BILLBOARD CHART WATCH: The Skatalites debut at eight
THIS WEEK’S big debut on the Billboard Reggae Charts is Foundation Ska by The Skatalites. However, the album cover is familiar and a quick check at
www.allmusic.com shows a release date of January 4, 1996. So it is a re-release (on March 24, 2017), the same website saying that it is a double CD that has been remastered and reissued. Among the tracks are Fidel Castro, Simmer Down (featuring Bob Marley and the Wailers), Freedom Sounds
(credited to Tommy McCooke and The Skatalites), Scandal Ska, Beardsman Ska and Addis Ababa.
At number eight, Foundation Ska is the least among the three full-length sets muscling their way into the listing for the week of April 15, 2017. The top debutant is Nattall Rize’s Rebel Frequency, at number two, while Soul Jazz Records Presents Hustle! Reggae Disco, Kingston-London-New York, holds the number six position.
HOLDING STEADY
There is a new number one, Pyramid(s) by Satsang, moving up from number seven last week to hold the top slot in its second week on the Billboard ranking. The number three set, Stick Figure’s Set in Stone, has also moved up, as it was fourth last week.
The only album in the top five to have slipped is Falling Into Place (Rebelution), which exchanged places with the current number three from last week. Both albums are long stayers, as Set in Stone has been on the chart for 72 weeks and Falling Into Place for 43 weeks.
Rounding out the top five is, Lost in Paradise (Common Kings), which holds steady from the previous listing.
Nestled between the Soul Jazz and Foundation Ska albums is Fortunate Youth, by the group of that name. It has dropped dramatically from second on the previous listing.
Get Soca 2017 is at number nine, down from sixth last week, while Rebelutions’ Live at Red Rocks is number 10.
All the albums from 11 (Stephen Marley’s Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life) to number 15 (The Legend Live: Santa Barbara County Bowl, November 25th, 1979) have lost ground, save for Landon McNamara’s A Dollar Short & a Minute Late, which holds firm at 12.