“Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers” compilation album by Bob Marley & The Wailers is Billboard’s No. 1 Reggae album for the fourth year in a row.
Published today (November 21), the Billboard Year-End 2023 music charts unveil the top albums and artists of the year. These charts summarize aggregated metrics for artists and albums, covering the period from November 20, 2022, to November 12, 2023. The metrics are based on streaming equivalent album units, airplay, and sales in the United States, as reported by the sales tracker Luminate. Luminate gathers information from a broad spectrum of retailers which cover 90% of U.S. music retail market.
Billboard also revealed that Legend, first released on May 8, 1984, moves up to No. 66 (No. 77 last year and No. 60 in 2021) on the Year-End Billboard 200 Albums chart, which ranks albums across all genres. While on the Top Albums Sales chart Legend lands at No. 34.
It is the only Reggae Album on the Billboard 200 year-end chart but Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio Vol. 1 which features Likkle Miss Remix with Skeng makes an entry at No. 93.
According to the Billboard, Bob Marley & The Wailers has also secured the No. 9 position on the Year-End Top R&B Albums Artists chart (Up from No. 10 last year) and Legend is at No. 14 on the Year-End Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (up from No. 41 last year).
This year Bob Marley and The Wailers are at No. 39 on the Year-End Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists chart (up from 47 last year).
Back on the Reggae Albums Artists Year-End Chart, Other than Marley’s Magnum Opus best seller, nine of the albums that made the top 15 last year returned for 2023. The new entries are: No Love by Byron Messia at No. 8, Great Is He by Popcaan at No. 12, Backyard Sessions Malibu Edition by Iration at No. 13, Endless Summer by The Elovaters at No. 14, and Outside by Burna Boy at No. 15.
Best Of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection by Shaggy retaining it’s No. 2 position, Dutty Classics Collection by Sean Paul at No. 3, Stick Figure‘s “Wisdom”, “World On Fire” and “Set In Stone” at No. 4, No. 6 and No. 7 respectively. While at No 5. is Greatest Hits by UB40.
“Dutty Rock” by Sean Paul is at No. 9, at No. 10 is “Live At Red Rocks” by Rebelution, “Gifted” by Koffee at No. 11.
Meanwhile on the Billboard Reggae Albums Artist Chart Byron Messia and Popcaan are new additions this year at No. 6 and No. 9 respectively. Jason Mraz and Shenseea who were at No. 7 and No. 8 respectively last year did not make it to the chart this year. Mraz released Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride this year and Shenseea is yet to release her follow up to her debut album Alpha.
See full Billboard Reggae Albums Artist Chart list below for 2023:
- Bob Marley And The Wailers
- Stick Figure
- Shaggy
- Sean Paul
- UB40
- Byron Messia
- Rebelution
- Koffee
- Popcaan
- Iration
