Roots Archives Forum

When it comes to discovering reggae music, everyone has to start somewhere.

It could be with Millie Smalls, Johnny Nash, Eddy Grant, Clapton's cover of "I shot the sheriff" or the current spate of dancehall tracks topping the charts in the US and the UK.

Maybe there could be a listing of any ska, rocksteady, roots, dancehall, ragga, etc. tunes that have hit the top 10 on the charts in the US, the UK, Canada and/or Australia.

This could serve as an intro source for any newbies to this site and to reggae music.

1 My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small (No. 1 Australia, Canada No 2. US, UK)
2 Baby Come Back - Equals (No. 1 UK)
3 Hold Me Tight - Johnny Nash (No. 4 Canada No. 5 US, UK)
4 The Israelites - Desmond Dekker (No. 1 UK, Canada)
5 Double Barrel - Dave And Ansel Collins (No. 1 UK)
6 I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash (No. 1 US, Canada)
7 I Shot The Sheriff - Eric Clapton (No. 1 US, Canada)
8 Everything I Own - Ken Boothe (No. 1 UK)
9 Tears On My Pillow - Johnny Nash (No. 1 UK)
10 Barbados - Typically Tropical (No. 1 UK)
11 Uptown Top Ranking - Althia And Donna (No. 1 UK)
12 Rivers Of Babylon - Boney M (No. 1 UK, Australia)
13 Dreadlock Holiday - 10cc (No. 1 UK)
14 Walking On The Moon - Police (No. 1 UK)
15 Too Much Too Young (Live) - Specials (No. 1 UK)
16 Master Blaster - Stevie Wonder (No. 1 US-R&B)
17 The Tide Is High - Blondie (No. 1 US, UK, Canada)
18 Ghost Town - Specials (No. 1 UK)
19 House Of Fun - Madness (No. 1 UK)
20 Pass The Dutchie - Musical Youth (No. 1 UK, Australia, Canada)
21 I Don't Wanna Dance - Eddy Grant (No. 1 UK)
22 Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant (No. 1 US, Canada)
23 Red Red Wine - UB40 (No. 1 UK No. 2 Canada 1983, No. 1 US 1988)
24 I Got You Babe - UB40 (No. 1 UK, Australia)
25 I Want To Wake Up With You - Boris Gardiner (No. 1 UK, Australia)
26 Don't Turn Around - Aswad (No. 1 UK)
27 Tumblin' Down - Ziggy Marley (No. 1 US-R&B)
28 Dub Be Good To Me - Beats International (No. 1 UK)
29 Close To You - Maxi Priest (No. 1 US)
30 Mr Loverman - Shabba Ranks (No. 2 US-R&B)
31 Informer - Snow (No. 1 US, UK)
32 Oh Carolina - Shaggy (No. 1 UK)
33 Falling In Love With You - UB40 (No. 1 US, UK)
34 Twist And Shout - Chaka Demus And Pliers (No. 1 UK)
35 Baby Come Back - Pato Banton (No. 1 UK)
36 Here Comes The Hot Stepper - Ina Kamoze (No. 1 US)
37 Boombastic - Shaggy (No. 1 UK, Australia, US-R&B)
38 Shy Guy - Diana King (No. 2 UK)
39 Fly - Sugar Ray featuring Super Cat (No. 1 US)
40 It Wasn't Me - Shaggy (No. 1 US, UK, Australia)
41 Angel - Shaggy (No. 1 US, UK, Australia)
42 The Tide Is High - Atomic Kitten (No. 1 UK)
43 Get Busy - Sean Paul (No. 1 US)
44 Breathe - Blu Cantrell featuring Sean Paul (No. 1 UK)
45 Baby Boy - Beyonce featuring Sean Paul (No. 1 US)

nice list....and now all the great songs that didn't make it ????

My point is that everyone has to start somewhere.

Someone might hear Marcia Griffiths' "Electric Boogie" that doesn't know about Bob Marley, the I-Threes, the Wailers, Bob Andy, etc.

That one song could be their intro into a whole new musical world for them; much the same way Clapton's version of "I shot the sheriff" or the Clash's cover of "Police & Thieves" were for so many rock fans.

