Shaggy’s Hot Shot, his career-defining fifth studio album, holds a prestigious spot as the 61st greatest album on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums of the 21st Century. This makes it the highest-ranked album by a Caribbean artist on the list. It’s the only album by a Jamaican on the list revealed on January 9, 2024.
Billboard’s Top Billboard 200 Albums of the 21st Century rankings reflect chart performance from January 1, 2000, to December 28, 2024. Notably, titles released before mid-1999 are excluded unless they charted on the Billboard 200 or Hot 100 within the specified timeframe, contributing to the calculations.
Rihanna’s ANTI, another standout Caribbean project, is ranked at No. 70. ANTI debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified six times platinum by the RIAA. ANTI spent two weeks at No. one on the Billboard 200 and has so far spend 453 weeks on the chart since its January 28, 2016 release.
Hot Shot, released on August 8, 2000 entered the Billboard 200 at No. 87 the week of August 26 and climbed to No. 1 on February 17, 2001 for six weeks driven by the single “It Wasn’t Me.” It has a total of 84 chart weeks on the 200 albums chart.
According to Luminate data shared with World Music Views, the album has sold 8.8 million units in the U.S., including 6.8 million pure sales and accumulating over 1.2 billion on-demand streams. Globally, it has sold more than 12 million copies, making it eligible for 8x Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its last RIAA certification, for 6x Multi-Platinum, was awarded on June 5, 2001.
The album’s track listing was revised for its UK and European releases, adding the song “Why You Mad at Me?” A remix edition titled Hot Shot Ultramix followed in June 2002. Hot Shot produced four hit singles: “It Wasn’t Me,” “Angel,” “Luv Me, Luv Me,” and the double A-side “Dance & Shout / Hope.” It became the second highest-charting studio album of 2001 on the Billboard Year-End chart and the best-selling album of that year in Canada.
Shaggy’s Superstar Advice at IMC Conference
On February 8, during a panel discussion at the inaugural International Music Conference (IMC), Shaggy took the stage not just as a performer but as a mentor. When a young rapper at the back of the room pleaded for an opportunity to showcase his talent, Shaggy invited him to perform on stage in front of executives from iHeartRadio, Meta, YouTube, and other major platforms. Offering a glimpse into his superstar mindset, Shaggy told the artist, “Me nah wear all black,” emphasizing the importance of individuality and presence in building a career.
