[Jonular]

Sparrow Rock band Sanctus Real "fights the tide" and found it flowing their way in 2004. The year brought a series of firsts for the members and found them on top of the yearend best of lists as they launched their second headline tour Jan. 14 in support of their best-selling, critically acclaimed sophomore album, Fight The Tide.

For the first time, R & R named Sanctus Real the Most Played Rock radio artist of 2004. Some of the highlights at radio for the year include:

"Everything About You" No. 1 for eight weeks, topping both the R & R CHR and Rock charts

"Beautiful Day" from In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa, No. 1 for 4 consecutive weeks

"Everything About You" No. 4 on R & R's Christian Rock 2004 Year-End Chart

"Everything About You" No. 10 on Christian CHR 2004 Year-End Chart

"Beautiful Day" No. 15 on R & R's Christian Rock 2004 Year-End Chart

The band's current top 15 CHR single, "Things Like You," continues to climb the charts as the new Rock single, "Alone," landed at No. 3 last week.

In addition to 2004 radio success, yearend critic's choice lists named Sanctus Real among their top picks. ChristianMusicToday.com asks, "Why can't more modern rock bands be this good" and named the band's Fight The Tide their seventh overall favorite in any genre for 2004. They further commented in their review, "It's clear that Sanctus Real aspires to clearly communicate their faith walk while aspiring to become one of the premier rock bands of their time. They're one step closer on both counts."

CMCentral.com readers also nominated Sanctus Real for Rock/Alternative Album of the Year for Fight the Tide and Rock/Alternative Song of the Year and Rock/Alternative Performance for "Everything About You."

The year further brought significant features for Sanctus Real in CCM, Christian Music Planet, Breakaway, YouthWalk and Advance magazines, as well as their first appearance on CBS's The Early Show. Live clips of Sanctus Real's performance at the LifeLight Fest 2004 in Sioux Falls, SD, Sept. 4 were used in the morning show's "Bible Magazines: Big Sellers" story that ran Wednesday, Dec. 29. Upcoming coverage of the band includes features in Campus Life (March/April), On Course (Spring issue), Christian Single (March) and R&R (Jan. 28).

2004's Modern Rock Song and Album Of The Year Dove Award nominees, Sanctus Real were sponsored for the first time by Food for the Hungry
for its first headline tour last fall. Sanctus Real members are again sponsored by the relief agency as they embarked Jan. 14 on their second 20-plus-city headline tour featuring rising Tooth & Nail band Hawk Nelson. Sanctus Real members have become well known for their captivating live performances and recently returned from playing their first European festivals, Christmans Rock Night in Germany and Winter Wonder Rock in Holland. Upcoming tour dates and additional Sanctus Real information can be found at www.SanctusReal.com, www.emicmg.com.

For more information on Sanctus Real, click here.