# Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album

The Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works in the reggae music genre. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording, the honor was presented to artists for eligible songs or albums. The Jamaican group Black Uhuru received the first award in 1985. Beginning with the 1992 ceremony, the name of the award was changed to Best Reggae Album. Starting in 2002, awards were often presented to the engineers, mixers, and/or producers in addition to the performing artists. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, eligible works are vocal or instrumental reggae albums "containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded music", including roots reggae, dancehall and ska music.
Ziggy Marley holds the record for the most wins in this category, with seven wins as of 2017.

## Recipients

| Year | Performing artist(s) | Work | Nominees |
| 1985 | Black Uhuru | Anthem | Jimmy Cliff – "Reggae Night" Steel Pulse – "Steppin' Out" Peter Tosh – Captured Live Yellowman – King Yellowman |
| 1986 | Jimmy Cliff | Cliff Hanger | Blue Riddim Band – Alive in Jamaica Burning Spear – Resistance Judy Mowatt – Working Wonders Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers – Play the Game Right |
| 1987 | Steel Pulse | Babylon the Bandit | Black Uhuru – Brutal Jimmy Cliff – Club Paradise Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Dub Band – Linton Kwesi Johnson in Concert with the Dub Band The Itals – Rasta Philosophy |
| 1988 | Peter Tosh | No Nuclear War | Black Uhuru – Brutal Dub Burning Spear – People of the World Third World – Hold On to Love UB40 – UB40 CCCP: Live in Moscow |
| 1989 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | Conscious Party | Jimmy Cliff – Hanging Fire Toots Hibbert – Toots in Memphis UB40 – UB40 UB40 and Chrissie Hynde – "Breakfast in Bed" |
| 1990 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | One Bright Day | Bunny Wailer – Liberation Burning Spear – Live in Paris Zenith '88 Third World – Serious Business Wailers Band – I.D. |
| 1991 | Bunny Wailer | Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley | Black Uhuru – Now Burning Spear – Mek We Dweet Toots & the Maytals – An Hour Live Andrew Tosh – Make Place for the Youth |
| 1992 | Shabba Ranks | As Raw As Ever | Black Uhuru – Iron Storm Bunny Wailer – Gumption Rita Marley – We Must Carry On Steel Pulse – Victims Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers – Jahmekya |
| 1993 | Shabba Ranks | X-tra Naked | Jimmy Cliff – Breakout Steel Pulse – Rastafari Centennial: Live in Paris – Elysee Montmartre The Wailing Souls – All Over the World Third World – Committed |
| 1994 | Inner Circle | "Bad Boys" | Black Uhuru – Mystical Truth Burning Spear – The World Should Know Maxi Priest – Fe Real Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers – Joy and Blues |
| 1995 | Bunny Wailer | Crucial! Roots Classics | Aswad – Rise and Shine Black Uhuru – Strongg Dennis Brown – Light My Fire Inner Circle – Reggae Dancer Various artists – Stir It Up |
| 1996 | Shaggy | Boombastic | Burning Spear – Rasta Business The Skatalites – Hi-Bop Ska! The 30th Anniversary Recording Third World – Live It Up Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers – Free Like We Want 2 B |
| 1997 | Bunny Wailer | Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley's 50th Anniversary | Gregory Isaacs – Mr. Cool Maxi Priest – Man with the Fun Sister Carol – Lyrically Potent The Skatalites – Greetings from Skamania |
| 1998 | Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers | Fallen Is Babylon | Aswad – Big Up Burning Spear – Appointment with His Majesty Steel Pulse – Rage and Fury Yellowman – Freedom of Speech |
| 1999 | Sly and Robbie | Friends | Buju Banton – Inna Heights Beenie Man – Many Moods of Moses The Wailing Souls – Psychedelic Souls Toots & the Maytals – Ska Father |
| 2000 | Burning Spear | Calling Rastafari | Aswad – Roots Revival Beenie Man – The Doctor Steel Pulse – Living Legacy Third World – Generation Coming |
| 2001 | Beenie Man | Art and Life | Pato Banton – Life Is a Miracle Dennis Brown – Let Me Be the One Gregory Isaacs – Private & Confidential The Wailing Souls – Equality |
| 2002 | Damian Marley | Halfway Tree | Beres Hammond – Music Is Life Luciano – A New Day Ky-Mani Marley – Many More Roads Various artists – Island Warriors |
| 2003 | Lee "Scratch" Perry | Jamaican E.T. | Alpha Blondy – Merci Bounty Killer – Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery Capleton – Still Blazin' Freddie McGregor – Anything for You |
| 2004 | Sean Paul | Dutty Rock | Buju Banton – Friends for Life Burning Spear – Free Man Third World – Ain't Givin' Up Wayne Wonder – No Holding Back |
| 2005 | Toots and the Maytals | True Love | Jimmy Cliff – Black Magic Sly and Robbie – The Dub Revolutionaries Steel Pulse – African Holocaust Various artists – Def Jamaica |
