NOMINEES for Best Reggae Album at next year’s Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Missing from the final list of five were dancehall acts like Busy Signal and Romain Virgo who made an impact in Jamaica this year.

GERMAIN… if the industry wants to have a real voice they need to be part of the Academy.

Jimmy Cliff’s Rebirth; Miracle (The Original Wailers); Tomahawk Technique (Sean Paul); New Legend: Jamaica 50th Edition (Sly and Robbie & the Jam Masters); and Reggae Got Soul: Unplugged On Strawberry Hill by Toots and the Maytals are the 2013 nominees.

Commenting on the field, Donovan Germain — Penthouse Records CEO and Virgo’s manager — said he is not surprised.

“It’s all about name recognition for one, and the record companies that have certain connections in the Academy,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

According to Germain, until the major players on the reggae/dancehall circuit get involved, nothing will change.

“If the industry wants to have a real voice they need to be part of the Academy. Once you are sent a nomination list and a voting list then you can have your say,” Germain said.

“Jamaica Observer columnist and Jamaica Reggae Industry Association director, Charles Campbell, agreed.

“Our problem is that we haven’t paid sufficient regard to the value of the Grammy as a marketing tool and, therefore, while excellent reggae is being produced, it’s not being submitted for consideration,” Campbell said.

He also commented on the latest nominees for Best Reggae Album.

“There is no true relevance to the excellent music that has been released in the last year, other than Jimmy Cliff and Sean Paul. It can’t be used as a real measure of the current state of the music,” Campbell said.