Jimmy Cliff Dominates Reggae Charts Following His Passing

Since the passing of reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, global audiences have turned to his music in massive numbers—catapulting the icon to the top of multiple iTunes reggae charts and even securing him spots on the overall U.S. album rankings.

The renewed surge in streams and downloads has transformed the iTunes Top 100 Reggae Albums and Top 100 Reggae Singles charts into what observers describe as “Jimmy Cliff territory.” His music has also climbed into the top tier of the all-genre iTunes Album Charts in the United States.

Cliff’s death has prompted extensive international media coverage, with tributes and headlines appearing in major outlets such as The New York Times, Associated Press, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Africa News, Rolling Stone, Hindustan Times, and BBC News. That global spotlight, paired with a wave of fan nostalgia, has led to a dramatic spike in the consumption of Cliff’s six-decade catalog.

By Wednesday morning, Cliff held the top five positions on the iTunes Top 100 Reggae Singles chart and 10 of the top 15. The leading tracks were:

1. I Can See Clearly Now
2. Many Rivers to Cross
3. You Can Get It If You Really Want
4. The Harder They Come
5. Wonderful World, Beautiful People (Single Version)

His dominance was even more striking on the iTunes Top 100 Reggae Albums chart, where he claimed seven of the top 10 spots. Best of Jimmy Cliff seized the No. 1 position, displacing Bob Marley’s Legend, which has long been a fixture atop the chart. Other high-ranking albums included 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection, The Power and the Glory, In Concert: The Best of Jimmy Cliff (Live), Unlimited, Wonderful World, Beautiful People, and Special.

Andrea Davis, founder and producer of International Reggae Day, described Cliff’s posthumous chart resurgence as “a testament to his enduring legacy and impact on the music world.”

“With the top five singles on one chart and seven albums in the top 10 on another, it’s clear his music continues to resonate globally,” Davis said. She added that the renewed attention reflects the “timeless appeal” and “continued relevance” of Cliff’s work.

Music marketer Sean “Contractor” Edwards said Cliff’s chart takeover mirrors the pattern often seen when major music figures pass away. “With tributes coming from Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and widespread international media coverage, this surge in sales and streams has extended to Jimmy Cliff,” he told The Gleaner. Edwards noted that the 2017 Best of Jimmy Cliff compilation and The Harder They Come soundtrack are currently performing best on the U.S. charts.

Cliff appears repeatedly throughout the Top 100 Reggae Albums chart, also landing at No. 12 with Give Thanx, No. 18 with Super Hits, No. 25 with Follow My Mind, and additional entries scattered through the top 100. Even The Harder They Come soundtrack—originally released in 1972—has re-entered at No. 53. Cliff Hanger, Goodbye Yesterday, Refugees, and The Harder They Come: The Remixes also charted strongly.

Refugees, released in August 2022, was Cliff’s first album in more than a decade and ultimately his final one. Its title track, a collaboration with Wyclef Jean, reflected Cliff’s longstanding humanitarian advocacy. “None of us should be forced by violence, economics, war, or persecution to leave our country against our will,” he said in remarks for the UN Refugee Agency.

At age 81, Cliff leaves behind a towering legacy—one that has once again risen to the forefront of global consciousness as fans rediscover the music that helped define reggae, Jamaican culture, and generations of musicians around the world.