Mercyme's "I Can Only Imagine" Zooms in at #2

Propelled by the sucess of the movie "I Can Only Imagine," Mercyme's original version of the song of the same titular zooms into Billboard's Hot Christian Song chart at #2.  The song is also #1 on the Christian Digital Song Sales. 

The song was first released as first issued as a track on MercyMe's 1999 album The Worship Project, which was released on an independent record label. The song was re-recorded and included on their 2001 major-label debut album Almost There as the fifth song on the album.  

Written and composed by lead vocalist Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing before God. 

Meanwhile, the new "I Can Only Imagine (The Movie Session)" soars by 79 percent to 1.3 million audience impressions, and darts 35-27 on Christian Airplay and 35-29 on Hot Christian Songs. 

"I Can Only Imagine" has also been covered by several artists. In 2002 Amy Grant released a reworked version of the song (titled "Imagine" and paired with "Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus") on her album, Legacy... Hymns and Faith. In 2003, Jeff Carson and Kathryn Scott each issued variants of the song; Carson's version peaked at No. 50 on the Country Songs chart. In 2005 Wynonna Judd issued her form of the song;while in 2007 Emerson Drive provided theirs. The song was covered again in 2010 by Marie Osmond and in 2013 by gospel artist Tamela Mann. 

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