Essential Records (Christian)

Essential Records is a contemporary Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a division of the major label Sony Music Nashville.

It was established in 1992 and acquired by Brentwood Music in 1993. The label's first big hit release was "Flood" by Jars of Clay in 1996. The song was a hit on mainstream radio before hitting on Christian formats; it reached No. 12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and appeared in the Billboard Hot 100. Today it is part of the Sony Music Nashville, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Also, the label has an imprint named Essential Worship, which provides resources for worship leaders, and the deals are different than traditional ones. It is a record label that provides tools for musicians, and worship leaders.

Sub*Lime Records was a sub-label of Essential Records, via Brentwood Music and the Zomba Music Group. Signed artists included Honey, Fold Zandura, Kosmos Express, Quayle, Ruby Joe, and Silage.

The roster of artists from May 2019:

Helpful: