As the Recording Academy gets ready for its 65th staging of the Grammys on February 5, we take a look back at the Best Reggae Album category (formerly the Best Reggae Recording). This year: five Jamaicans were nominated for the Best Reggae Album category.
Two time Grammy winner Shaggy was nominated for the over album “Come Fly With Me, Sinatra Songbook”, Protoje’s Third Time’s The Charm, 2020’s winner Koffee’s Gifted, Sean Paul’s Island Records debut Scorcha and first time nominee Kabaka Pyramid’s The Kalling, produced by Damian Marley are 2023’s contenders for music’s most coveted peer group trophy.
Sales and streams are not factors in the selection of the Grammy nominations according to Harvey Mason Jr. Recording Academy CEO, but our staff at WMV dived deep into Reggae grammy history to find the sales numbers for the albums that have won Best Reggae Album/Best Reggae Recording with some help from our Billboard sales trackers Luminate(Formerly Neilson/MRC Data) who started collecting the data since 1991.
Each sales unit represents one album sale or 10 individual tracks sold from an album or 1,250 paid streams from an album via audio or video streams or 3,750 ad-supported streams.
The Grammy Award for Reggae music has been a symbol of musical accomplishment ever since it was launched in 1985.
Ziggy Marley has won the ‘Reggae Grammy’ more than anyone else; he did it 1989, 1990, 1998, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2017. While the Marley family took home the most Best Reggae Grammy awards, it is Sean Paul’s ‘Dutty Rock’ that holds the record as the most successful Grammy winning Best Reggae Album, having been certified triple Platinum(3,000,000) in the U.S.
The Grammy for Best Reggae Album is always presented at a pre-show award ceremony for a body of work deemed worthy as elected by registered voters and the winning project could be a ska, reggae or dancehall album.
Often times the U.S. based Grammys voting and organizing bodies are accused of being out of touch with the consumption of reggae music in the U.S. and select winners who are not necessarily the best album that year.
WMV takes a look back at the albums that won each year and their sales/streams.
This year’s winner Kabaka Pyramid’s “The Kalling” has sold 4700 units so far.
‘Best Reggae Album’ Winners 1984- 2022
| Year | Artist | Album Name | Total Units | Total Sales |
| 1985 | Black Uhuru | Anthem* | 31,000 | 24,000 |
| 1986 | Jimmy Cliff | Cliff Hanger* | 29,000 | 27,000 |
| 1987 | Steel Pulse | Babylon The Bandit* | 79,000 | 71,000 |
| 1988 | Peter Tosh | No Nuclear War* | 56,000 | 31,000 |
| 1989 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | Conscious Party* | 1,000,000 | 100,000** |
| 1990 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | One Bright Day* | 500,000 | 21,000** |
| 1991 | Bunny Wailer | A Tribute To Bob Marley* | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| 1992 | Shabba Ranks | As Raw As Ever | 679,000 | – |
| 1993 | Shabba Ranks | X-Tra Naked | 522,000 | – |
| 1994 | Inner Circle | Bad Boys | 1,100,000 | 900,000 |
| 1995 | Bunny Wailer | Cruical! Roots Classics | no data | no data |
| 1996 | Shaggy | Boombastic | 1,200,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 1997 | Bunny Wailer | Hall Of Fame: A Tribute To Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary | 11,000 | 11,000 |
| 1998 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | Fallen Is Babylon | 86,000 | 82,000 |
| 1999 | Sly & Robbie | Friends | 15,000 | 13,000 |
| 2000 | Burning Spear | Calling Rastafari | 42,000 | 40,000 |
| 2001 | Beenie Man | Art and Life | 68,000 | n/a |
| 2002 | Damian Marley | Halfway Tree | 248,000 | 194,000 |
| 2003 | Lee Scratch Perry | Jamaican E.T | 5,000 | 4,000 |
| 2004 | Sean Paul | Dutty Rock | 3,500,000 | 2,800,000 |
| 2005 | Toots & The Maytals | True Love | 221,000 | 121,000 |
| 2006 | Damian Marley | Welcome To Jamrock | 1,200,000 | 900,000 |
| 2007 | Ziggy Marley | Love Is My Religion | 352,000 | 183,000 |
| 2008 | Stephen Marley | Mind Control | 336,000 | 190,000 |
| 2009 | Burning Spear | Jah Is Real | 9,000 | 7,000 |
| 2010 | Stephen Marley | Mind Control (Acoustics) | 162,000 | 27,000 |
| 2011 | Buju Banton | Before The Dawn | 8,000 | 7,000 |
| 2012 | Stephen Marley | Revelation Pt. 1 – The Root Of Life | 114,000 | 53,000 |
