Bob Marley and sons take top 3 spots on reggae chart

Sons of late reggae star Bob Marley, (L to R) Julian, Stephen and Damien Marley,together with their mother Rita (2L) arrive for the annual Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in central London in this file photo from September 22, 2005. More than 26 years after his death, Bob Marley continues to sell records, topping Billboard's year-end Top Reggae Albums chart. Carrying on the family tradition, Marley's sons Stephen and Damian claim the No. 2 and 3 rungs on the year-end reggae albums chart.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - More than 26 years after his death, Bob Marley continues to sell records, topping Billboard's year-end Top Reggae Albums chart.

The list-capping title, "Forever Bob Marley" (Madacy Special Products/Madacy), is a set of songs from the reggae great's pre-Island Records days.

Bob Marley & the Wailers also come in at No. 9 with "Africa Unite: The Singles Collection" (Island/Tuff Gong/UMe/IDJMG) and No. 10 with "Gold" (Tuff Gong/Island/Chronicles/UMe), both selections of such fan favorites as "Stir It Up" and "Get Up, Stand Up."

Carrying on the family tradition, Marley's sons Stephen and Damian claim the No. 2 and 3 rungs on the year-end reggae albums chart with "Mind Control" (Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic/UMRG) and "Welcome to Jam Rock" (Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic/UMRG), respectively. The brothers also rank at Nos. 3 and 4 on the Top Reggae Artists year-end chart.

For the second year in a row, New Yorker Matisyahu tops the Reggae Artists chart, continuing to garner new fans with his mix of hip-hop and reggae, as well as his lyrics about his Hasidic Jewish background. His three albums, "Youth" (Or/Epic/Sony Music), "No Place to Be" (One Haven/Or/Epic/Sony Music) and "Live at Stubb's" (Or/Epic/Sony Music), are Nos. 5, 6 and 11, respectively, on the Top Reggae Albums chart.

Longtime star Sean Paul's "The Trinity" (VP/Atlantic/AG) reaches No. 4 on the Top Reggae Albums chart for 2007, dropping from the No. 1 spot in 2006. Paul also comes in at No. 5 on the Top Reggae Artists recap.

Elsewhere, VP's "Reggae Gold" compilations continued to do well, with the 2006 edition rounding out the album chart at No. 15 and the 2007 edition coming in at No. 8.

Controversial artist Beenie Man, who has been accused of inciting violence against homosexuals in the past and was cited by a Jamaican court for tax evasion earlier this year, ranks at No. 14 on the Top Reggae Albums chart for "Undisputed" (Shocking Vibes/Virgin) and No. 10 on the Top Reggae Artists chart.

Reuters/Billboard