#ben rector

I was first introduced to Ben Rector by my bestie in high school. I was one of the last in our friend group to get a driver's license, so one night as she's driving me home from a hang out good ole Ben comes on. I think we listened to 2 or 3 of his songs? We stopped listening after she accidentally turned on a red arrow (nothing bad happened) and she claimed his music was too calming to listen to while driving XD

But yeah! I've loved his music ever since. I'm currently listening to all of it on repeat to prep for the concert, so here are my favorite songs from each album!

Songs that Duke Wrote (2008) - is not his first album but it's the oldest one available on Amazon Music. Not counting his Christmas albums, I listen to this one the least.

Early Morning Riser - my favorite on the album since I first listened to it. It was my wake up alarm for a while. Also inspired a fic I wrote last year lol

Hank - came on while I was driving today, finally really heard the lyrics, and I fell a little in love with it.

Into the Morning (2010) - sometimes I have a story or notes for an album or song but sometimes it's just, yeah! good music!

Loving You Is Easy

When A Heart Breaks

Moving Backwards

Something Like This (2011)

Song For the Suburbs

Hide Away

She Is - apparently Lady A has a cover of this song?? I don't think it's as good, but I usually love Lady A

The Walking in Between (2013)

Making Money

I Like You

Sailboat - this song and the next two are some of his more explicitly Christian songs, so they also live on my Church/Sunday playlist!

Follow You - I misheard "heavy laden" as "happy lady" for a really long time and I still have a hard time not singing that line incorrectly 😂

If You Can Hear Me

Life Keeps Moving On

Bonus: When I'm With You - but specifically the version with Cody Fry and the National Symphony Orchestra (2023) which is gorgeous <3

Live in Denver (2014) - I'd actually only heard one or two songs from his three live albums, until today when I listened to this one all the way through! It was so fun! Other than my usual favorites I also really liked

The Beat

and a fun cover he sang of I Wanna Dance With Somebody!!

Brand New (2015) - MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BEN RECTOR ALBUM. While I don't think I truly dislike any of his songs, this is the one album where pretty much every single song is a banger for me, so yeah here take pretty much the whole album haha

Make Something Beautiful

Brand New

Favorite Song - this whole song is just a bunch of references to other songs, it's awesome. "Circa summer, maybe 1994? (It was '99!)"

The Men That Drive Me Places - and this gorgeous live version (2023)

Note to Self

Like The World Is Going to End

Crazy - "I need an anthem. I need a song I can sing. So raise a glass if your life is crazy—crazy normal" proceeds to describe himself doing mundane, everyday things <3

30,000 Feet

More Like Love

Okay I felt bad leaving the other three songs out hahaha, so they're Paris, Fear, and Almost Home which have moments that I really enjoy but overall don't click for me like the rest of the album

Magic (2018)

Drive

Old Friends

Duo

Boxes

Peace

The Joy of Music (2022)

Supernatural (feat. Dave Koz) - entirely because of the INCREDIBLE SAXOPHONE

Heroes - the end of this song always gives me chills it's just so grand and cinematic

Sunday (feat. Snoop Dogg) - NOT THE COLLAB I EVER EXPECTED BUT IT'S KIND OF DELIGHTFUL???

Hanging Out (feat. Kenny G) - EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE SAXOPHONE IN THIS SONG UGHHHH the sax solo was my ringtone for a while

The Richest Man in the World (2025) - his latest album! I'm still getting to know this one, but so far my favorite is

Forever (Doesn't Quite Seem Long Enough)

Part of Life - is also really sweet, I was listening to it this morning

He has some really fun singles including

Color Up My World (2024) feat. Hailey Whitters - I adore this song, it's so cute

Range Rover (2021) feat. Steve Winwood - ALSO adore this song, it slaps so hard and a few days ago I found this stunning a cappella (mostly) version feat. Stephen Day & Jordy Searcy from his 2023 Live from Atlanta album

And I love his original holiday songs!

The Thanksgiving Song (2020)

The Best Is Yet to Come (2021)

And the shorter/acoustic version subtitled A Song for the New Year