Billboard's Longest-Charting Albums

Billboard: Longest-Charting Albums

These figures are drawn from the Billboard 200 album chart and catalog album chart. Figures change on a weekly basis, as there are some albums, such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or Bob Marley’s Legend, which consistently rank among each week’s top 200 best sellers. There are also albums which have dropped off the charts but may have accumulated additional weeks than what is listed here. It’s tough to keep track of! In the event of ties, albums are listed based on most overall points in the Dave’s Music Database. Albums with 150+ weeks are listed. Check out other charts/sales album best-of lists here. 500+ weeks 1. 990 wks: Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 2. 865 wks: Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 1984) 3. 835 wks: Journey Greatest Hits (1988) 4. 750 wks: Metallica Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (1991) 5. 724 wks: Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle (1976) 6. 722 wks: Patsy Cline 12 Greatest Hits (1973) 7. 714 wks: Eminem Curtain Call: The Hits (2005) 8. 706 wks: Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans (2010) 9. 700 wks: Nirvana Nevermind (1991) 10. 700 wks: Guns N’ Roses Greatest Hits (2004) 11. 656 wks: Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 12. 633 wks: Kendrick Lamar Good Kid m.A.A.d. City (2012) 13. 625 wks: Queen Greatest Hits (1981) 14. 615 wks: Drake Take Care (2011) 15. 611 wks: Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977) 16. 596 wks: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (1993) 17. 590 wks: AC/DC Back in Black (1980) 18. 566 wks: Lana Del Rey Born to Die (2012) 19. 560 wks: Adele 21 (2011) 20. 552 wks: Tupac Shakur (“2pac”) Greatest Hits (1998) 21. 533 wks: The Beatles 1 (2000) 22. 523 wks: J. Cole 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014) 400-499 weeks 23. 493 wks: The Beatles Abbey Road (1969) 24. 490 wks: Johnny Mathis Johnny’s Greatest Hits (1958) 25. 483 wks: Chris Stapleton Traveller (2015) 26. 481 wks: Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer) Hamilton (cast, 2015) 27. 480 wks: My Fair Lady (cast album: 1956) 28. 471 wks: Taylor Swift 1989 (2014) 29. 469 wks: Bob Seger Greatest Hits (1994) 30. 464 wks: Drake Nothing Was the Same (2013) 31. 450 wks: Rihanna Anti (2016) 32. 448 wks: Drake Views (2016) 33. 431 wks: Eminem The Eminem Show (2002) 34. 417 wks: Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5 The Essential (2005) 35. 412 wks: Frank Ocean Blonde (2016) 36. 407 wks: The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-71 (1971) 37. 403 wks: Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (compilation: 1971-75, released 1976) 38. 402 wks: Katy Perry Teenage Dream (2010) 39. 401 wks: Imagine Dragons Night Visions (2012) 40. 401 wks: Bryson Tiller Trapsoul (2015) 41. 400 wks: Kendrick Lamar Damn. (2017) 42. 400 wks: South Pacific (cast album, 1949) 300-399 weeks 43. 399 wks: Moana (soundtrack, 2017) 44. 395 wks: Lady Gaga The Fame (2008) 45. 393 wks: Luke Combs This One’s for You (2017) 46. 392 wks: SZA Ctrl (2017) 47. 371 wks: The Weeknd Starboy (2016) 48. 370 wks: Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour (2014) 49. 370 wks: Elton John Diamonds (compilation: 1969-2016, released 2017) 50. 359 wks: Zac Brown Band Greatest Hits So Far (2014) 51. 358 wks: Kanye West Graduation (2007) 52. 352 wks: Linkin Park Hybrid Theory (2000) 53. 348 wks: Hozier Hozier (2014) 54. 347 wks: XXXTentacion ? (2018) 55. 343 wks: The Notorious B.I.G. Greatest Hits (2007) 56. 343 wks: Juice Wrld Goodbye & Good Riddance (2018) 57. 337 wks: Drake Scorpion (2018) 58. 336 wks: Drake More Life (2017) 59. 333 wks: Arctic Monkeys AM (2013) 60. 