By Kevin Jackson—
Musical Youth in Birmingham 1982.Photo: Michael Putland
FOR the first time in 39 years British-Jamaican reggae band Musical Youth has scored an entry on an album chart in the United States.
Anthology, a 1994 release by Geffen/UMG Recordings Inc, debuts at seven on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.
The group’s last charted title in the United States was Different Style! which topped out at number 144 on the all-genre Billboard 200 Albums chart in 1983.
Anthology has 20 songs, most of which were hits on the British pop charts in the 1980s. They include Sixteen, Watcha Talking Bout, Pass the Dutchie, School Girl, Never Gonna Give You Up and Youth of Today.
Formed in 1979, Musical Youth released two studio albums — 1982’s The Youth Of Today and Different Style! in 1983. Musical Youth received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artiste in 1984.
The group disbanded in 1985 but reformed in 2001 with Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant.
Drummer Freddie Waite Jr died on July 20 while Patrick Waite died in 1993. The other original member is Kelvin Grant.
Musical Youth performed at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony recently. The group’s song, Pass The Dutchie, was featured in season four of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.
On the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, Legend by Bob Marley and the Wailers, which earned a 14x platinum certification in the United Kingdom last week, remains in the number one spot for a 136th week.
Shaggy’s Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection remains at number two while Dutty Classics Collection by Sean Paul is three. Greatest Hits by UB40 inches up to four.
World on Fire and Set in Stone by Stick Figure are five and six, respectively, while Gifted by Koffee is steady at eight.
Koffee
Iration’s Time Bomb re-enters at nine, and Outside by Burna Boy is firm at 10.
On other Billboard charts Playboy by Nigerian Afrobeats artiste Fireboy DML debuts at 123 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, number one on the Heatseekers Albums chart, and number four on the World Albums chart. The album sold 9,000 in album equivalent units.
Diana, one of the singles from Playboy, debuts at 17 on the US Afrobeats Songs chart. It features Chris Brown and Shenseea.
Toni-Ann Singh by Burna Boy and Popcaan remains at 22 on the US Afrobeats Songs chart.
On the Rebel Vibez Top Ten Canadian Reggae chart, Rocket Blasta by singer Belinda Brady, featuring Trust and Nico See, takes over the number one spot.
Blessings a Flow by Jah Lex and Busy Signal holds down the number five position.
On the South Florida Reggae chart, I Need You by Audley Rollen zips from three to one while I’m Happy by Mary Isaacs steps up from 11 to nine. New entries are Fifty by Tanya Stephens and Patra (number 23) and When You Love by Lukie D (number 24).
Richie Stephens’ Reverse the Curse spends a second week at the top of the Foundation Radio Network (New York) Reggae chart.
I Care About You by Zanadu steps from six to three, Jah Shall Wipe Away All Tears by Carlene Davis bolts from eight to five, and Julian Marley’s The Tide is High moves from 14 to 11.
Derrick Scott’s Bless Me is new at 28, and Pump Blood by Turbulence steps in at 29.
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