| 2013 | Jimmy Cliff | Rebirth | 57,000 | 48,000 |
| 2014 | Ziggy Marley | In Concert | 147,000 | 8,000 |
| 2015 | Ziggy Marley | Fly Rasta | 31,000 | 21,000 |
| 2016 | Morgan Heritage | Strictly Roots | 17,000 | 10,000 |
| 2017 | Ziggy Marley | Ziggy Marley | 25,000 | 16,000 |
| 2018 | Damian Marley | Stony Hill | 167,000 | 27,000 |
| 2019 | Sting & Shaggy | 44/876 | 96,000 | 59,000 |
| 2020 | Koffee | Rapture | 152,000 | 8,000 |
| 2021 | Toots & The Maytals | Got To Be Tough | 9,000 | 6,000 |
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2022 |
SOJA | Beauty In the Silence | 35,000 |
7,000 © 2022 World Music Views® All Rights Reserved. “World Music Views®”
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“Anthem” (1985) by Black Uhuru Album Sales: 31,000.
(Pure Album Sales: 24K On Demand Streams: 3.3M)
Black Uhuru’s Anthem, released in 1983 and internationally in 1984, was the first album to have won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording in 1985. The album has been released in multiple versions, including a box set, that feature various track listings and mixes.
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“Cliff Hanger” by Jimmy Cliff(1986) Album Sales: 29,000
(Pure Album Sales: 27K On-Demand Streams: 1.1M)
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“Babylon The Bandit” by Steel Pulse(1987) Album Sales : 79,000
(Pure Album Sales: 71K, Streams: 9.5M)
Steele Pulse were the first non-Jamaican reggae band to win the award in 1987. The group was also the first reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show.
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“No Nuclear War” (1988) by Peter Tosh – Album Sales : 56,000.
(Pure Album Sales: 31K Streams: 25.5M)
No Nuclear War is the seventh and final studio record by Peter Tosh. It was released on September 21, 1987, ten days after Tosh’s death. The album was honored with a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1988. It was Tosh’s second Grammy nomination, “Captured Live” having been nominated in the same category three years prior.
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“Conscious Party”(1989) Album Sales :1 Million.
(Album Sales and on-demand streams since 1991 : 110k, Pure Sales: 100K, Streams: 2.5M)
The album is Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers’ third album. It became popular with the hits “Tumblin’ Down” and the reggae classic “Tomorrow People”. In 2009, “Tomorrow People” was grudgingly voted the “85th Greatest One-Hit Wonder of the 80s” by VH1.
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“One Bright Day” by Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers(1990)- Album Sales -500,000.
(Album Sales Equivalent Streams & Sales since 1991: 21k, Pure Album Sales: 9K Total Streams: 1.6M)
One Bright Day is the fourth album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1989. It won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1990. Capitalizing on the momentum they received the previous year Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, were the first and only reggae group to be awarded back to back Best Reggae Album at the Grammys. The album is certified gold and reached number 23 on the Billboard 200.
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“Time Will Tell- A Tribute To Bob Marley” by Bunny Wailer(1991) Album Sales: 1,200.
(Pure Album Sales: 1.2K Streams: N/A.)
Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley is an album by Bunny Wailer, released through Shanachie Records in 1990. In 1991, the album won Wailer the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording. The album features a 10 songs made popular by Bob Marley, including “Stir It Up,” “No Woman No Cry,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” and “Exodus,” as well as Wailer’s own interpretation of “One Love.” A critical success, the album earned Wailer praise for his skillful and heartfelt renditions of Marley’s classic songs.
- “As Raw As Ever”(1992) and “X-tra Naked”(1993) by Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks won the reggae Grammy twice; Raw As Ever was well received by critics and the audiences.
It went straight to number 1 on the on the top R&B/Hip Hop albums chart and peaked at 89 on the Billboard 200 chart.
