Beenie Man’s new album Eminence did not debut on this week’s Billboard Reggae Albums chart, despite an encouraging opening on iTunes that saw the project reach No. 1 in the United States.
Released August 20 via Billboard King Records, the 16-track Eminence boasts a wide-ranging guest list including Rick Ross, Mýa, T.I., Ashanti, Snoop Dogg, Rotimi and Stefflon Don, alongside several Jamaican acts. Produced by Kemar “Flava” McGregor, the project was reportedly developed over roughly a year and a half.
Eminence made an immediate impression on iTunes, climbing to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes All Genres Albums chart, where it remained for several days. It also topped the U.S. iTunes Reggae Albums chart for the week.
The strong digital-sales showing was not enough, however, for the album to enter Billboard’s Reggae Albums ranking.
iTunes rankings reflect paid purchases made through Apple’s digital store, while Billboard’s weekly album charts measure broader U.S. consumption, incorporating traditional album sales, track-equivalent albums and streaming-equivalent albums, using data tracked by Luminate.
At 53, the Grammy-winning dancehall star remains one of the genre’s most accomplished artists on Billboard, although Eminence extends a gap in new charting albums dating back to 2016.
The project follows 2023’s Simma, which also missed the Reggae Albums chart but went on to earn Beenie Man a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album.
Simma moved approximately 500 equivalent album units in the United States during its opening week, according to Luminate figures previously provided to World Music Views.
Beenie Man Has 15 Billboard Reggae Albums Entries
The latest chart result comes against a considerably larger Billboard legacy.
Across more than three decades, Beenie Man has placed 15 projects on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart, beginning with Blessed in 1995. That album peaked at No. 12 and spent 18 weeks on the ranking.
It marked the beginning of a formidable run through the late 1990s and 2000s. Maestro climbed to No. 3 before Many Moods of Moses gave Beenie Man his first No. 1.
Six of his albums have ultimately topped Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart:
- Many Moods of Moses — No. 1
- The Doctor — No. 1
- Art and Life — No. 1
- Tropical Storm — No. 1
- Back to Basics — No. 1
- Undisputed — No. 1
That period coincided with some of the biggest international achievements of Beenie Man’s career. Art and Life won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, while Many Moods of Moses and The Doctor also earned Grammy nominations.
His other Billboard Reggae Albums entries include Ruff N Tuff at No. 5, Y2K at No. 11, Youth Quake at No. 10, Best of Beenie Man at No. 4, Best of Beenie Man Collector’s Edition at No. 10 and Kingston to King of the Dancehall: A Collection of Dancehall Favorites at No. 3.
Unstoppable Remains His Most Recent Billboard Entry
Beenie Man’s most recent appearance on the Reggae Albums chart came with Unstoppable in 2016.
The album debuted and peaked at No. 3, spending six weeks on the ranking and becoming his 11th Top 10 entry on the chart.
While Eminence did not extend that Billboard run in its opening week, its No. 1 showing on the U.S. iTunes charts demonstrates continued purchasing interest in new music from the veteran dancehall star.
Beenie Man is also not alone among veteran Jamaican artists whose latest releases have not translated into Billboard Reggae Albums appearances. Shaggy’s Lottery is among the other new projects from established acts to miss the ranking this year.
