At least 40 of the 119 projects submitted for consideration in the Best Reggae Album category at the 2027 Grammy Awards are linked to international artists or multinational collaborations, representing 33.6% of the field, according to data obtained by World Music Views.
The submissions for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards reveal the increasingly global reach of reggae, with artists from the United States, Europe, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and international musical collectives competing for recognition in a category historically associated with Jamaica.
Only 5 projects will be selected at the nomination ceremony scheduled for November 16, 2026.
The United States has the largest identified representation outside Jamaica, with at least 21 submissions or 17.6% of the total field, from artists and groups originating on the US mainland or Hawaii.
SOJA is the only American band to ever win in the category, when their Beauty In The Silence stirred controversy at the 2022 ceremony.
Another four entries in this year’s submissions are associated with the US Virgin Islands, bringing the combined US and US-territory total to 25 projects, or 21% of the 119 submissions.
Europe accounts for seven identified entries, or 5.9%, while two projects originate from other Caribbean territories, one from Africa and one from Canada. Four additional projects involve multinational groups or cross-border collaborations.
American Reggae Acts Account for More Than One in Six Submissions
Among the American bands who submitted this year are California’s Dirty Heads, Massachusetts-based The Elovaters, Florida’s Kash’d Out and Ohio’s Tropidelic.
Other American acts include Fayuca from Phoenix, Arizona; The Green and Mike Love from Hawaii; SOJA from Virginia; RDGLDGRN from Reston, Virginia; and Sandollar from San Diego, California.
The list also includes Florida-born singer Destin Conrad, Miami’s DJ GQ, Los Angeles musician Joey Quiñones and reggae-rock project Surfer Girl, led by Massachusetts native Carter Reeves.
The presence of these artists also reflects the broad stylistic range of the Grammy’s Best Reggae Album category, which accepts submissions from acts whose music crosses traditional genre boundaries.
US Virgin Islands Contribute Four Projects
Among Virgin Island Islands’ roots reggae artists to submit are Akae Beka and Dezarie, both associated with Saint Croix, along with Jahman from Saint Thomas.
Pressure Busspipe also appears in a collaborative entry with Zion I Kings.
European reggae Grammy entries include Italian-born Alborosie(currently living in Jamaica) album Nine Mile.
Another Italian artist, Gaudi, submitted Jazz Gone Dub, while Venice-born Mad Elaine appears with From My Heart to Your Heart.
Germany is represented by Gentleman, whose project Gratitude is among the entries.
The United Kingdom is represented by East London’s The League of Rebelz and British indie rock band The Coral, whose album 388 incorporates reggae and rocksteady influences.
The Coral, originally from Hoylake, Merseyside, are not traditionally considered a reggae band, making their submission an example of the genre’s influence beyond its conventional performers.
French-born artist Tiwony, who grew up in Guadeloupe, is also represented with Dancehall Frequency.
African Representation Includes Zimbabwean-Born Don Dada
Africa has at least one identified submission, representing 0.8% of the total field.
Zimbabwean-born, South African-raised reggae artist Don Dada submitted The Struggle & the Crown (Reggae).
The Wider Caribbean Also Features
Outside Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands, at least two projects are associated with artists from other Caribbean territories, representing 1.7% of submissions.
Anguilla-born Olaide Banks submitted [R]Evolution, while Saint Lucian artist Emmanuel Carlos St. Omer is represented by Radical Son Back to Roots, Vol. 2.
Their presence adds to the diversity of Caribbean artists competing for consideration in the category.
Canada and Multinational Collaborations
Canadian-born reggae artist Tasha T, whose parents are Jamaican, submitted One World (Chapter 1).
The list also includes four projects classified as multinational collaborations or collectives, representing 3.4% of the field.
Naya Rockers, a Boston-based international reggae collective, submitted Higher Education.
Tides of Reasoning Riddim brings together Ted Ganung, Isaac Faith, Azizzi Romeo and Jah Bami, whose backgrounds connect Hawaii, New York, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Another international collaboration is Andromeda – Sign of the Times, credited to Jamaican-born Sydney Salmon, the Ethiopia-based Imperial Majestic Band and Irie Sounds Band.
