Toby Mac’s faith anthem “Cornerstone” has proven to be a bona fide hit, reaching #1 on both the Billboard AC Monitored and the Mediabase AC Published charts. The song, which Mac wrote after the funeral of his firstborn son, Truett, is a touching piece that speaks of relying on God to get through hard times.
Although it was only released during Holy Week, “Cornerstone” has been making waves with consistent radio play. The tune has received the most adds to radio playlists of any artist on the Capitol CMG label, making it their most popular of 2023. It has been in the top spot of Christian music charts for two weeks and it doesn’t show any sign of moving.
In a press release, Toby said of “Cornerstone”:
“This song was birthed at my firstborn’s funeral service. A broken man, I looked my family in the eyes and said, ‘We have to rebuild. Our hearts have been shattered into a thousand pieces. We cannot build on the promises of this world. They will let us down every time. We have to build on the promises of God. We have to build our lives on the solid rock, the cornerstone.'”
“Cornerstone” is an upbeat pop song, melded with elements of rock and R&B. Mac was joined by fellow Christian artist Zach Williams, whose country crooning provides emotional vocal lines to emphasize the climax of the piece. The lyrics focus on the power of faith to keep our heads up during the worst moments of our lives.
The song was supported with an excellent music video that illustrates the lyrics through high-quality videography. Characters include a prisoner reading from the Bible, a young woman contemplating self-harm, and an alcoholic who is struggling with his addiction. As the “cornerstone” of their faith touches their lives, their vices and troubles begin to turn to sand, leaving them free of their previously shown sorrow.