332 wks: Post Malone Stoney (2016) 61. 332 wks: Travis Scott Astroworld (2018) 62. 331 wks: Phantom of the Opera (Highlights) (cast album, 1988) 63. 330 wks: Lil Uzi Vert Luv Is Rage 2 (2017) 64. 329 wks: The Weeknd Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) 65. 325 wks: Taylor Swift Reputation (2017) 66. 320 wks: Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-88, released 1988) 67. 318 wks: Carole King Tapestry (1971) 68. 318 wks: Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) (2017) 69. 318 wks: The Beach Boys The Sounds of Summer – The Very Best of (2003) 70. 314 wks: George Strait 50 Number Ones (compilation: 1982-2004, released 2004) 71. 305 wks: Abba Gold: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1974-82, released 1992) 72. 305 wks: Oklahoma! (soundtrack, 1955) 250-299 weeks 73. 298 wks: Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) 74. 295 wks: Bon Jovi Greatest Hits (compilation: 1984-2010) 75. 295 wks: Johnny Mathis Heavenly (1959) 76. 292 wks: Eminem Recovery (2010) 77. 290 wks: Imagine Dragons Evolve (2017) 78. 282 wks: Zac Brown Band The Foundation (2008) 79. 289 wks: Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971) 80. 288 wks: Billy Joel The Essential (compilation: 1973-2001) 81. 282 wks: Enigma mcmxc a.d. (1990) 82. 277 wks: The King and I (soundtrack, 1956) 83. 277 wks: Taylor Swift Lover (2019) 84. 277 wks: Tennessee Ernie Ford Hymns (1957) 85. 276 wks: The Sound of Music (cast album, 1959) 86. 275 wks: Taylor Swift Taylor Swift (2006) 87. 275 wks: Juice Wrld Death Race for Love (2019) 88. 274 wks: Kid Cudi Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009) 89. 273 wks: XXXTentacion 17 (2017) 90. 273 wks: Morgan Wallen If I Know Me (2018) 91. 271 wks: Summer Walker Over It (2019) 92. 270 wks: Tyler the Creator Igor (2019) 93. 270 wks: Twenty One Pilots Blurryface (2015) 94. 269 wks: Johnny Cash The Legend of Johnny Cash (2005), 269 wks 95. 266 wks: Luke Combs What You See Is What You Get (2019) 96. 265 wks: Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (composers) Camelot (cast album, 1960) 97. 264 wks: Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1989-2003) 98. 262 wks: South Pacific (soundtrack, 1958) 99. 260 wks: Pearl Jam Ten (1991) 100. 260 wks: Post Malone Beerbongs & Bentleys (2018) 101. 260 wks: Billie Eilish Don’t Smile at Me (EP, 2017) 102. 255 wks: Phantom of the Opera (cast album, 1986) 103. 251 wks: Mac Miller Swimming (2018) 104. 250 wks: Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) 105. 250 wks: Taylor Swift Fearless (2008) 106. 250 wks: Lil Baby My Turn (2020) 200-249 weeks 107. 246 wks: Future D$2 (2015) 108. 245 wks: The Music Man (cast album, 1957) 109. 242 wks: Ed Sheeran X (Multiply) (2014) 110. 242 wks: Van Morrison Best of (compilation: 1965-90, released 1990) 111. 238 wks: Foo Fighters Greatest Hits (compilation: 1995-2009) 112. 238 wks: Enya Shepherd Moons (1991) 113. 236 wks: Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987) 114. 236 wks: Florida Georgia Line Here’s to the Good Times (2012) 115. 235 wks: The Sound of Music (soundtrack, 1965) 116. 234 wks: Post Malone Hollywood’s Bleeding (2019) 117. 233 wks: Michael Jackson Number Ones (2003) 118. 232 wks: Tim McGraw Number One Hits (compilation: 2010) 119. 231 wks: Mantovani Film Encores (1957) 120. 229 wks: Taylor Swift Folklore (2020) 121. 225 wks: Led Zeppelin Mothership (2007) 122. 224 wks: Garth Brooks No Fences (1990) 123. 224 wks: Garth Brooks Garth Brooks (1989) 124. 223 wks: Dr. Dre 2001 (1999) 125. 222 wks: Mumford & Sons Sigh No More (2009) 126. 222 wks: Eagles The Very Best of (compilation: 1971-2003) 127. 220 wks: Ed Sheeran Plus (+) (2011) 128. 218 wks: Adele 19 (2008) 129. 218 wks: Nickelback Best of, Vol. 1 (compilation: 2013) 130. 