| 2006 | Damian Marley | Welcome to Jamrock | Burning Spear – Our Music Sean Paul – The Trinity Shaggy – Clothes Drop Third World – Black Gold & Green |
| 2007 | Ziggy Marley | Love Is My Religion | Buju Banton – Too Bad Matisyahu – Youth Sly and Robbie – Rhythm Doubles UB40 – Who You Fighting For? |
| 2008 | Stephen Marley | Mind Control | Burning Spear – The Burning Spear Experience Lee "Scratch" Perry – The End of an American Dream Sly and Robbie and the Taxi Gang – Anniversary Toots and the Maytals – Light Your Light |
| 2009 | Burning Spear | Jah Is Real | Elephant Man – Let's Get Physical Heavy D – Vibes Lee "Scratch" Perry – Repentance Shaggy – Intoxication Sly and Robbie – Amazing |
| 2010 | Stephen Marley | Mind Control – Acoustic | Buju Banton – Rasta Got Soul Gregory Isaacs – Brand New Me Julian Marley – Awake Sean Paul – Imperial Blaze |
| 2011 | Buju Banton | Before the Dawn | Gregory Isaacs and King Isaac – Isaacs Meets Isaac Lee "Scratch" Perry – Revelation Bob Sinclar and Sly and Robbie – Made in Jamaica Sly and Robbie and the Family Taxi – One Pop Reggae + Andrew Tosh – Legacy: An Acoustic Tribute to Peter Tosh |
| 2012 | Stephen Marley | Revelation Pt. 1 – The Root of Life | Monty Alexander – Harlem-Kingston Express Live! Israel Vibration – Reggae Knights Ziggy Marley – Wild and Free Shaggy – Summer in Kingston |
| 2013 | Jimmy Cliff | Rebirth | The Original Wailers – Miracle Sean Paul – Tomahawk Technique Sly and Robbie and the Jam Masters – New Legend – Jamaica 50th Edition Toots and the Maytals – Reggae Got Soul: Unplugged on Strawberry Hill |
| 2014 | Ziggy Marley | In Concert | Beres Hammond – One Love, One Life Sizzla – The Messiah Sly and Robbie and the Jam Masters – Reggae Connection Snoop Lion – Reincarnated |
| 2015 | Ziggy Marley | Fly Rasta | Lee "Scratch" Perry – Back on the Controls Sean Paul – Full Frequency Shaggy – Out of Many, One Music Sly and Robbie and Spicy Chocolate – The Reggae Power SOJA – Amid the Noise and the Haste |
| 2016 | Morgan Heritage | Strictly Roots | Rocky Dawuni – Branches of the Same Tree Jah Cure – The Cure Barrington Levy – Acousticalevy Luciano – Zion Awake |
| 2017 | Ziggy Marley | Ziggy Marley | Devin Di Dakta & J.L – Sly & Robbie Presents...Reggae For Her J Boog – Rose Petals Raging Fyah – Everlasting Rebelution – Falling Into Place SOJA – Live in Virginia |
| 2018 | Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley | Stony Hill | Chronixx – Chronology Common Kings – Lost in Paradise J Boog – Wash House Ting Morgan Heritage – Avrakedabra |
| 2019 | Sting & Shaggy | 44/876 | Black Uhuru – As The World Turns Etana – Reggae Forever Ziggy Marley – Rebellion Rises Protoje – A Matter of Time |
| 2020 | Koffee | Rapture | Julian Marley – As I Am Sly and Robbie & the Roots Radics – The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie vs. Roots Radics Steel Pulse – Mass Manipulation Third World – More Work to Be Done |
| 2021 | Toots and the Maytals | Got to Be Tough | Buju Banton – Upside Down 2020 Skip Marley – Higher Place Maxi Priest – It All Comes Back To Love The Wailers – One World |
| 2022 | SOJA | Beauty in the Silence | Etana – Pamoja Gramps Morgan – Positive Vibration Sean Paul – Live N Livin Jesse Royal – Royal Spice – 10 |
| 2023 | Kabaka Pyramid | The Kalling | Koffee – Gifted Sean Paul – Scorcha Protoje – Third Time's The Charm Shaggy – Com Fly Wid Mi |
| 2024 | Julian Marley & Antaeus | Colors of Royal | Buju Banton – Born For Greatness Beenie Man – Simma Collie Buddz – Call Roots Riddim 2023 Burning Spear – No Destroyer |
| 2025 | Various artists | Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe) | Collie Buddz – Take It Easy Vybz Kartel – Party With Me Shenseea - Never Gets Late Here The Wailers – Evolution |
Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

## 2010 controversy

Buju Banton's (real name Mark Anthony Myrie) nomination for the 2010 award sparked controversy and protest due to homophobic lyrics within his music. Banton's most controversial song, released in 1988, is "Boom, Bye Bye", which "promote[s] the murder of gay men by shooting or burning". Following the artist's nomination, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center placed an advertisement in the Daily Variety encouraging Grammy officials to denounce music that "promotes or celebrates violence against any group of people". The advertisement, which took the form of a letter signed by gay rights and civil rights activists, asserted that honoring Banton was awarding "extraordinary hateful work". The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences responded by insisting that artists are honored for quality music "regardless of politics". Banton has been quoted as saying that he sees "no end to the war" between himself and gay men. The 2010 award was presented to Stephen Marley. Banton was nominated in 2011 for the album Before the Dawn. Other reggae musicians that have been accused of promoting anti-gay lyrics include Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Shabba Ranks and Sizzla.