BONEY M IS BACK ON THE CHARTS!

Inside the Charts—

with Kevin Jackson—

Boney M

FORTY-THREE years after it was first released, Rasputin, a European hit by the group Boney M, is finally a hit in the United States.

The song went viral on social media app Tik Tok in late January and appeared on Spotify‘s ‘Viral Hits’ playlist. A dance challenge to the song has also been spawned. This week, it debuts at number 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, number 25 on Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs, and number five on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales charts.

Rasputin also debuted at number 33 on Billboard’s Canadian Digital Song Sales chart.

Boney M comprised Jamaicans Liz Mitchell (from Clarendon) and Marcia Barrett (from Spanish Town) as well as Bobby Farrell (from Aruba) and Maizie Williams (from Montserrat). The group was formed in the 1970’s and dissolved in the mid-1980s.

Among the group’s biggest hits are Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord, Brown Girl in the Ring, Daddy Cool, Ma Baker and their remake of By the Rivers of Babylon.

Rasputin was a hit in several countries between late 1978 and early 1979. It reached number one in Australia, Austria and Belgium. It also hit charts in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Canada and in the Netherlands.

The song has been certified gold in the Netherlands (100,000), gold in the United Kingdom (500,000) and platinum in Canada (150,000).

In other chart news, Bob Marley and the Wailers continue to lead the pack on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with Legend at number one for a 59th week.

After peaking at number two for several weeks, Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection is holding firm in the same position. It spends 101 weeks on the chart.

Sean Paul’s Dutty Classics Collection is firm at number three in its 48th week on the chart, while #7DJ (7 Dias En Jamaica) by Latin singer Maluma is steady at four after peaking at number two a few weeks ago.

World on Fire and Set in Stone by Stick Figure are numbers five and six, respectively, while Greatest Hits by UB40, which peaked at number one, stalls at number seven.

The Grammy-nominated Higher Place by Skip Marley rises one spot to number eight. The set peaked at number two last summer. It has been on the chart for 25 weeks.

Bob Marley and the Wailers have re-entered at number nine with Exodus, while Popcaan’s Fixtape which peaked at number two, backtracks to number 10.

On regional charts, singer Ed Robinson is number one for a fourth week on the South Florida Reggae Chart with his cover of One of the Poorest People.