Canada-based multicultural band Sonic Alley also submitted Unbound, featuring musicians with backgrounds in Canada, Venezuela, Tobago and Jamaica.
Jamaican Origin Versus Overseas Residence
Grammy-winning artist Ziggy Marley, Ky-Mani Marley and New York-based dancehall artist Tina, also known as HoodCelebrityy, are not counted as international-origin artists solely because they live outside Jamaica.
Similarly, Jamaican-born reggae artist Dova V, who migrated to New York, is classified by Jamaican origin rather than American residence.
Full List of 40 International and Multinational Entries Identified
United States — 21 entries (17.6%)
- Beach Fly — Flying — United States
- Destin Conrad — Roadrunner — Tampa, Florida
- Dirty Heads — 7 Seas — California
- DJ GQ — Skank Rock Reggae — Miami, Florida
- The Elovaters — Shark Belly Motel — Massachusetts
- Fayuca — Clementine — Phoenix, Arizona
- The Green — Titles — Hawaii
- Hirie — Phases — Philippines-born, raised in Italy and based in Hawaii
- Jayds — Beast — Pompano Beach, Florida
- Kash’d Out — Mirage — Orlando, Florida
- Mike Love — Teachers — Oʻahu, Hawaii
- Mihali & Johnny Cosmic — Yestermorrow — New Jersey/Vermont and Illinois/California
- Joey Quiñones — Inna Soul Steady Situation — East Los Angeles, California
- RDGLDGRN — The Gold Album — Reston, Virginia
- Sandollar — Sunny Day — San Diego, California
- Sonny Sandoval — Sonny Dread — San Ysidro, California
- Nick Sefakis & Eureka Sound — In Time — California
- Sirap the Hybrid — Coastline Cannon — Jackson, Mississippi
- SOJA — Without Surrender — Virginia
- Surfer Girl — Midnight — Massachusetts/California
- Tropidelic — First Light — Ohio
US Virgin Islands — 4 entries (3.4%)
- Akae Beka — World Tap In — Saint Croix
- Dezarie — 7th Heaven — Saint Croix
- Jahman — Alive — Saint Thomas
- Pressure Busspipe & Zion I Kings — All for a Time — Virgin Islands
Europe — 7 entries (5.9%)
- Alborosie — Nine Mile — Italy (also Jamaican citizen)
- The Coral — 388 — Hoylake, Merseyside, England
- Gaudi — Jazz Gone Dub — Bologna, Italy
- Gentleman — Gratitude — Germany
- The League of Rebelz — Jam House — East London, United Kingdom
- Mad Elaine — From My Heart to Your Heart — Venice, Italy
- Tiwony — Dancehall Frequency — France/Guadeloupe
Other Caribbean Territories — 2 entries (1.7%)
- Olaide Banks — [R]Evolution — Anguilla
- Emmanuel Carlos St. Omer — Radical Son Back to Roots, Vol. 2 — Castries, Saint Lucia
Africa — 1 entry (0.8%)
- Don Dada — The Struggle & the Crown (Reggae) — Zimbabwe-born, South African-raised
Canada — 1 entry (0.8%)
- Tasha T — One World (Chapter 1) — Canada, of Jamaican parentage
Multinational Collaborations and Collectives — 4 entries (3.4%)
- Naya Rockers — Higher Education — Boston-based international collective with Jamaican, American and Surinamese connections
- Ted Ganung, Isaac Faith, Azizzi Romeo & Jah Bami — Tides of Reasoning Riddim — United States, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
- Sydney Salmon, The Imperial Majestic Band & Irie Sounds Band — Andromeda – Sign of the Times — Jamaica, Ethiopia and international collaborators
- Sonic Alley — Unbound — Canada-based multinational group with members connected to Venezuela, Tobago and Jamaica
Summary of International Representation
- United States: 21 entries — 17.6%
- US Virgin Islands: 4 entries — 3.4%
- Europe: 7 entries — 5.9%
- Other Caribbean territories: 2 entries — 1.7%
- Africa: 1 entry — 0.8%
- Canada: 1 entry — 0.8%
- Multinational: 4 entries — 3.4%
