Singer/songwriter Derek Webb is trying to broaden his audience and is trying many new ways to gain an audience.  Last year he gave away music at FreeDerekWebb.com (if you gave him your e-mail address and those of five friends).  This time, he wants to do it again, but on a much bigger scale.

Kevin Max announced details of his next studio project via a press release on Wednesday. The new album, titled The Blood, will be a departure for Max, who is discarding his usual alt-rock fare for a contemplative treatment of traditional Gospel music.

Despite rumblings that it might become the first "Christian" album to debut at No 1 on the The Billboard 200, Relient K's Five Score and Seven Years Ago bowed at No. 6 this week. According to Gotee Records, the band fared slightly better on the iTunes Top Albums chart, grabbing the No. 3 slot for the week ending March 12.

RadioU reports that The Rocket Summer (a.k.a. Bryce Avary) is finishing up its first album for Island Records. Titled Do You Feel and set to be released this June, the album has been recorded in a number of different studios-a departure from the last TRS record, which Avary says was recorded entirely in a producer's kitchen.

Our old buddy The Runaway, known to cMusicWeb.com readers as hip-hop reviewer Jon Corbin, is set to release his debut album as an emcee on May 1. Titled A Brief Word, the album features guest spots from Deepspace 5's Sivion, respected Ontarian spitter Shad K, as well as Titus, N.I.F.T.Y. and ILL Seer. The album also features production from N.I.F.T.Y. along with beats from Tony Stone, Theory Hazit, Relic, and Run himself.

P.O.D. had spent several years with Atlantic Records, producing four full-length albums since 1998, including their 2001 breakthrough disc Satellite.

From Essential Records January 2007 - 2006 was an exciting year for Essential Recording artist Red. On June 6, they released their debut album, End of Silence, and have been touring non-stop since April. Their first hit single, "Breathe into Me," hit number 1 on both Radio and Records' and CRW's Christian Rock Charts during the month of July. On December 18, "Already Over," the second single from their debut, skyrocketed to the top spot on Radio and Records' Christian Rock chart.

It is a very happy new year for the Gospel Music Association. According to their latest press release, album sales rose in 2006, albeit slightly. John W. Styll, President and CEO of GMA, has a theory for the increase in sales: "There may be many reasons why this is true, but I think chief among them is that people seem to be drawn to the inspiring and compassionate message of Gospel music amid uncertain times."

In 2005, Gospel Music sold 43.5 million units (CDs, cassettes, etc). 44.9 units sold in 2006, an increase of 3.4%. Overall music sales were up 1.5% in 2006.