Five J’cans in Billboard Top 15 albums of 2017

By Kevin Jackson

Billboard Magazine has published its Top 15 reggae albums for 2017. The list was culled from the publication’s weekly Billboard Reggae Album chart and ranks albums according to sales data released by Neilsen Music. The number of weeks spent on the chart and how far the albums reached, also factored.

Albums from five Jamaican artistes are on the list. They are Damian Marley, IamStylezMusic, Chronixx, Bob Marley and Stephen Marley.

The number one spot is occupied by Damian Marley’s Stony Hill which was released by Republic Records on July 21, and reached number one on August 12. To date, the album has sold 16,000 copies and is up for a Grammy Award in January for Best Reggae Album.

At number two is Falling Into Place by California band Rebelution which was the top-selling reggae album of 2016. Released on June 3 last year, the album continues to do well; it went number one on June 25 last year and has sold more than 40,000 copies.

Lost in Paradise by Common Kings, another “Cali” band, is also nominated for Best Reggae Album. It finishes the year at number three. Released on February 3, it held the number one spot three weeks after and has to date sold 7,996 copies.

Wash House Ting by Hawaiian artiste J Boog is also up for Best Reggae Album. It is the fourth best-selling reggae set of 2017 with figures of 6,429 since its release on November 18, 2016. It went number one three weeks later.

The number five slot is held by dancehall artiste IamStylezMusic with his debut album Back to My Roots, released in August. It reached number one on September 9 and spent six non-consecutive weeks in that position. Back to My Roots has sold just over 6,000 copies.

The Grammy-nominated Chronology, debut album from Chronixx was released on July 7 by Chronixx Music Group under license with Virgin EMI. On July 29 it went number one and has to date sold 5,777 copies to finish at number six.

Live at Red Rocks closes at number seven. Released on October 28, 2016 it topped the chart on November 19 last year. To date it has sold 7,780 copies.

Know No Better (EP) is the lowest-selling album for EDM maestros Major Lazer, with figures of 5,312 copies. Ranked at number eight, the set was released on the trio’s Mad Decent label on June 2, and hit number one three weeks later.

At number nine is Set in Stone by American band Stick Figure. Amazingly, this album was released on November 13, 2015 and continues to sell. It topped the chart on December 5, 2015, and has moved close to 27,000 copies.

Poetry in Motion by SOJA from Virginia is number 10. With 5,133 copies sold to date, the set was released on October 20 and went number one on November 18.

Good Life by Louisiana-born, Bermuda-reared Collie Buddz is number 11 with 4,602 copies. Released by Harper Digital on May 19, it was number one on June 10.

Marching Orders from The Green out of Hawaii is number 12. It came out on October 20 and went number one on November 11.

A Dollar Short & A Minute Late by Hawaiian surfer-turned singer Landon McNamara was released in December 2016. On February 1 it topped the chart, and has to date sold 4,278 copies, to end the year at number 13.

The Legend Live: Santa Barbara County Bowl November 25th 1979 by Bob Marley & the Wailers topped the chart on December 24 last year. Released in November 2016, it has so far sold 4,025 copies to be number 14.

Completing the top 15 is Stephen Marley’s Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life which was released on July 22, 2016. It also topped the Billboard chart and has to date sold 13,582 copies.