217 wks: Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox (2012) 131. 217 wks: Juice Wrld Legends Never Die (2020) 132. 217 wks: Travis Scott Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016) 133. 216 wks: Adele 25 (2015) 134. 216 wks: Lynyrd Skynyrd All Time Greatest Hits (compilation: 1972-77, released 2000) 135. 216 wks: Tyler the Creator Flower Boy (2017) 136. 214 wks: Kenny G Breathless (1992) 137. 214 wks: Luke Bryan Tailgates & Tanlines (2011) 138. 213 wks: Lil Wayne Tha Carter III (2008) 139. 213 wks: Chris Stapleton Starting Over (2020) 140. 209 wks: Taylor Swift Evermore (2020) 141. 208 wks: Frank Ocean Channel Orange (2012) 142. 206 wks: The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 143. 206 wks: Jerry Bock (music) & Sheldon Harnick (lyrics) Fiddler on the Roof (cast album, 1964) 144. 205 wks: Nickelback All the Right Reasons (2005) 145. 205 wks: Morgan Wallen Dangerous: The Double Album (2021) 146. 205 wks: Luke Bryan Crash My Party (2013) 147. 205 wks: Kane Brown Kane Brown (2016) 148. 204 wks: Mitch Miller & the Gang Sing Along with Mitch (1958) 149. 202 wks: Michael Bolton Soul Provider (1989) 182-199 weeks 150. 198 wks: West Side Story (soundtrack, 1961) 151. 198 wks: Lynyrd Skynyrd Skynyrd’s Innyrds (1989) 152. 198 wks: Lewis Capaldi Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent (2019) 153. 197 wks: The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968) 154. 196 wks: Sam Hunt Montevallo (2014) 155. 195 wks: The Kingston Trio The Kingston Trio (1958) 156. 194 wks: Blake Shelton Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits (compilation: 2015) 157. 193 wks: Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979) 158. 193 wks: Sublime Sublime (1996) 159. 192 wks: Khalid American Teen (2017) 160. 191 wks: West Side Story (cast album, 1957) 161. 191 wks: Daryl Hall & John Oates Very Best of (compilation: 1975-84, released 2011) 162. 191 wks: Jon Pardi California Sunrise (2016) br> 163. 189 wks: System of a Down Toxicity (2001) 164. 188 wks: The Beatles 1967-1970 (1973) 165. 187 wks: Pitbull Greatest Hits (compilation: 2009-14, released 2017) 166. 186 wks: Olivia Rodrigo Sour (2021) 167. 185 wks: Beyoncé Beyoncé (2013) 168. 185 wks: ZZ Top Eliminator (1983) 169. 185 wks: Bonnie Raitt Nick of Time (1989) 170. 185 wks: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream & Other Delights (1965) 171. 185 wks: Peter, Paul & Mary Peter, Paul & Mary (1962) 172. 183 wks: various artists Oldies But Goodies (1959) 173. 183 wks: Melanie Martinez Cry Baby (2015) 181 weeks 174. The Beatles 1962-1966 (1973) 175. Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-80, released 1980) 176. Buddy Holly & the Crickets The Buddy Holly Story (compilation: 1957-59, released 1959) 177. Rusty Warren Knockers Up! (1960) 180 weeks 178. U2 Under a Blood Red Sky (1983) 179. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013) 179 weeks 180. U2 War (1983) 181. Various Artists Frozen (soundtrack, 2013) 182. Tyler Childers Purgatory (2017) 178 weeks 183. The Kingston Trio From the Hungry i (1959) 177 weeks 184. The Weeknd Trilogy (2012) 176 weeks 185. Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (1985) 186. Taylor Swift Speak Now (2010) 187. Daughtry Daughtry (2006) 188. Bette Midler Beaches (soundtrack, 1989) 189. Andy Williams Moon Rivers & Other Great Movie Themes (1962) 190. George Winston December (1983) 175 weeks 191. Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl (1988) 192. John Denver Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-72, released 1973) 193. Billie Eilish Happier Than Ever (2021) 194. Harry Styles Fine Line (2019) 173 weeks 195. Linkin Park Meteora (2003) 196. Taylor Swift Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021) 197. Blake Shelton Loaded: The Best of (2010) 172 weeks 198. Gigi (soundtrack, 1958) 171 weeks 199. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) 200. Van Halen Van Halen (1978) 201. Ariana Grande Thank U, Next (2019) 202. Chicago Chicago Transit Authority (1969) 203. Drake Certified Lover Boy (2021) 204. 205. Mitch Miller & the Gang More Sing Along with Mitch (1958) 206. Zac Brown Band You Get What You Give (2010) 170 weeks 207. The Weeknd After Hours (2020) 169 weeks 208. 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) 209. Jason Aldean My Kinda Party (2010) 168 weeks 210. Madonna Madonna (1983) 211. Harry Belafonte At Carnegie Hall (live, 1959) 167 weeks 212. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959) 213. Dave Brubeck Time Out (1959) 214. Mitch Leigh (music) & Joe Darion (lyrics) Man of La Mancha (1965) 166 weeks 215. Michael Jackson Bad (1987) 216. Nickelback Dark Horse (2008) 217. Blake Shelton Red River Blue (2011) 165 weeks 218. Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker (1990) 164 weeks 219. Norah Jones Come Away with Me (2002) 220. Phil Collins Face Value (1981) 221. Herp Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Going Places (1965) 222. Bad Bunny YHLQMDLG (2020) 163 weeks 223. Usher Confessions (2004) 224. Herp Alpert & the Tijuana Brass South of the Border (1965) 162 weeks 225. Amy Winehouse Back to Black (2006) 226. Prince 1999 (1982) 227. Nat “King” Cole Ramblin’ Rose (1962) 161 weeks 228. Taylor Swift Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021) 229. Alabama Feels So Right (1981) 230. Lil Uzi Vert Eternal Atake (2020) 231. The Big Chill (soundtrack, 1983) 232. NF Perception (2017) 160 weeks 233. Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983) 234. Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (compilation: 1964-70) 235. Huey Lewis & the News Sports (1983) 236. Panic! At the Disco Death of a Bachelor (2016) 159 weeks 237. Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia (2020) 158 weeks 238. Maroon 5 Songs about Jane (2002) 239. Rod Wave Pray 4 Love (2020) 157 weeks 240. Carrie Underwood Some Hearts (2005) 241. Anita Baker Rapture (1986) 242. Maurice Jarre Doctor Zhivago (soundtrack, 1966) 243. Herp Alpert & the Tijuana Brass The Lonely Bull (1962) 244. Twenty One Pilots Vessel (2013) 156 weeks 245. Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) 246. Beyoncé I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008) 247. The Beach Boys Endless Summer (compilation: 1962-65, released 1974) 248. Playboi Carti Die Lit (2018) 155 weeks 249. Various artists (Whitney Houston et al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 1992) 250. Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman (2016) 251. Chris Brown Indigo (2019) 252. Doja Cat Hot Pink (2019) 154 weeks 253. Eric Church Chief (2011) 254. H.E.R. H.E.R. (2017) 255. Halsey Badlands (2015) 153 weeks 256. The Police Zenyatta Mondatta (1980) 257. Brooks & Dunn Brand New Man (1991) 152 weeks 258. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (1986) 259. The Greatest Showman (soundtrack, 2017) 260. Bill Cosby Why Is There Air? (comedy, 1965) 151 weeks 261. Shania Twain Come on Over (1997) 262. Elvis Presley 30 #1 Hits (compilation: 1956-77, released 2002) 263. Galt MacDermot (music) with Gerome Ragni & James Rado (lyrics) Hair (cast album, 1967) 264. Mario Lanza The Student Prince (soundtrack, 1954) 265. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Flower Drum Song (cast, 1959) 266. Polo G The Goat (2020) 150 weeks 267. Harry Styles Harry Styles (2017) Resources and Related Links: Wikipedia (8/3/2020). Most weeks on the chart Dave’s Music Database: charts/sales album best-of lists First posted 3/5/2013; last updated 12/19/2024.