69 You Got Soul - Johnny Nash (6)
69 Cupid - Johnny Nash (6)
69 Return Of Django - Upsetters (5)
69 It Mek - Desmond Dekker (7)
69 Liquidator - Harry J Allstars (9)
69 Viva Bobby Joe - Equals (6)
69 Wet Dream - Max Romeo (10)
69 Wonderful World Beautiful People - Jimmy Cliff (6)

70 Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys - Equals (9)
70 Young Gifted And Black - Bob And Marcia (5)
70 You Can Get It If You Really Want - Desmond Dekker (2)
70 Wild World - Jimmy Cliff (8)
71 Let Your Yeah Be Yeah - Pioneers (5)
71 Monkey Spanner - Dave And Ansil Collins (7)
72 Big Seven - Judge Dread (8)
72 There Are More Questions Than Answers - Johnny Nash (9)
74 Help Me Make It Through The Night - John Holt (6)
74 Ire Feelings - Rupie Edwards (9)
75 Je T'Aime - Judge Dread (9)
75 Fattie Bum Bum - Carl Malcolm (8)
76 Sideshow - Barry Biggs (3)
78 Now That We Found Love - Third World (10)
79 Tears Of A Clown - English Beat (6)
79 Ranking Full Stop - English Beat (6)
79 On My Radio - Selector (8)
79 Silly Games - Janet Kay (2)


80 Hand's Off She's Mine - English Beat (9)
80 Mirror In The Bathroom - English Beat (4)
80 Too Nice To Talk To - English Beat (7)
80 Do You Feel My Love - Eddy Grant (8)
80 Special Brew - Bad Manners (3)
81 Good Thing Going - Sugar Minot (4)
81 Dancing On The Floor - Third World (10)
81 Can Can - Bad Manners (3)
81 Walking In The Sunshine - Bad Manners (10)
82 Our House - Madness (5)
82 My Girl Lollipop - Bad Manners (9)
83 Never Gonna Give You Up - Musical Youth (6)
87 Just Don't Want To Be Lonely - Freddie McGregor (9)
88 Gimme Hope Joanna - Eddy Grant (7)
88 Wild World - Maxi Priest (5)

91 Now That We Found Love - Heavy D (2)
92 Sweat - Inner Circle (3)
93 Tease Me - Chaka Demus And Pliers (3)
93 She Don't Let Nobody - Chaka Demus And Pliers (4)
93 Housecall - Shabba Ranks (8)
94 Shine - Aswad (5)
94 Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountian (2)
94 Compliments On Your Kiss - Red Dragon (2)
95 In The Summertime - Shaggy (5)
97 Piece Of My Heart - Shaggy (7)
98 Who Am I - Beenie Man (10)

00 Money - Jamelia featuring Beenie Man (5)
01 Luv Me Luv Me - Shaggy (5)
02 Me Julie - Ali G And Shaggy (2)
02 Hey Sexy Lady - Shaggy (10)
02 Follow Da Leader - Nigel And Marvin (5)
02 Feel It Boy - Beenie Man (9)
03 Turn Me On - Kevin Lyttle (2)
03 Gimme The Light - Sean Paul (5)
03 Like Glue - Sean Paul (3)
03 No Letting Go - Wayne Wonder (3)

just remembered there's a UK charts section on [Tapir's website](http://www.xs4all.nl/~tapirs/)

bottom of the main page

seb

64 Mockingbird Hill - Migil Five (10)

70 Love Of The Common People - Nicky Thomas (9)
71 Black And White - Greyhound (6)
72 Mad About You - Bruce Ruffin (9)
75 Midnight Rider - Paul Davidson (10)

80 Amigo - Black Slate (9)
80 Banana Republic - Boomtown Rats (3)

1992 On A Ragga Tip - SL2 (2)
1993 Boom Shack A Lack - Apache Indian (5)
1993 Shout - Louchie Lou And Michie One (7)
1993 It Keeps Rainin' - Bitty McLean (2)
1994 You Don't Love Me - Dawn Penn (3)
1994 Here I Stand - Bitty McLean (10)
1994 Dedicated To The One I Love - Bitty McLean (4)
1996 Cecilia - Suggs (4)