Lee Scratch Perry The Oldest Billboard Reggae Chart Topper At Age 83

Producer/singer Lee “Scratch” Perry o.c. the Mad Scientist continues to create history on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart.

His most recent feat, the 12-song Heavy Rain (distributed by On-U Sound Records) debuts at number one with first-week sales of 322 copies. This is Perry’s first number one album, in a career spanning more than 60 years.

At 83, Perry is the oldest artiste to top the Billboard Reggae Albums table. The previous record was held by Beres Hammond, whose Never Ending album topped the chart in October 2018 when he was 63 years old.

Heavy Rain is the 16th entry for Perry to chart; 14 of his albums entered the Top 10. It is also his fourth title to chart this year.

Rainford reached number two in June, while Roots Reggae Dub: Special Edition stalled at number three in April. Life of The Planets, an EP, hit number three in November.

Perry’s first entry on Billboard was back in 1990, with From The Secret Laboratory, which got as high as number eight on the World Albums Chart.

World on Fire by Stick Figure, which was number one for 11 weeks, is number two, selling an additional 237 copies to bring its total to 16,288. Last week’s chart-topper, Hybrid, by Collie Buddz falls to number three with 185 copies.

New at number four is the sophomore album from Kranium, titled Midnight Sparks. Released by Atlantic Records on December 6, it sold 150 copies. The set has 12 songs, including collaborations with Mahalia, Alkaline and British recording artiste AJ Tracey.

One of the songs from Midnight Sparks is Hotel featuring Ty Dolla Sign and Burner Boy. It enters the Billboard Reggae Digital Song Sales Chart at number 14.

Midnight Sparks is the follow-up to Kranium’s 2015 debut Rumours which stalled at number six.

California reggae band The Expendables enters at number five with the 13-song Gone Raw. It was released December 6 by Ineffable Records and is the group’s second entry, having hit number one in 2017 with The Moment.

Ways of The World by The Movement falls to number six, while new at number seven is Sounds of Africa by deejay Xyclone which sold 77 copies. This is Xyclone’s second album to chart in 2019; in July, The Year of The Wolf peaked at number three.

The Grammy-nominated Mass Manipulation by Steel Pulse registers a slight increase with 52 copies sold compared to 39 the previous week. It falls to number eight.

Rapture (EP) by Koffee revisits the chart at number nine, selling 48 copies for a total of 3,938, while VP Records’ Strictly The Best Vol 60 is number 10.

Outside the Top 10, Hawaiian artiste Jay Keyz enters at number 11 with the 18-track Charlotte.

The eight-song, all-female project, Rock and Groove Riddim released by Protoje’s In.Digg.Nation Collective sold 32 copies to debut at number 14. It features songs by Naomi Cowan, Sevana, Lila Ike and Jaz Elise.

Over on Billboard’s Reggae Digital Song Sales Chart, Trust by Buju Banton returns to number one.