The decade of the 2000s was a big one for me—with many life highlights, and with them an expanding musical palate. I worked through my age 19-28 years and grew a lot in the process. I transferred to a Bible College that was a better fit, made some great friends, graduated, got married, worked my first full-time pastoral ministry position, moved from Florida to Texas, and my wife and I had our first child. Whew!

I went from listening pretty exclusively to the radio-friendly pop and youth group bands of the 90s to slowly incorporating in more hip-hop, worship, and harder rock. Of course, I continued listening to many bands/artists I first discovered in the 90s like Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Rich Mullins, Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Caedmon’s Call, and Sixpence None the Richer—but also added the stylings of Relient K, House of Heroes, Brooke Fraser, David Crowder Band, Downhere, and Anberlin to my growing list of favorites. Many of them will be repressed heavily here, and you will also see some harder rock outliers as my taste kept shifting toward a more settled alt/rock sweet spot from the inspirational pop that I started with in my formative years.

These 100 songs are a mixture of what I would have been listening to, my favorites still, and ones I’d also objectively say were the best of the decade. At least ones that represent the best artists, even if I choose a different song that others might. So, I hope you enjoy! Feel free to cordially and/or playfully disagree—-but share your favorites too!

Here we go…

Top 100 Christian Songs of the 00s

100. “Kountry Gentlemen” – Family Force 5

99. “A Little More” – Jennifer Knapp

98. “Different Now” – Out of Eden

97. “He Reigns/Awesome God” – Kirk Franklin

96. “Loss for Words”- Tait

95. “Responsibility” – MxPx

94. “Praise to the Lord, Almighty (Feat. Tree63)” – Out of Eden

93. “Worship Medley (Joy of the Lord, Oh the Glory)” – Dietrick Haddon

92. “New Medicines” – Dead Poetic

91. “Raised in Harlem” – T-Bone

90. “Get Ready (Hot Machete)” – Jonezetta

89. “Hello Ego” – John Reuben

88. “The King” – Lecrae

87. “Rawkfist” – Thousand Foot Krutch

86. “God of Wonders” – Mac Powell

85. “How Great Is Our God” – Chris Tomlin

84. “Praise You in this Storm” – Casting Crowns

83. “Word of God Speak” – MercyMe

82. “Who is Like You” – Tim Neufield

81. “Bittersweet” – Falling Up

80. “What God Does” – Skypark

79. “When She’s Near” – Fiction Family

78. “Pandora’s Box” – OC Supertones

77. “Rise Up” – Ben Shive

76. “This Place is Painted Red” – Deas Vail

Top 75

75. “God is Watching Over You” – Phil Joel

74. “Rebirthing” – Skillet

73. “Running Just to Catch Myself” – Mark Schultz

72. “Audience of One” – Big Daddy Weave

71. “Sadie Hawkins Dance” – Relient K

70. “Kite” – Copeland

69. “Superman” – Luna Halo

68. “The Spy Hunter – Project 86

67. “Oh, Happiness” – David Crowder Band

66. “There’s Only One (Holy One)” – Caedmon’s Call

65. “All I Need” – Shawn McDonald

64. “In Love with the 80s (Pink Tux to the Prom)” – Relient K

63. “Youth of the Nation” – P.O.D.

62. “Burn for You” – Tobymac

61. “Ohh Ahh (My Life Be Like)” – Grits

60. “Beloved” – Derek Webb

59. “Protest to Praise” – Downhere

58. “I’m Not Alright” – Sanctus Real

57. “The Cure for Pain” – Jon Foreman

56. “Great Are You” – Downhere

55. “The Image of the Invisible” – Thrice

54. “Waters Gone By” – Shawn Lewis

53. “Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)” – Tobymac

52. “Dead Man (Carry Me)” – Jars of Clay

51. “Learning to Breathe” – Switchfoot

Top 50

50. “Far, Far Away” – Five Iron Frenzy

49. “Existence” – Kevin Max

48. “It is You” – Newsboys

47. “King of Glory” – Third Day

46. “Oh My God” – Jars of Clay

45. “Apparitions – Seabird

44. “Hills of Indigo Blue” – Future of Forestry

43. “Thy Mercy, my God” – Sandra McCracken

42. “Cannons” – Phil Wickham

41. “Sound of Melodies” – Leeland

40. “He Reigns” – Newsboys

39. “Every Season” – Nichole Nordeman

38. “One Time” – Earthsuit

37. “In A Sweater Poorly Knit” – Mewithoutyou

36. “Dismantle. Repair” – Anberlin

35. “Music Box” – Thrice

34. “Mouth Like a Magazine” – Showbread

33. “Mess of Me” – Switchfoot

32. “I Saw What I Saw” – Sara Groves

31. “Chasing Song” – Andrew Peterson

30. “Alive” – P.O.D.

29. “Caught A Glimpse” – Blindside

28. “The Fox, The Crow and the Cookie” – Mewithoutyou

27. “Prisoner” – Needtobreathe

26. “Sahara” – Relient K

Top 25

25. “Serial Sleepers” – House of Heroes

24. “Fully Alive” – Flyleaf

23. “Paperthin Hymn” – Anberlin

22. “Burn us Up” – Shane & Shane

21. “Piece of Glass” – Caedmon’s Call

20. “Slow Your Breath Down” – Future of Forestry

19. “Code Name: Raven – House of Heroes

18. “Deathbed” – Relient K

17. “The Unwinding Cable Car” – Anberlin

16. “How He Loves” – John Mark McMillan

15. “We’re So Far Away – Mae

14. “Messes of Men” – Mewithoutyou

13. “Silence” – Jars of Clay

12. “Meant to Live” – Switchfoot

11. “Everything” – Lifehouse

Top 10

10. “How Many Kings” – Downhere

9. “Hosanna” – Hillsong United

8. “Nothing to Say” – Andrew Peterson

7. “You Are My Joy” – David Crowder Band

6. “A Million Parachutes” – Sixpence None the Richer

5. “Faithful” – Brooke Fraser

4. “Safe to Land” – Jars of Clay

3. “I So Hate Consequences – Relient K

2. “In the Valley of the Dying Sun” – House of Heroes

1. “Dare you to Move” – Switchfoot

There you have it! What are your favorites and objective picks for greatest/best of the 2000s in Christian music? Hit me up in the comments!

100 Greatest Christian Songs of the 2000s Playlist if you wanna listen along!

100 Greatest Christian Songs of the 90s Full List, 100 Greatest Christian Albums of the 00s, 100 Greatest Christian Songs of the 2010s Coming Soon!