Reggae: Top 25 Albums

Genre: The Top 100 Albums

Reggae music emerged in Jamaica in the late 1960s. It integrated ska and rocksteady and is notable for its counterpoint between the bass and drum downbeat and offbeat rhythm section. Lyrically, the songs often focus on political and social issues. This list was created by aggregating 17 best-of-reggae lists. Those albums appearing on 3 or more lists were then ranked according to their overall status on Dave’s Music Database. Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here. 1. Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 1984) 2. Bob Marley & the Wailers Exodus (1977) 3. Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff et al) The Harder They Come (soundtrack, 1972) 4. Bob Marley & the Wailers Catch a Fire (1973) 5. Bob Marley & the Wailers Natty Dread (1974) 6. Bob Marley & the Wailers Live! (At the Lyceum) (live, recorded 7/18/75, released 12/19/75) 7. Bob Marley & the Wailers Burnin’ (1973) 8. The Congos The Heart of the Congos (1977) 9. Burning Spear Marcus Garvey (1975) 10. Augustus Pablo King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (1976) 11. Bob Marley & the Wailers Uprising (1980) 12. Bob Marley & the Wailers Rastaman Vibration (1976) 13. Toots & the Maytals Funky Kingston (1973) 14. Bob Marley & the Wailers Kaya (1978) 15. Buju Banton Til Shiloh (1995) 16. Peter Tosh Legalize It (1976) 17. UB40 Labour of Love (1983) 18. Bunny Wailer Blackheart Man (1976) 19. Culture Two Sevens Clash (1977) 20. Mighty Diamonds Right Time (1975) 21. Steel Pulse Handsworth Revolution (1978) 22. Lee “Scratch” Perry & the Upsetters Super Ape (1976) 23. Andy Horace Skylarking (1972) 24. Gregory Isaacs Night Nurse (1982) 25. Max Romeo & the Upsetters War ina Babylon (1976) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists First posted 8/27/2024.

 

Bob Marley’s Legend released

Legend Bob Marley & the Wailers

Released: May 8, 1984 Recorded: 1973-1983 Charted: May 19, 1984 Peak: 5 US, 112 UK, 23 CN, 14 AU Sales (in millions): 15.0 US, 2.52 UK, 31.3 world (includes US and UK) Genre: reggae

Tracks: (Click for codes to charts.) Is This Love [3:52] (2/25/78, 20 CL, 9 CO, 9 UK, 13 DF) No Woman, No Cry (live) [4:05] (Bob Marley/Vincent Ford) (8/75, 1 CL, 1 CO, 8 UK, 97 AU, 3 DF) Could You Be Loved [3:33] (5/80, 56 RB, 19 CL, 8 CO, 5 UK, 11 DF) Three Little Birds [2:56] (8/80, 9 CL, 6 CO, 17 UK, 4 DF) Buffalo Soldier [5:24] (Bob Marley/Noel Williams) (5/7/83, 71 RB, 5 CO, 4 UK, 12 DF) Get Up, Stand Up [3:17] (Bob Marley/Peter Tosh) (9/73, 3 CL, 3 CO, 2 DF) Stir It Up [3:38] (1973, --) One Love/People Get Ready [2:52] (Bob Marley/Curtis Mayfield) (4/21/84, 5 CL, 4 CO, 5 UK, 5 DF) I Shot the Sheriff [3:46] (2/12/73, 21 CL, 7 CO, 67 UK, 4 DF) Waiting in Vain [4:10] (8/77, 38 RB, 24 CL, 14 CO, 27 UK, 15 DF) Redemption Song [3:48] (10/80, 3 CL, 4 CO, 2 DF) Satisfy My Soul [3:45] (5/78, 21 UK) Exodus [5:24] (6/25/77, 19 RB, 17 CL, 13 CO, 14 UK, 24 DF) Jammin’ [3:17] (12/10/77, 5 CL, 2 CO, 9 UK, 5 DF) All songs written by Bob Marley except where noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 51:01

Rating: 4.779 out of 5.00 (average of 29 ratings) Quotable: “The standard by which all other reggae albums are judged.” – VH1’s Ultimate Albums Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Ask someone to name a reggae artist, and the first name that comes to mind is always Bob Marley.” NO “For many Marley embodied the music to the exclusion of all other artists.” PR He was born in Jamaica in 1945 to a white man and black woman. As a teenager, he started working and recording with the Wailers, who most prominently included Bunny Livingston (later Wailer) and Peter Tosh. “Marley remains the only rocker from anywhere other than North America or the British Isles to break through this country’s cultural deafness and matter. All it took was talent, charisma, melodic power, and unquenched lyrical hope. This 14-song best-of is the sharp, clear tip of the iceberg.” EW’93 “Often called Reggae 101,” VU Legend is “the classic Marley album, the one that any fair-weather reggae fan owns.” AM “To many, this compilation is the reggae album,” NO setting “the standard by which all other reggae albums are judged.” VU This “is the best-selling reggae album of all time” NO with more than 12 million copies sold in the U.S. and 30 million worldwide. In the UK, it logged 12 weeks at #1. Stateside, its #26 peak came decades after its release, showing the album’s longevity. It “is an essential part of any collection.” NO When Legend came out, “America was bopping to self-indulgent tunes by artists from Madonna to Motley Crue [so] Marley’s simple messages seemed destined for oblivion. Instead, Marley’s hypnotic pleas for social and political justice for the impoverished would seduce the material world” VU and find “an audience ready for music with meaning.” VU “The beauty and simplicity of Marley’s music was as important as his message” AM and Legend is full of “songs of spirituality, longing, and sacrifice” VU with “relaxing island rhythms that make your soul dance.” ZS This is “the rare ‘best of’ that really is an artist at his best.” TL “It gives a doubter or casual fan anything they could want.” AM The collection “exposed virgin ears to a new genre of music and propelled Bob Marley to a figure of almost mystical proportions. But more than anything else, Legend was a classic coda to the excellence of Bob Marley and the Wailers. … and it forever cemented their status… as legends.” VU Catch a Fire (1973) Bob Marley & the Wailers were signed to Island Records in 1972 and released Catch a Fire, which would include a reworked version of Stir It Up, a song first recorded by them in 1967. Johnny Nash, an American reggae/pop singer who had a #1 U.S. hit with “I Can See Clearly Now,” recorded the song in 1973, taking it to #12 in the U.S. Burnin’ (1973) This would be Marley, Tosh, and Wailer’s last album together. The album featured two of Marley’s best-known works – Get Up Stand Up and I Shot the Sheriff. Marley wrote both with Esther Anderson, his companion through 1973, RS-161 She said she “was teaching Bob how to be a rebel, based on what I learned from living with Marlon Brando for seven years.” ROS-160 The song became Amnesty International’s theme song. VU In 1974, Eric Clapton’s chart-topping version of “I Shot the Sheriff” would give Marley & the Wailers their greatest exposure. Anderson said the line “every time I plant a seed he said kill it before it grow” came out of Marley wondering why she hadn’t got pregnant and her explaining that she was on the pill. ROS-161-2 Lee Jaffe, who was living with the Wailers in Kingston at the time, says the song came about as a joke with Marley saying “I shot the sheriff” and Jaffe responding, “but you didn’t get the deputy.” ROS-162 He said “it came out of western movies, which Jamiaicans really love. