Thriller, the album from dub legend Augustus Pablo makes its debut on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart at No. 7 this week 47 years after it was first released. Pablo, real name Horace Swaby was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist. He died in 1999 from a lung collapse on May 18. On Black Friday November 25, 2022, ORG Music reissued 2000 units of the album worldwide for the first time since the 1970s on transparent blue vinyl.
The Billboard debut comes as Mill Rock Music Publishing Group LLC, acquired the publishing rights of Pablo’s catalogue last year, and the principals Murray Elias and Chris Schlarb promised to introduce his ‘Rockers International legacy to new fans’ in a interview with South Florida Caribbean News.
The catalogue contains classic songs like Java and the album, East of The River Nile.
“It’s in the early stages right now, so it’s a little premature to really say what’s going to transpire over time. But we plan on building the brand for Rockers International and Augustus Pablo; build his visibility beyond the reggae market as one of the key pioneers of dub music. Augustus Pablo’s name is well known among the reggae community but there is not a lot of recognition beyond the reggae community, and we plan on building that name recognition and building the brand,” Elias explained.
“Another avenue we plan on pursuing with Augustus Pablo and his catalogue is we are going to be proactive in seeking placement in movies, TV shows, possibly television commercials,” he explained. “The ideal setting would be movie soundtracks. For example, the Netflix western The Harder They Fall; had we been working with Augustus Pablo when that was in production, that would have been an ideal landing spot.”
Both music executives have work with acts and producers such as John “Jon FX” Crawford, Justus Arison and Dre Day.
Back to the charts, Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley & The Wailers, spends 152 weeks a top the U.S. Reggae Albums Chart. Dutty Classics Collection by Sean Paul returns to its peak position at No. 2, Best Of Shaggy Boombastic Collection at No. 3, Stick Figure has Wisdom at No. 4, World On Fire at No. 6 and Set In Stone at No. 8 UB40 Greatest Hits at No. 5, Rebelution’s Live At The Red Rocks moves up to No. 9 and Burna Boy’s Outside re-enters the chart at No. 10.
Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez spends 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Afrobeats chart.
Slip N Slide by Wizkid Featuring Skillibeng & Shenseea spends a third week on the chart but moves down to No. 38.
Re-entering the chart this week is Soundgasm by Rema at No. 46, Peace Be Unto You (PBUY) by Asake at No. 50 and Ice T by Tems rounds off the chart at No. 50.
MENA Chart
Calm Down by Rema tops the regional chart and a new entry Alo Aleky from Mohammed Saeed.
See full chart below:
