Bob Marley And The Wailers have topped Billboard’s U.S. year-end Reggae Albums Artists chart more times than any other act over the past 20 years, according to Billboard’s year-end rankings from 2006 through 2025.
The group appeared at No. 1 seven times during the period, including six consecutive years from 2020 through 2025. Their most recent No. 1 finish came in 2025, continuing the remarkable commercial presence of Marley’s catalog in the U.S. reggae market.
The 20-year period also highlights the changing landscape of reggae in the United States, with Jamaican icons, American reggae bands, crossover acts and a new generation of Caribbean artists all making their mark on the year-end chart.
Bob Marley And The Wailers’ seven No. 1 finishes
Bob Marley And The Wailers topped the year-end Reggae Albums Artists chart in 2008, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The group’s dominance became particularly pronounced in the 2020s. From 2020 through 2025, Bob Marley And The Wailers held the No. 1 position every year.
Their 2025 placement came as Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers continued to demonstrate its enduring strength in the U.S. market. The album also maintained a presence on Billboard’s broader album charts during 2025.
Matisyahu was the leading artist of the late 2000s
Before Bob Marley And The Wailers’ extended run at No. 1, Matisyahu was one of the most consistent artists on the chart.
The American reggae artist topped the year-end chart in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012, giving him four No. 1 finishes during the 20-year period.
His 2006 victory came ahead of Sean Paul and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, while he repeated at No. 1 in 2007. Matisyahu returned to the top in 2011 and again in 2012.
Rebelution becomes a major force
California-based reggae-rock band Rebelution emerged as one of the strongest acts of the 2010s.
The group topped the year-end chart in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Rebelution also appeared prominently throughout the surrounding years, including No. 3 in 2015 and No. 3 in 2019.
Their sustained presence reflects the growing influence of American reggae bands on the U.S. reggae market during the decade.
A wide range of artists shaped the chart
The year-end rankings also document the breadth of reggae’s U.S. audience.
Sean Paul reached No. 1 in 2009, while Nas appeared at No. 1 in 2010. Snoop Lion topped the chart in 2013, following his reggae-focused Reincarnated era.
In 2015, Joss Stone claimed the No. 1 position, while 2018 produced a tie at the top between Sting and Shaggy.
Jamaican and Caribbean artists remain prominent
The chart shows the continued importance of Jamaican artists in the U.S. reggae market.
Alongside Bob Marley And The Wailers, the 20-year rankings include Sean Paul, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Shaggy, Gyptian, Jah Cure, Chronixx, Koffee, Popcaan, Shenseea and others.
The more recent rankings also show the continued expansion of dancehall and Jamaican music into Billboard’s reggae category. Byron Messia reached No. 6 in 2023 and No. 7 in 2024, while Masicka entered the 2024 year-end chart at No. 8.
Top Billboard Reggae Artists: The 20-year No. 1 timeline
- 2006: Matisyahu
- 2007: Matisyahu
- 2008: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2009: Sean Paul
- 2010: Nas
- 2011: Matisyahu
- 2012: Matisyahu
- 2013: Snoop Lion
- 2014: Rebelution
- 2015: Joss Stone
- 2016: Rebelution
- 2017: Rebelution
- 2018: Sting & Shaggy (tie)
- 2019: Stick Figure
- 2020: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2021: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2022: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2023: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2024: Bob Marley And The Wailers
- 2025: Bob Marley And The Wailers
The Billboard Year-End Album and Artist Charts are annual rankings published by Billboard that measure the overall performance of albums and artists in the U.S. music market during a specific chart year. Unlike the standard January-to-December calendar year, Billboard’s chart year generally runs from early December through late November, allowing the company to compile and publish its year-end rankings in December. The rankings are based on cumulative weekly chart performance throughout that period, including placements on major charts such as the Billboard 200 and genre-specific album and artist charts. As a result, albums or artists performing strongly around the November cutoff may have their chart performance reflected across two different year-end periods.
