Full List of Nominees for the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards 2025

Full List of Nominees for the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards 2025. The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced the nominees for the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards, set to illuminate Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on October 7, 2025. Themed “Creation Sings,” this year’s ceremony celebrates the vibrant spectrum of Christian and Gospel music, from worship and pop to rap/hip-hop and Southern Gospel.

Leading the pack is Brandon Lake with nine nominations, joined by a dynamic roster of artists, including 41 first-time nominees, reflecting the genre’s evolving creativity. Below is the complete list of nominees in major categories, showcasing the talent driving faith-based music in 2025.

Song of the Year Presented by MultiTracks.com

• “Counting My Blessings” – Seph Schlueter (Writers: Seph Schlueter, Jordan Sapp, Jonathan Gamble)
• “Good Day” – Forrest Frank (Writer: Forrest Frank)
• “Goodbye Yesterday” – Gracie Binion (Writers: Gracie Binion, Steven Furtick, Mitch Wong, Josh Holiday)
• “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll (Writers: Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Benjamin William Hastings)
• “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” – Leanna Crawford (Writers: Leanna Crawford, Jonathan Gamble, Justin Mark Richards)
• “That’s My King” – CeCe Winans (Writers: Kellie Gamble, Jess Russ, Lloyd Nicks, Taylor Agan)
• “That’s Who I Praise” – Brandon Lake (Writers: Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings, Zac Lawson, Micah Nichols)
• “The Prodigal” – Josiah Queen (Writers: Josiah Queen, Jared Marc)
• “The Truth” – Megan Woods (Writers: Megan Woods, Matthew West, Jeff Pardo)
• “Up!” – Forrest Frank, Connor Price (Writers: Forrest Frank, Connor Price)

Artist of the Year

• Brandon Lake
• CeCe Winans
• Forrest Frank
• Josiah Queen
• Lauren Daigle
• Phil Wickham

New Artist of the Year Presented by Cantinas Arts Foundation

• Abbie Gamboa
• Caleb Gordon
• Leanna Crawford
• Patrick Mayberry
• Strings and Heart

Worship Recorded Song of the Year Presented by CCLI

• “At The Altar” – ELEVATION RHYTHM, Tiffany Hudson, Abbie Gamboa
• “I Know A Name” – Elevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake
• “Mighty Name Of Jesus (Live)” – Hope Darst, The Belonging Co.
• “The King Is In The Room” – Phil Wickham
• “What A God (Live)” – SEU Worship, ONE HOUSE, Kenzie Walker, Chelsea Plank, Roosevelt Stewart

Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year

• “Desperate” – Jamie MacDonald
• “GOODBYE YESTERDAY” – ELEVATION RHYTHM, Gracie Binion
• “Still Waters (Psalm 23)” – Leanna Crawford
• “That’s Who I Praise” – Brandon Lake
• “YOUR WAY’S BETTER” – Forrest Frank

Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year Presented by CCLI

• “Come Jesus Come” – CeCe Winans, Shirley Caesar
• “God Is In Control” – DOE
• “One Hallelujah” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell, Israel Houghton (ft. Jonathan McReynolds, Jekalyn Carr)
• “Rest On Us (Flow) [Live]” – Naomi Raine
• “Yahweh” – Jason Nelson (ft. Melvin Crispell III)

Spanish Language Recorded Song of the Year

• “Al Estar Aquí” – Marcos Witt, TAYA
• “ALGORITMO” – Gabriel EMC, Alex Zurdo
• “Coritos de Fuego” – Israel & New Breed, Unified Sound (ft. Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Nate Diaz, Aaron Moses, Lucia Parker)
• “Sigue Caminando” – Sarai Rivera
• “Worthy” – Blanca (ft. Yandel)

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year

• Anike – Anike
• Christlike, California – Miles Minnick
• CRY – Hulvey
• SORRY, I CHANGED (AGAIN) – Aaron Cole
• The People We Became – nobigdyl.

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year

• “If Not For Christ” – The Whisnants
• “Love ‘Em Where They Are” – Gaither Vocal Band
• “Man On The Middle Cross” – Scotty Inman (ft. Jason Crabb, Charlotte Ritchie)
• “That’s What Faith Looks Like” – Karen Peck & New River
• “You’ll Find Him There (Live)” – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Bluegrass/Country/Roots Recorded Song of the Year

• “(More Than A) Hollow Hallelujah” – The Isaacs
• “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll
• “If It Was Up To Me” – Ben Fuller, Carrie Underwood
• “There’s a Hole in the Heart” – The Nelons
• “There’s a River” – High Road (ft. Jaelee Roberts)

Feature Film of the Year

• For the One
• Reagan
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
• The Forge
• The King of Kings

Television Series of the Year

• God. Family. Football.
• House of David
• Jesus: Refugee, Renegade, Redeemer with Bear Grylls
• The Chosen
• When Hope Calls

Event and Production Details

The 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards, produced by the Gospel Music Association, will be hosted by Tauren Wells for the third consecutive year. The event marks a historic shift to Bridgestone Arena, airing exclusively on TBN and the TBN+ app on October 10, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET, with a rebroadcast on October 17, 2025, and simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, with Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers, JoAnna Illingworth and Shama Mrema as scriptwriters, Russell E. Hall as director, and Scott Moore with Go Live Productions as production manager.

Highlights

• Brandon Lake’s Lead: With nine nominations, Lake dominates categories like Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, reflecting his crossover appeal in worship and pop.
• Fresh Talent: The 41 first-time nominees, including Jelly Roll, Jamie MacDonald, and Strings and Heart, highlight the genre’s growth and diversity.
• Genre Diversity: From rap/hip-hop stars like Forrest Frank and Hulvey to gospel icons like CeCe Winans and Southern Gospel stalwarts like The Whisnants, the nominees span a wide musical spectrum.
• Unique Announcements: Nominees received personalized FaceTime calls from past winners like CAIN and Jekalyn Carr, shared on the GMA Dove Awards’ Instagram.

About the Gospel Music Association

Since 1964, the Gospel Music Association has championed the mission to expose, promote, and celebrate the Gospel through music. The GMA supports a diverse creative community, offering resources for education, evangelism, and preservation of Christian and Gospel music’s legacy. The Dove Awards, now in its 56th year, reaches millions globally, celebrating today’s artists and their impact.

More Information

For the full list of nominees across all categories, including Inspirational Film and Television Series, visit doveawards.com. Fans can stream nominee playlists on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora. Tickets for the live event are available at ticketmaster.com.

The 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards promises an unforgettable night of worship, artistry, and celebration, uniting the Christian and Gospel music community in Nashville’s iconic Bridgestone Arena.

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