Brandon Lake Named Among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Music: A Revivalist’s Triumph

In a groundbreaking recognition that bridges sacred and secular spheres, Grammy-winning worship artist Brandon Lake has been named among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Music for 2025, as part of the prestigious TIME100 list unveiled on April 16, 2025. This honor, celebrating innovators who are reshaping the global soundscape, places Lake alongside titans like Ed Sheeran and Snoop Dogg, highlighting his role as a catalyst for spiritual and artistic renewal. At 35, Lake’s inclusion underscores a decade of boundary-pushing creativity, where his anthems have not only topped Christian charts but infiltrated mainstream playlists, fostering a revival that echoes beyond church walls. As the TIME100 Gala approaches on April 24 in New York—set to feature performances by listmakers—Lake’s story emerges as a testament to faith-fueled authenticity in an industry often criticized for commercialism.

Brandon Lake’s meteoric rise has transformed contemporary Christian music into a global force for emotional and spiritual awakening. Hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, Lake began as a youth worship leader, honing his craft in small-town churches before co-founding Bethel Music in 2015. His breakthrough came with collaborations on hits like “This Is a Move,” but solo ventures such as the 2016 album Closer and 2020’s House of Miracles propelled him to stardom. Lake’s Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2023 for Help!—featuring raw tracks born from personal mental health struggles—cemented his influence, with songs amassing over 2 billion streams on Spotify alone. Tracks like “Gratitude,” a defiant anthem of thankfulness amid trials, and “Graves Into Gardens,” evoking transformation from despair to hope, have become staples in arenas and therapy sessions alike. Lake’s voice—gravelly, vulnerable, and soaring—mirrors his ethos: worship as warfare, where vulnerability meets victory.

The TIME100 nod validates Lake’s bold creativity, positioning him as a pivotal figure in music’s evolving landscape of faith and innovation. TIME’s editors, drawing from global nominations and expert insights, praised Lake for “redefining worship as accessible revival,” noting how his music bridges evangelical enclaves with broader audiences seeking solace in chaos. Unlike traditional CCM confined to niche radio, Lake’s work thrives on platforms like TikTok, where user-generated videos of “Praise You Anywhere”—a song penned during his 2024 “Tear Off the Roof” tour—have gone viral, inspiring millions to declare faith in everyday battles. His inclusion in the TIME100 Artists category alongside visionaries like Yoshiki and Serena Williams (for her cultural impact) signals a shift: spiritual music is no longer peripheral but profoundly influential, with Lake’s output challenging secular norms by infusing pop sensibilities with unapologetic theology.

Lake’s electrifying live performances have turned stadiums into sacred spaces, awakening a generation’s hunger for authentic faith. The “Tear Off the Roof” tour, concluding in late 2024 with over 500,000 attendees across North America, wasn’t mere concerts but communal encounters—blending high-energy worship with intimate testimonies of doubt and divine breakthrough. Fans recount moments of collective catharsis, like the arena-wide sing-alongs to “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” where Lake shares his battles with anxiety, transforming personal pain into shared purpose. This experiential approach, amplified by collaborations with Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music, has democratized revival, drawing diverse crowds from Gen Z skeptics to lifelong believers. TIME highlighted this as “making faith loud again,” a nod to how Lake’s stage presence—guitar in hand, tears unashamed—fosters vulnerability in an era of filtered perfection.

Behind Lake’s global acclaim lies a profound story of surrender, doubt, and relentless pursuit of God’s presence that infuses every lyric. Raised in a musical family, Lake grappled with rejection early on, including a near-fatal car accident at 18 that sparked his calling. His 2021 marriage to Brittany, a fellow worship leader, and fatherhood to three children ground his art in redemption’s narrative—evident in Coat of Many Colors (2023), where tracks explore identity through Joseph’s biblical metaphor. Lake’s candor about therapy and faith deconstruction in podcasts like The Holy Post has endeared him to a disillusioned youth, proving worship thrives in questions, not just answers. This depth, TIME notes, elevates him beyond entertainer to revivalist: a poet whose pen wrestles with the divine, turning scars into symphonies that resonate universally.

Lake’s TIME100 honor has sparked widespread celebration, affirming worship music’s rising cultural clout amid broader industry shifts. Social media erupted with #BrandonLakeTIME100 trending, as fans from Lagos to Los Angeles shared testimonies of songs that “saved my soul during lockdown.” Peers like Chris Tomlin hailed him as “the voice of our generation’s hunger,” while mainstream outlets like Rolling Stone pondered if CCM’s next wave could rival hip-hop’s social impact. The recognition arrives amid Lake’s upcoming album, teased as a “prayer project” exploring AI’s role in creativity—echoing TIME’s parallel AI100 list. Critics, however, note the irony: a faith artist honored in secular circles, prompting discussions on commercialization versus consecration.

As Brandon Lake steps into this milestone, his journey reminds us that true influence blooms from authenticity, daring faith to amplify in a noisy world. The TIME100 isn’t just accolades; it’s a mirror to Lake’s legacy—a man who surrendered dreams for divine rhythm, turning doubt into anthems that stir souls. With the Gala looming, where he’ll likely perform, Lake embodies the list’s ethos: pioneers who don’t just play notes but ignite movements. In an age craving connection, his unwavering heart for worship proves one voice, raw and real, can soundtrack revival. As he humbly tweeted, “Not me, but Him through me,” Lake’s story whispers a timeless truth: influence isn’t chased—it’s surrendered to.