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was always plaing somewhere in Kingston.” ROS-162 Natty Dread (1974) Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left after Burnin’, disappointed with how much Marley was being spotlighted and over-commercializing reggae music. The brothers Aston “Family Man” Barrett on bass and Carlton Barrett on drums, who’d worked on the previous two albums, gave the album some consistent players. His wife Rita and backup singer Marcia Griffiths, who’d also worked on previous albums, teamed with Judy Mowatt to form the backing trio the I-Threes. Their “positive exortation’s sing-along chorus of ‘everything’s gonna be alright’ helped make” ROS-185 No Woman, No Cry one of Marley’s most notable songs. The version on Legend is a live recording from July 1975 which adds “more humor, warmth and sex appeal than the original.” TL Exodus (1977) The Legend compilation skips Marley’s next album, 1976’s Rastaman Vibration, but serves up a generous helping of cuts from Exodus with the title cut, Waiting in Vain, Jammin’, “the irrepressible Three Little Birds,” TL and One Love/People Get Ready, “an international anthem for unity.” VU All five were top-30 hits in the UK. The 2002 deluxe edition also adds Punky Reggae Party, which was released initially as the B-side of “Jammin’.” Most notable during this era was an assassination attempt on Marley. In an effort to ease tension between warring political groups in Jamaica, the prime minister, Michael Manley, organized “Smile Jamaica,” a free concert. On December 3, 1976, two days before the concert, an assassination attempt was made on Marley’s life. He and his wife and manager were wounded inside Marley’s home, but made full recoveries. It was considered a politically-motivated protest from those who saw the concert as a support rally for Manley. Kaya (1978) Marley left Jamaica for England at the end of 1976 and recorded Exodus and Kaya while living there. Satisfy My Soul is another song, like “Stir It Up,” which dates back to the pre-Island days of the Wailers. Meanwhile, Is This Love “shows off [Marley’s] ability to make polyrhythm into melody.” TL Easy Skanking, another cut from Kaya, is featured on the 2002 deluxe edition of Legend. Uprising (1980) 1979’s politically-charged Survival is the second Island-era Marley album to not be represented on the Legend collection. However, 1980’s Uprising, one of Marley’s most religious productions, is showcased with Could You Be Loved, a top-5 hit in the UK, and “the meditative Redemption Song” AM is Marley’s “rallying cry for emancipation from tyranny.” VU Confrontation (1983) Marley had been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma under the nail of one of his toes in July 1977. Doctors advised that he have the toe amputated, which he refused because it was against his religious beliefs and would have hampered his performing career. In May 1980, he was in New York to perform shows at Madison Square Garden and collapsed while jogging in Central Park. At the hospital, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain, lungs, and liver. He died a year later on May 21, 1981, at age 36. The posthumous Confrontation album was released two years later. It included “the painful cry of Buffalo Soldier,” VU the album’s sole representation on the Legend collection.

