NEWSBOYS: Not Ashamed LP/magenta vinyl

Originally released in 1992, Not Ashamed stands as the definitive breakthrough album for the iconic Australian Christian rock band, Newsboys. After three early projects struggled to find a mainstream audience, the band pivoted toward a fresh creative direction, teaming up with legendary singer-songwriter and producer Steve Taylor. Taylor did far more than sit behind the mixing console; he reshaped the band’s identity, co-writing witty, quirky, and fiercely direct lyrics with drummer Peter Furler. This partnership also catalyzed a massive shift in the group's vocal dynamic, establishing the John James and Peter Furler dual-vocal formula that would define the band’s multi-platinum 1990s era.

The lineup of John James, Peter Furler, Corey Pryor (keyboards/programming), and Vernon Bishop (guitars) delivered a hook-heavy, synth-driven pop-rock sound that became an instant goldmine for Christian radio. The album's explosive title track, "I'm Not Ashamed," marched straight to number one on the CHR charts and became the band's very first signature anthem. The record proved it had remarkable depth, spawning a string of major radio hits including the driving rock track "Upon This Rock," the quirky fan-favorite "I Cannot Get You Out of My System," a brilliant pop-rock medley of "Where You Belong / Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," and a standout cover of DeGarmo and Key's classic, "Boycott Hell."

While Not Ashamed laid the commercial and critical foundation for the Newsboys' career, climbing to number 11 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart, Billboard Magazine went so far as to name it the Number One CCM Album of the Year, heralding the band as the future of the genre. Driven by heavy rotation of its companion music video VHS and relentless touring, the record sold hundreds of thousands of copies and set the stage for a career that would eventually eclipse 10 million albums sold. It was the exact moment where the hooks, the humor, and the production finally clicked, solidifying their place in CCM history.

Side A

1. I Cannot Get You Out of My System (3:18)

2. I'm Not Ashamed (3:52)

3. Where You Belong / Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (5:32)

4. Upon This Rock (4:39)

5. Strong Love (4:02)

Side B

6. Dear Shame (3:50)

7. Boycott Hell (3:41)

8. We Come Together (4:36)

9. Love Comes True (3:32)

10. Lost the Sky Again (5:05)