star Song Communications. It was the Newsboys' first album following the departure of lead singer John James in 1997, with Peter Furler and Phil Joel subsequently sharing lead vocal duties.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "WooHoo" | Peter Furler, Phil Joel | Phil Joel | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Step Up to the Microphone" | Jeff Frankenstein, Furler, Joel | Peter Furler | 3:43 |
| 3. | "Entertaining Angels" | Jody Davis, Furler, Joel | Phil Joel & Peter Furler | 4:18 |
| 4. | "Believe" | Furler, Joel | Peter Furler | 4:33 |
| 5. | "Tuning In" | Furler, Joel, Steve Taylor | Peter Furler | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Truth Be Known - Everybody Gets a Shot" | Furler, Joel, Taylor | Peter Furler, Phil Joel, Jody Davis | 4:00 |
| 7. | "Deep End" | Davis, Frankenstein, Furler, Joel | Peter Furler | 4:06 |
| 8. | "Hallelujah" | Frankenstein, Furler, Joel | Peter Furler | 3:56 |
| 9. | "The Tide" | Furler, Joel | Peter Furler, Phil Joel | 5:01 |
| 10. | "Always" | Furler, Joel | Peter Furler | 5:01 |
| Total length: | 42:08 | |||
Music videos
- "Entertaining Angels"
Radio singles
Note: all CCM Magazine' chart information is available in the book Hot Hits CHR 1978-1997 (1997) by Jeffrey Lee Brothers
| Single | CCM Chart | Debut | Peak Date | Peak Pos | Total Wks | Mediabase Spins (since 1998) | Other Newsboys album appearances | Various artists album appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Entertaining Angels" | CHR | 4/20/98 | 6/8/98 | 1 | 14 | 9,887 |
|
|
| AC | 5/25/98 | 6/29/98 | 32 | 8 | ||||
| "Believe" | AC | 7/6/98 | 9/21/98 | 4 | 17 | 3,114 |
| — |
| CHR | 12/14/98 | 3/1/99 | 1 | 13 | ||||
| "Hallelujah" | Rock | 7/13/98 | 9/28/98 | 4 | 18 | 144 |
|
|
| "WooHoo" | CHR | 7/27/98 | 9/21/98 | 1 | 16 | 615 |
| — |
| Rock | 1/11/99 | 3/15/99 | 20 | 8 | ||||
| "Step Up to the Microphone" | CHR | 5/3/99 | 6/14/99 | 1 | 16 | 503 |
| — |
Personnel
Newsboys
- Peter Furler – lead vocals, drums, guitar, programming
- Phil Joel – vocals, bass guitar, guitars
- Jody Davis – lead and rhythm guitars, bass, vocals
- Jeff Frankenstein – keys, vocals, programming
- Duncan Phillips – percussion, drums, vocals
Additional musicians
- Mylon LeFevre – Na-Nas on "WooHoo"
- "Bull" – Na-Nas on "WooHoo"
- Summer Furler – Na-Nas on "WooHoo"
- The Love Sponge Strings – strings on "Entertaining Angels"
- Blair Masters – strings on "Believe"
- Jonathan Roberts – trumpet on "Tuning In"
Production
- Peter Furler – producer, mixing
- Wes Campbell – executive producer, mixing
- Danny Goodwin – executive producer
- John Mays – executive producer
- Richie Biggs – recording, mixing
- Jeff Frankenstein – additional mixing
- Glenn Meadows – mastering at Georgetown Masters, Nashville, Tennessee
- Christiév Carothers – creative direction
- Len Peltier – art direction
- Thom Bissett – graphic design for a3dtb/D
- John Dunne – photography
References
- ^ a b Step Up to the Microphone at AllMusic
- ^ "Newsboys - Step Up to the Microphone | CROSS RHYTHMS REVIEW". Crossrhythms.co.uk. 1 December 1998. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 13 July 2001. Archived from the original on 13 July 2001. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ McGovern, Brian Vincent (September–October 1998). "Album Reviews: NEWSBOYS Step Up to the Microphone". HM Magazine (73). ISSN 1066-6923.
- ^ "Newsboys, "Step Up to the Microphone" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "Newsboys review by The Phantom Tollbooth". Tollbooth.org. Retrieved 4 March 2012.