X-tra Naked known as his ‘bedroom album’, it had “Slow and Sexy” which peaked at number 33 on the hot 100 and sold Gold in the U.S. The album helped to separate Shabba from his dancehall counterparts.
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“Bad Boys” by Inner Circle(1994) Album Sales 1.1M
(Pure Album Sales: 900K Streams: 362.6M)
The first version of this album was titled “Bad to the Bone” The U.S. version released in 1993, as a re-issue won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 94′. Both Bad to the Bone (international version) and Bad Boys contain the singles “Sweat (A La La La La Long)”, “Rock with You”, and “Bad Boys”.
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“Crucial! Roots Classics”(1995) by Bunny Wailer Album Sales: N/A
(Pure Sales-N/A Streams- N/A)
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“Boombastic” (1996) by Shaggy Album Sales: 1,200,000
(Pure album Sales: 1M , Streams: 201.4M)
Shaggy
Shaggy’s third studio album released on July 11, 1995 spawned the single of the same name which was one of the few Jamaican songs to debut at No. 1 on the British singles chart. The song was so impactful that Shaggy is forever known and “Mr. Boombastic, fantastic, romantic lover”, A.K.A “Mr. Luva Luva”, lines from the song. Boombastic (Virgin 1995) confirmed his commitment and success to the music industry.
On August 27, the song was certified platinum for selling 1 million records in the United States by the (RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).
Released only two months earlier on June 5, it was the second single from his third studio album, Boombastic(1995). The album won the Grammy award for Best Reggae Album in 1996.
Part of Boombastic- the album’s success is due to the song’s involvement in a Levi’s commercial which became popular all over the world in key music markets. The claymation commercial featured the song playing as a man used the core of his Levi’s jeans to save a woman from a burning building as they both swing on a makeshift zipline into each other’s arms.
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“Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary”(1997)by Bunny Wailer – Album sales 11,000
(Pure Album Sales: 11K Streams: n/a)
Bunny Wailer’s ‘Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary’ earns Grammy win for Best Reggae Album. The album, released via RAS Records, showcases Wailer’s vocal prowess and masterful blend of classic reggae and modern dub styles, impressing critics at Billboard Magazine.
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“Fallen Is Babylon” (1998) by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Album Sales : 86,000
(Pure Album Sales 82K Streams: 2.3M)
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“Friends” by Sly & Robbie (1999) Album Sales: 15,000.
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“Calling Rastafari” (2000) by Burning Spear Album Sales: 42,000
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“Art and Life” by Beenie Man(2001) Album Sales: 68,000
(Pure Sales: n/a Streams: 92M)
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“Halfway Tree” (2002) by Damian Marley Album Sales : 248,000.
(Pure Album Sales: 194K, Streams: 59.6M)
Damian’s career defining second album filled with entendres and layers of soul, dancehall, reggae and hip hop. Halfway Tree is the cultural center of Jamaica’s capital parish Kingston& St. Andrew. Damian stands by a clock where there was once a cotton tree the cover of the album.
The album was co-produced by Damian Marley and his brother Stephen Marley. It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart, after selling 2,000 copies, during its first week of release in the United States.
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“Jamaican E.T” By Lee Scratch Perry (2003) Album Sales: 5000
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“Dutty Rock” (2004) by Sean Paul Album Sales: 3.5 Million
(Sales: 2.8M , Streams: 824.2M)
Sean Paul’s sophmore album reacclimatized the world to dancehall music. Released on 12 November 2002, it features two US number-one singles, “Get Busy” and Beyoncé’s “Baby Boy” which features Sean, became one of the biggest hits of 2003, spending nine weeks at number one. The album also spawned the 106& Park number 1 single “Gimme the Light”, plus other club bangers: “Like Glue” and “I’m Still in Love with You”.
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“True Love” (2005) by Toots & The Maytals Album Sales 221,000
(Sales: 121K Streams: 94M)
Toots & the Maytals’ album True Love features collaborations with Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio, No Doubt, Shaggy, Gentelman, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, The Roots, Ryan Adams, Keith Richards, The Skatalites and more. The album was produced and conceived by Richard Feldman and released on the V2 label.
