“Could You Be Loved,” released as the first single from Bob Marley & The Wailers’ 12th studio album Uprising in 1980, has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify as of September 19, 2024. This milestone marks Marley’s second song to cross the billion-stream threshold, following “Three Little Birds,” which reached the milestone in July. Bob Marley & The Wailers are now the first reggae act with two solo songs surpassing 1 billion streams on Spotify.
“Could You Be Loved,” which garners 600,000 streams daily worldwide, was written by Bob Marley during a flight while The Wailers experimented with a guitar riff.
The song’s release came just four months before Bob Marley’s historic performance at Madison Square Garden (MSG) on September 19, 1980. Industry insider Copeland Forbes, who worked with Jamaican legends like Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, vividly recalls this period and the impact of “Could You Be Loved,” a track that elevated Marley’s career in the U.S.
“Yes, I was around, but I was on the road with Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh when the song was recorded up at 56 Hope Road, where the Tuff Gong studio was before relocating to Marcus Garvey Drive,” Forbes recalls. This period was pivotal for Marley, especially after the mixed reception of the 1979 Survival album in the U.S.
Despite performing multiple shows at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre in 1979, Survival was deemed “too heavy” for American audiences, Forbes notes. This contrasted with Exodus, which was seen as more suitable for the U.S. market. Exodus also faced setbacks due to Marley’s health issues from an injured toe, which led to his eventual battle with cancer.
By 1980, as Marley sought to break into the U.S. market, his new manager made a strategic deal. Forbes explains: “Bob wanted to break in the U.S. in 1980 when he broke all attendance records in Europe that year, drawing over 110,000 fans at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy. When he came into the U.S., his new manager, Danny Sims, struck a deal with Frankie Crocker of WBLS FM radio in NY to give Bob one month of continuous airplay of the single ‘Could You Be Loved.’ Bob would open for the Commodores at MSG on Sept 19 & 20, 1980, for a small stipend to cover the band’s expenses, with no funds going into Bob’s pocket.”
Despite these limitations, Marley eagerly embraced the opportunity. “Bob was happy to do it as that would be great promotion for the single ‘Could You Be Loved,’ which Frankie Crocker called the fast song,” Forbes adds.
A witness to the electrifying atmosphere, Forbes describes how Marley’s performance stole the show saying that first night at MSG, without even a sound check, Marley “tore the capacity full MSG down when he closed his 60-minute set with ‘Could You Be Loved.’”
“I was there” The Reggae My Life Is author says. “The two nights and witnessed Bob blew the Commodores off stage when he had the entire MSG on their feet with lighters in their hands, singing ‘Could You Be Loved.’”
Marley’s MSG performance, punctuated by his final, rousing rendition of “Could You Be Loved,” marked a turning point, not just for him but for reggae music’s reach into the mainstream. In Forbes’ words, the fans’ chanted, “Bob Marley, Bob Marley,” during the Commodores’ set. The concert however, didn’t just promote a single; it cemented Bob Marley as a global music legend. The impact of those performances was immediate. Percy Sutton, the then-CEO of WBLS, recognized Marley’s rising star power.
According to Forbes, Sutton told Danny Sims, “They gonna put BMW on the upcoming Stevie Wonder tour as they now saw that Bob was ready for the big times.” Among the audience were prominent figures like Mick Jagger, Sara Dash of Labelle, Dionne Warwick, members of Earth, Wind & Fire, and even Kurtis Blow, who had opened the show with a 25-minute set.
Forbes captures the historical significance of that night, “Here is a pic of the sold-out MSG with the folks all shouting Bob Marley even during the Commodores’ set.”
For more than 40 years, Americans have fallen in love with the track which combines traditional reggae rhythms with pop influences, making one of Rolling Stone Magazine 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.
“Could You Be Loved” has been a commercial success, peaking at #2 on the Dutch Top 40 and #5 on the UK Singles Chart in 1980. It also charted at #6 in Spain, #10 in Norway, and #13 in West Germany. In the U.S., it reached #56 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and became a dance club favorite, reaching #6 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
The song has been certified platinum in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, where it sold over 1.2 million units. Other certifications include platinum in Spain and Italy and 5× platinum in New Zealand.
The song’s popularity has endured over the years, as demonstrated by its inclusion on Marley’s Legend compilation album released in 1984, the best-selling reggae album of all time. “Could You Be Loved” also featured on various live recordings and concert DVDs, ensuring that its legacy lives on through both studio and live performances.
The song has been covered by various artists, including British singer Joe Cocker, who released his version in 1997. Marley’s children, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, have also performed the song numerous times, helping to carry their father’s legacy forward.
