Billboard Reggae Albums Chart Faces Fresh Scrutiny: “The Chart Rewards Compilation Albums and Catalogs”

Thomas “T” Cussins, founder and CEO of Ineffable Music Group, says it has become increasingly difficult for newly released reggae albums to maintain a presence on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart beyond their debut week.

“Getting a second week in the Top 10 is very rare for new releases these days,” Cussins wrote while commenting on the performance of Shark Belly Motel, the latest album from American reggae-rock band The Elovaters.

Released through Ineffable Records, Shark Belly Motel remains in the Top 10 for a second consecutive week after debuting at No. 5. The project slipped to No. 10 on the chart dated June 6, 2026, but its continued presence at a dip in sales highlights what Cussins views as a growing challenge for contemporary reggae releases.

According to Cussins, the current chart environment heavily favors legacy releases and long-established catalog titles that benefit from years of streaming activity and algorithmic support.

“The chart is set up to reward compilation albums and existing catalog that is firmly embedded in the algorithm,” he said. “I’d love to see a New Albums Reggae chart alongside the existing one that shows releases only from the last year.”

His comments have reignited debate surrounding Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart, which measures multimetric consumption—including traditional album sales, streaming-equivalent albums (SEA), and track-equivalent albums (TEA)—using data compiled by Luminate.

Billboard discontinued its Reggae Digital Song Sales chart in January 2020 which tracked the top-downloaded and streamed reggae and dancehall songs in the United States and in turn implemented an Afrobeats Chart.

While new reggae, roots reggae and dancehall releases continue to face an uphill battle, catalog projects remain dominant. This week’s chart is once again led by Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers, which claims the No. 1 position for a remarkable 333rd week. The iconic compilation has spent all but one week at No. 1 over the past five years and continues to generate between 11,000 and 14,000 equivalent album units weekly in the United States.

Elsewhere, catalog titles continue to occupy the majority of the Top 10. Boombastic Collection – Best of Shaggy holds the No. 2 position, while Sean Paul’s Trinity re-enters the chart at No. 3. UB40’s The Best of UB40 sits at No. 5, Sean Paul’s multi-platinum classic Dutty Rock ranks No. 6, and Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Exodus returns at No. 9.

Ironically, Ineffable Music Group itself benefits significantly from the current chart structure. The company accounts for 40 percent of this week’s Top 10 entries through three recurring albums from reggae-rock powerhouse Stick Figure. World On Fire is No. 4, Wisdom lands at No. 7, and Set In Stone comes in at No. 8. Unlike many of the chart’s perennial best-performing titles, none of the Stick Figure releases are compilation albums.

Still, Cussins argues that the broader issue remains visibility for new music. Throughout the first half of 2026, several newly released roots reggae and dancehall projects from artist including Shaggy, Ziggy Marley and Protoje either failed to chart altogether or managed only a single week in the Top 10 before disappearing.