First Round of Voting Opens: Submissions Dip by 2.67% as 73 Albums Vie for the ‘Best Reggae Album’ Grammy

The competition for the coveted Best Reggae Album Grammy is officially underway, with 73 albums submitted for consideration at the upcoming 68th Annual Grammy Awards, set for February 1, 2026. This year’s total reflects a slight decrease of 2.67% from 2025’s 75 entries, signalling a marginal dip in participation but continued vibrancy within the genre. The first round of voting opened on Friday, October 3, and runs until October 15, after which Recording Academy members will finalise the list of official nominees to be revealed on November 7, 2025.

Among the standout submissions are 450’s Pieces of Me, Cham’s Sherlock, Charly Black’s Good Times, Craigy T’s Unload, Ding Dong’s From Ding Dong to the World, Keznamdi’s Blood & Fyah, Lila Iké’s Treasure Self Love, Valiant’s Prove Them Wrong, Versi’s P.V.O. (Portland’s Very Own), and Vybz Kartel’s Heart & Soul. This eclectic mix captures the genre’s evolving sound—from introspective roots to energetic dancehall—offering voters a broad palette of artistry to consider.

A closer look at the five-year trend paints an intriguing picture of reggae’s fluctuating Grammy presence. After a peak of 125 submissions in 2022, the category experienced a steep 46% decline in 2023 (67 entries), followed by a slight dip to 65 in 2024, marking the lowest point in recent history. However, the 2025 resurgence to 75 entries signalled a recovery phase, suggesting renewed industry engagement and creative output. The 2026 tally of 73 indicates relative stability, reinforcing that reggae remains competitive despite challenges from global genres such as Afrobeats, K-pop, and Latin pop.

Looking back at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, nostalgia and legacy prevailed when Bob Marley: One Love (Music Inspired by the Film) took home the Best Reggae Album title. The Island Records release, featuring Skip Marley, Wizkid, Shenseea, Kacey Musgraves, and Jesse Reyez, benefited from the blockbuster success of the Bob Marley: One Love biopic, which grossed nearly US$200 million worldwide. “It’s the type of project Grammy voters gravitate toward—culturally significant, commercially successful, and packed with industry heavyweights,” one analyst observed after the win.

As the reggae community awaits the 2026 nominations, the genre finds itself at a pivotal crossroads—balancing legacy and innovation while striving to maintain visibility on the global stage. Whether through new-school experimentation or timeless storytelling, this year’s contenders prove that reggae’s spirit remains unbroken, continuing to echo from Kingston to the GRAMMYs’ grand stage.