Citizen Way

Christian rock outfit Citizen Way take a lively, uplifting approach to their melodic songs. Having played together previously under another name, they emerged with their Citizen Way debut in 2013. Sophomore album 2.0 reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart upon its release in 2016. Based out of Elgin, Illinois, Citizen Way formed in 2004 as the Least of These (not to be confused with the Texas CCM group of the same name) and issued an eponymous debut album under the moniker in 2009. The original lineup consisted of two pairs of siblings, Ben and David Blascoe and Ben and Josh Calhoun, all Judson University alumni. Their first single as Citizen Way, "Should've Been Me," appeared in 2012. Co-produced with Seth Mosley (Jeremy Camp, Sidewalk Prophets), the Fair Trade-issued long-player Love Is the Evidence followed in 2013 and found its way onto the Billboard Heatseekers and Christian albums charts, peaking at number 22 on the latter. Down to a trio with Ben Blascoe leaving the group, Citizen Way's second album, 2.0, involved a team of producers that included Mosley. Released by Fair Trade in 2016, it went to number nine on the Christian albums chart. They cracked the Top Ten of the Christian songs chart, as well, with 2.0's "Bulletproof," which peaked at number nine the following year. The band returned in 2019 with Love Is a Lion. ~ James Christopher Monger & Marcy Donelson