Alkaline‘s journey from a young aspiring artist in Kingston to an international dancehall sensation and potential fashion icon is testament to his dedication to music and his ability to evolve in the dynamic world of dancehall and reggae. With chat topping albums and successful festivals, as well as philanthropic contributions, Alkaline’s impact on the music industry is undeniable, and his career continues to flourish
Born Earlan Bartley, Alkaline’s career took off when he collaborated with Notnice and UIM Records, gaining popularity in Jamaica with hit singles like “123,” “High Suh,” “Bruk Out,” “Things Mi Love,” and “Live Life.” “Move Mountains” became one of his signature tracks, featured on multiple EPs and mixtapes.
In mid-2015 however, Alkaline aimed for international recognition with hit singles like “On Fleek (Love Yuh Everything)” and “Ride on Me (Remix)” featuring Sean Kingston. He simultaneously worked on his debut album, “New Level Unlocked,” which was released on March 25, 2016, under DJ Frass Records. The album topped the Billboard Reggae Charts and remained on the chart for 18 weeks, making him the first new dancehall artist at the time in five years to achieve this feat. Billboard’s critic pic Rob Kenner even ranked it as the third-best reggae album of 2016.
To date the album has 39 million streams on Spotify and his sophomore album “Top Prize,” released in May 2021, has 21 million streams. “Top Prize” peaked at No. 2 Billboard Reggae Albums chart its opening week and No. 37 on the Emerging Artist Chart.
In 2022, his “The Ripple EFFX” – EP sold just over 600 streams and sales equivalent units in its first week in the U.S. and missed the Billboard Reggae top ten, but his music was featured in Givenchy’s Men’s Spring Summer 2022 campaign.
With 355 million streams across all credits, here are Alkaline’s top 10 songs on Spotify with daily streaming numbers.