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“Welcome to Jamrock” (2006) by Damian Marley-1.2M
(Sales: 900K,Streams: 366.3M)
Third time was a charm for Damian Marley with Welcome To Jamrock. The album released September 12, 2005, just before the Grammy nominations cut off date, Marley won two Grammy Awards for the album at the 2006 ceremony, Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance (for the track “Welcome to Jamrock”). He is the only reggae artist to win two Grammy awards at a single ceremony.
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“Love Is My Religion” (2007) by Ziggy Marley Album Sales: 352,000.
(Pure Sales: 183K Streams: 157.3M)
Ziggy Marley’s second solo album, “Love Is My Religion,” was released on July 2, 2006 by Tuff Gong Worldwide, the label owned by his father Bob Marley. The album carries on the reggae-pop sound and themes established in his first solo album “Dragonfly” which was released after the end of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers in 2000. Love Is My Religion was awarded the Best Reggae Album in the 49th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles in 2007.
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“Mind Control” by Stephen Marley(2008) Album Sales: 336,000
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“Jah Is Real” (2009) by Burning Spear Album Sales : 9K
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“Mind Control (acoustics)” (2010) Stephen Marley Album Sales: 162,000
(Pure Album Sales: 27K Streams: 133.1M)
“Before The Dawn” by Buju Banton (2011) Album Sales : 8K
(Pure Album Sales: 7K Streams: 1M)
After being snubbed for previous releases, Buju Banton released Before The Dawn while he was battling for his freedom in a Florida Court while facing a drug case. Before the Dawn was released September September 28, 2010. This album was recorded at the artist’s own Gargamel Music studio on Carlyle Boulevard in Kingston, Jamaica.
While on trial Banton was permitted to give one concert between court cases, which took place on January 16th, 2011 to a sold-out crowd in Miami. A few weeks after the concert, Before The Dawn won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album but Banton was not permitted to attend the ceremony. On February 22nd, 2011, the legendary reggae artist was convicted of conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, using a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and using communication wires to facilitate drug trafficking. He was acquitted of the charge of attempting to possess five or more kilograms of cocaine.
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“Revelation part 1 : Root of life”(2012) by Stephen Marley Album Sales: 114,000
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“Rebirth” (2013) by Jimmy Cliff Album Sales: 57,000
(Pure Album Sales: 48K Streams: 7.6M)
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“In Concert” (2014) by Ziggy Marley – Album sales 147,000
(Pure Sales: 8K Streams: 138M)
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“Fly Rasta” (2015) by Ziggy Marley Album Sales 31,000
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“Strictly Roots” (2016) by Morgan Heritage Album Sales 17,000
(Sales: 10K Streams: 12M)
Strictly Roots by Jamaican reggae group Morgan Heritage, released on March 31, 2015, earned them a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album in 2016. The album reached the top of the Top Reggae Albums chart in both 2015 and 2016. The album features guest appearances from Chronixx, Stephen Marley’s son Jo Mersa Marley, Gil Sharone, Jemere Morgan, Eric Rachmany, J Boog and Bobby Lee Jefferson, the bassist and vocalist of Soldiers of Jah Army. The track listing includes songs such as “Strictly Roots,” “Child of JAH” featuring Chronixx, “Light It Up” featuring Jo Mersa Marley and “Celebrate Life.”
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“Ziggy Marley” (2017) by Ziggy Marley Album Sales: 25,000
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“Stony Hill” (2018) by Damian Marley Album Sales: 167,000
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“44/876” (2019) – Sting & Shaggy Album sales 96K
(Pure Album Sales: 59K Streams: 42.4M)
Sting & Shaggy’s collaborative album 44/876 was released on 20 April 2018 by A&M Records, Interscope Records and Cherrytree Records. 44/876 debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 7,658 units. It is Sting’s first top 10-album since Sacred Love (2003), and Shaggy’s first since Hot Shot (2000). They went on a mulit-city European tour which earned the gentlemen an impressive US$10 million According to Billboard Magazine securing the number four place on the Hot Tours chart.
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“Rapture” by Koffee (2020) Album Sales: 152,000
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“Got To Be Tough” (2021) by Toots & The Maytals Album Sales: 9,000
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Beauty In The Silence by SOJA Album Sales: 35K
(Pure Sales: 7K Streams: 37M)
