June 1, 2025, marks ten years since Major Lazer released Peace Is the Mission, the genre-bending album that helped redefine global dance music. A fusion of dancehall, EDM, reggaeton, and pop, the album not only launched chart-dominating hits but also brought Jamaican voices to the global stage in a new, electrifying way.
Led by Diplo and his collaborative production team, Peace Is the Mission arrived on June 1, 2015, via Mad Decent, with a tight 32-minute runtime packed with Dancehall, EDM and Reggaeton cultural mashups and cross-continental collaborations. Jamaican talent was central to the project, featuring reggae and dancehall stars like Tarrus Riley, Chronixx, Mad Cobra, Jovi Rockwell, and Nyla.
Diamond Smash: “Lean On” and the Rise of the Dancehall-Pop Hybrid
The album’s breakout single, “Lean On” (with DJ Snake and MØ), became one of the most streamed songs of the decade. It was certified Diamond for sales and streaming equivalents surpassing 10 million units September 17, 2021.
The follow up sing “Powerful,” a soaring duet between Ellie Goulding and Jamaica’s Tarrus Riley, reached the top 10 in several countries including Australia and Poland—blending soul and reggae influences over slick electronic production. That song is now certified Gold in the U.S. for selling 500,000 units.
Later that year, the Light It Up remix featuring Nyla and Fuse ODG pushed the boundaries even further. With Nyla’s Caribbean cadence and the song’s contagious rhythm, the track exploded across European charts, reaching the top 10 in the UK, Germany, and Sweden, among others. Now certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA, it’s the highest selling song in the U.S. featuring a female Jamaican act.
Elsewhere on the album Chronixx’s militant delivery on “Blaze Up the Fire” and Mad Cobra’s gritty bars on “Night Riders,” added to Peace Is the Mission’s deeply rooted in Jamaican connection. Even less mainstream Jamaican artists like Jovi Rockwell (on “Too Original”) peaked at No. 21 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Sonds chart.
Critical and Commercial Impact
Critically, the album earned mostly positive reviews. Pitchfork rated it 7.4/10, Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-, and Clash magazine scored it 7/10. It wasn’t without mixed feedback—Spin gave it 5/10—but its innovation and mass appeal were undeniable.
Commercially, Peace Is the Mission debuted at No. 12 on the US Billboard 200 and topped the US Dance/Electronic Albums chart in its fourth week. It went on to achieve Gold certification in the U.S., U.K., France, and Italy, and Platinum status in Denmark and New Zealand.
