BY KEVIN JACKSON—
Observer writer—
Stick Figure—
World on Fire by Northern California reggae band Stick Figure is the top- selling album of 2019, according to Billboard magazine’s Top Reggae Albums year-end tally.
Released August 30 by Ruffwood Records, World on Fire has so far spent 11 weeks at the top of the publication’s weekly Reggae Albums chart.
World on Fire opened in September with sales of 10,283 copies, the highest opening number for a reggae release since Sting and Shaggy’s 44/876, which debuted in April 2018 with 10,180 copies. World on Fire’s current tally stands at 15,822.
Holding down the number two spot is Local Motion by Pepper, which went to number one in July and has to date sold 5,021 copies.
44/876, the top seller for 2018, is number three with sales of 55,000 copies. Earlier this year, it won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.
Another album which came over from 2018 is Free Rein by Rebelution. It has sold 22,858 copies since its release in June last year and ends 2019 at number four.
Hybrid by Collie Buddz, released on May 24 via Harper Digital, is number six. It is the first chart-topper for the Bermudan deejay and has sold 3,864 copies.
The Grammy-nominated Rapture (EP) by Koffee was released in March and topped the Reggae Albums chart for five weeks. Released by Promised Land Recordings/Columbia Records UK, Rapture has sold 3,482 copies and is number seven on the year-end tally.
With 17,356 copies sold to date, Everyday Life, Everyday People by Slightly Stoopid topped the chart for a single week. Released July 13 by Stoopid Records, it closes the year at number eight.
Grammy-nominated Mass Manipulation is the first studio release from British reggae band Steel Pulse in 15 years. It was released in May and has sold 2,979 copies to finish the year at number nine.
Iration’s self-titled album had a strong presence on the weekly chart since its debut last year May. It spent one week at number one and its current sales stand at 11,469 copies. It ends the year at number 10.
Black and White by The Green is number 11 with 2,791 copies, having spent a week at number one, while Never Ending by Beres Hammond was on top for three weeks in October 2018. It ends the year at number 12 and has sold 4,865 copies.
I Don’t Want To: The Gold Fire Sessions is the fourth album from New York-based electro artiste Santigold. Released in July 2018 by Downtown Records, it is produced by Dre Skull. Another former number one, it has sold 4,700 copies and finishes the year at number 13.
Royal Soldier, Jah Cure’s follow-up to his 2015 Grammy- nominated The Cure, finishes the year at number 14. It spent two weeks at number one since its release on August 30 by VP Music Group, and has sold 1,219 copies.
The Nighthawk Recordings is the first title on the reggae table for legendary trio, Culture, which was led in its glory years by Joseph Hill who died in 2006. Released by Omnivore Recordings in April, it peaked at number four in May and ends 2019 at number 15, having sold 1,700 copies.
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