Amy Grant was already the biggest selling and most well-known Contemporary Christian artist before she made the leap to mainstream success, but she became a crossover superstar with the release of her 1991 album Heart In Motion.

Her relationship with her gay fans (and she has many) has been a bit ... frustrating. In her interview with PrideSource last year, she acknowledges her gay fan base, but her answers are vague, and she refuses to answer any questions about same-sex marriage.

But how many other CC artists of her stature would even consent to an interview with the gay press?

Today is Amy's 54th birthday, so let's take a look at some of her greatest songs. Well, secular songs, since her first mainstream breakthrough in 1985. This is a good place to start your Essential Amy Grant.

10. THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS FOR

Year: 1991

Album: Heart In Motion

Chart: U.S. - #7, UK - #60

The third top ten smash from Heart In Motion is a lovely ballad, but the reason I love it is for the music video, my favorite of Amy's, which is ... completely bonkers!

9. THE NEXT TIME I FALL

Year: 1986

Album: Solitude/Solitaire

Chart: U.S. - #1, UK - N/A

After Amy's secular success with "Find A Way" in 1985, she recorded this duet with Peter Cetera for his debut solo album. It became his second and her first #1 smash, and received a Grammy nom for Best Duo Or Group.

8. TAKES A LITTLE TIME

Year: 1997

Album: Behind The Eyes

Chart: U.S. - #21, UK - N/A

Amy's 1997 album Behind The Eyes was her highest charting (#8) but one of her least selling mainstream releases, but the first single "Takes A Little Time" was a hit, peaking at #21, and was her last appearance on the Hot 100.

7. LUCKY ONE

Year: 1994

Album: House Of Love

Chart: U.S. - #18, UK - #60

The first single from Amy's 1994 album House Of Love was a sweet pop confection, very ... reminiscent ... of "Baby Baby."

6. EVERY HEARTBEAT

Year: 1991

Album: Heart In Motion

Chart: U.S. - #2, UK - #25

Amy followed up the enormous success of "Baby Baby" with the the second single from Heart In Motion, and it followed its predecessor up the chart, eventually peaking at #2, cementing her crossover success.

5. GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST

Year: 1992

Album: Home For Christmas

Chart: U.S. - N/A, UK - N/A

Composed by David Foster and Linda Thompson-Jenner, it was originally recorded by Natalie Cole, but it was Amy's version for her 1992 Christmas album that became a holiday classic.

4. BABY BABY

Year: 1991

Album: Heart In Motion

Chart: U.S. - #1, UK - #2

Five years after her first #1 song, Amy returned to the pop chart in the biggest way imaginable. Her 1991 album Heart In Motion was a mammoth success, selling five million copies and yielding four top ten songs, including the first single "Baby Baby," which became the biggest hit of her career, spending two weeks at #1. It earned her Grammy nods for Song and Record Of The Year, Best Female Pop Vocal, and Heart In Motion received an Album Of The Year nod.

3. FIND A WAY

Year: 1985

Album: Unguarded

Chart: U.S. - #29, UK - N/A

After years as the #1 CC artist, Amy took a tender step into the secular pop world, and the results were encouraging. The terrific pop nugget "Find A Way" became her first hit on top 40 radio, peaking at #29 on the Billboard chart. It would be just the first taste of the mainstream success Amy would have in the coming years.

2. LEAD ME ON

Year: 1988

Album: Lead Me On

Chart: U.S. - #96, UK - N/A

Okay, I lied (yes, I know it's a sin). I am including one Jesus-y song from Amy. It's from her 1988 album Lead Me On, which was a bridge from her first taste of secular success to her all-out mainstream onslaught. The title song was a big, booming, atmospheric anthem. It made me a believer! In big, booming, atmospheric anthems.

1. I WILL REMEMBER YOU

Year: 1992

Album: Heart In Motion

Chart: U.S. - #20, UK - N/A

The fifth and final single from Heart In Motion should have followed the other four into the top ten, but was stopped at #20. A mournful but gorgeous ballad about love and loss, it's the pinnacle of her mainstream career.

Okay, your turn! What's in your Essential Amy Collection? "Good For Me?" "House Of Love?" "Big Yellow Taxi?"