Review Sources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Bob Marley AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine EW’93 Entertainment Weekly (10/29/1993). “100 Greatest CDs: A Love-It-Or-Loathe It Guide to the Essential Disc Library” NO TheNightOwl.com review by Steve Marshall PR Paul Roland (2001). CD Guide to Pop & Rock. B.T. Batsford LTD: London. Page 162. ROS Roger Steffens (2017). So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley. Norton & Company: New York, NY. TL Time Magazine (11/13/2006). “All-TIME 100 Albums” by Josh Tyrangiel and Alan Light VU VH1 Ultimate Albums TV series (2002-03). ZS Zagat Survey (2003). Music Guide: 1,000 Top Albums of All Time. Coordinator: Pat Blashill. Music Editor: Holly George-Warren. Editors: Betsy Andrews and Randi Gollin. Zagat Survey, LLC: New York, NY. Page 154. Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 5/8/2012; updated 8/26/2024.

Poco “Crazy Love” topped the adult contemporary chart

Crazy Love Poco

Writer(s): Rusty Young (see lyrics here) First Charted: January 12, 1979 Peak: 17 US, 14 CB, 10 GR, 20 HR, 7 RR, 17 AC, 6 CL, 15 CN, 73 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 5.4 video, 21.45 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The country-rock group Poco was formed in 1968 by former Buffalo Springfield members Richie Furay (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Jim Messina (guitar) with Rusty Young (steel pedal guitar), Randy Meisner (bass and vocals), George Grantham (drums and vocals). A decade later, Young was the only remaining member. The band now featured Paul Cotton (guitar), Charlie Harrison (bass), and Steve Chapman (drums) for the group’s 1978 Legend album. The album was the eleventh from the group, but the first to give them any kind of mainstream success. They’d previously peaked at #38 on the album chart; Legend got to #14 and gave the group its first gold album and first taste of top-40 singles success with “Crazy Love” (#17) and “Heart of the Night” (#20). “Crazy Love” might have done better if it weren’t for a label change as the song was climbing the charts. MCA took over ABC Records and was not interested in Poco. The song still ended up as Poco’s biggest hit on the pop charts and spent seven weeks atop adult contemporary, ranking as the #1 adult contemporary hit for 1979. WK The song is marked by its harmony vocals and lyrics about “being haunted by the memory of an old lover.” GS It was Young who wrote “Crazy Love,” the breakthrough hit for the band. He said he was panelling a wall at his house in L.A. when the chorus came to him. He took about thirty minutes to write the song. He intended the “ooh, ooh, ahhhh” part of the chorus to be filled in with other lyrics later but the band liked it the way it was. WK Young considered it ironic that he wrote the band’s first real hit since he’d started out just as an instrumentalist with the band and didn’t sing or write. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Poco GS TheGreatestSongs.com “Top 500 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time: #485 Crazy Love – Poco” WK Wikipedia First posted 12/6/2022.

 

Bob Marley charted with “No Woman, No Cry”

No Woman, No Cry Bob Marley & the Wailers

Writer(s): Bob Marley, Vincent Ford (see lyrics here) First Charted: September 27, 1975 Peak: 1 CL, 1 CO, 8 UK, 97 AU, 3 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.68 US, 0.4 UK, 1.08 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 343.6 video, 195.84 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: There’s an argument to be made that no artist did more for his genre than Bob Marley did for reggae. In 1975, the genre “had been bubbling out of Jamaica through white rock & roll for three years or so” TC but “was confined to…Jamaica…and a few white fans.” TC “Partly it was the politics and the Rastafarianism that put the public off reggae music at first,” TC but music critic Toby Creswell argues that Bob Marley & the Wailers’ 1975 live gig at London’s Lyceum on July 18-19 “was a turning point in the history of music.” TC Their previous tour didn’t go well because non-Jamaican audiences didn’t appreciate pure reggae, but after Marley and his band tightened their sound, they received glowing reviews and sold out shows in America. By the time they got to London, they were a huge success SF attracting an audience that was half black and half white, some who were avid followers of reggae and some who were just curious. LW Steve Smith, who co-produced the live recording, said of the first night that “the intensity and the vibe were just nuts.” TC As a result, the second night’s show was recorded. The result was what Smith asserted to be one of only three great live albums, alongside Ray Charles at Newport in 1958 and James Brown at the Apollo in 1962. TC The highlight of the show was arguably “No Woman, No Cry,” “the ultimate sing-along” TC in which Marley “merges the personal, the political and the spiritual.” LW The original studio version appeared on the 1974 Natty Dread album, but the live version released from the Lyceum album was a top-10 hit in the UK, thanks to Island Records marketing Marley “as a new breed of Third World rebel.” LW The title has been misinterpreted as “if there is no woman, there is no reason to cry,” WK but the real message is “woman, don’t cry.” WK The narrator is “leaving and reassuring here that the slum they live in won’t get her down.” SF Critic Paul Williams said, “Song in general, song in its truest form, creates a willingness to hear by its attractive qualities; it captures, holds, and reshapes the attention of its listener, through its sincerity and integrity it opens up to new truth.” PW “This transcendently beautiful song” PW “cuts clean to the heart of the matter in a few words, a few notes, a few moments of vibrant soul-stirring clarity.” PW “Vocalist/preacher Marley takes on the classic…masculine role of father, husband, elder brother, offering strength and hope to daughter/wife/sister.” PW The “humble radiant wild holy man” PW “gave us something that makes a difference in our struggle. He reminds us of the dignity of our lives.” PW In a display of his own dignity, Marley gave Vincent Ford a songwriter credit so that royalties would support his friend’s soup kitchen in Trenchtown, Jamaica. WK Resources: TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Pages 855-6. LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 135. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia PW Paul Williams (1993). Rock and Roll: The Best 100 Singles. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc. Pages 161-2. Related Links: First posted 4/13/2021; last updated 11/24/2022.