With the staging of the 60th Grammy Awards drawing near, we thought we’d look back at some of years where the Reggae Grammy was won. While many know of the winners, we also want to look back at some of the nominees. To close off our series, today we’ll look at the year 2004.
Nominees
1. Buju Banton – Friends For Life
The early 2000’s saw a wave of Dancehall/Reggae Music crossing over on to the American music scene. Buju Banton was one of the Artists recognized during that time when his 2003 Album “Friends For Life” received a Grammy nomination. Featuring a whopping 19 tracks, it included the Nadine Sutherland assisted “What Am I Gonna Do”, “Sha La La”, and “Mr. Nine”.
The legendary Burning Spear brought along his message music in the 2000s and it showed people were receiving it when his 2003 Album “Freeman” got a Grammy nomination. Consisting of 12 tracks, it included “Hey Dready”, “Old School”, and “We Feel It”.
3. Third World – Ain’t Givin’ Up
This Reggae Band’s career spanned decades with hits aplenty. Their 2003 Album “Ain’t Givin’ Up” added more fuel to their staying power and was recognized with a Grammy nomination the following year. With 14 tracks, it included “Fire My Desire”, “Natural Mystic”, and “Rebel Rock Session”.
4. Wayne Wonder – No Holding Back
During the 2000’s wave of Dancehall/Reggae crossovers on the American market, Wayne Wonder was another Artist who enjoyed much success thanks to his 2003 Album, “No Holding Back”. With hits like “No Letting Go”, “Slowly But Surely”, “Bounce Along”, and “Saddest Day”, it earned him a Grammy nomination in 2004.
Winner
Sean Paul was on a roll during the wave, and he could do no wrong when he released his 2002 (with a 2013 re-release) effort, “Dutty Rock”. Sean Paul was everywhere thanks to singles like “Get Busy”, “Gimme The Light”, “Baby Boy” featuring Beyonce, and “Like Glue”, and the hard work paid off when he was named winner in the “Best Reggae Album” category of the 2004 Grammys.
