Sister Nancy Becomes Highest-Selling Female Dancehall Artist in the U.S. for 2025, Secures First Billboard Year-End Appearance

Sister Nancy emerges as the highest-selling female dancehall artist in the United States for 2025 and making her first-ever appearance on Billboard’s Year-End Reggae Albums Artists chart, landing at No. 9. She is also the only woman to make the chart this year.

The achievement comes over four decades after the release of her groundbreaking 1982 debut album One Two which made its debut on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, reaching No. 3 on the chart dated April 26, 2025. This marked the first time in history that a Sister Nancy album entered the chart.

The renewed attention was sparked by a limited-edition vinyl reissue of One Two released on April 12 as part of Record Store Day 2025. Pressed on blue vinyl and limited to 3,000 copies, the reissue was released by VPAL Music and Techniques, and includes:

• The original 1982 cover art

• New liner notes by reggae scholar John Masouri

• A collectible sticker sheet

• Sister Nancy’s timeless anthem “Bam Bam”

Fans quickly sold out the pressing when Sister Nancy celebrated the reissue with an appearance at VP Records in Queens, New York. Despite heavy rain, fans lined up to meet the dancehall icon—and by the end of the event, every copy of the One Two reissue had sold out.

She later shared her gratitude on Instagram, thanking VP Records, supporters, selectors, and members of Twelve Tribe, writing:

“NOT ONE OF THE ONE TWO ALBUMS WAS LEFT… I HAD A GOOD TIME… NUFF LOVE AND HONOR. BLESSINGS. JAH LIVE.”

“Bam Bam”: A Global Cultural Touchstone

The legacy of One Two is inseparable from “Bam Bam,” Sister Nancy’s most iconic track. Sampled and referenced by artists including Kanye West, Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z, the song continues to shape contemporary music.

Jay-Z and Damian Marley’s “Bam”—built around Nancy’s classic—has been certified Gold in the U.S., while “Bam Bam” itself has surpassed:

• 200 million Spotify streams

• Silver certification in the U.K.

The track’s cultural footprint extends into film and television, with placements in James Bond: No Time to Die, Ozark, and Dexter, among others.

A Pioneer Continues to Shape Generations

Born Ophlin Russell in Papine, Jamaica, Sister Nancy broke barriers as one of the first female DJs in the male-dominated dancehall movement. Recorded with producer Winston Riley at Channel One Studios, One Two stands today as a foundation stone of reggae and dancehall history.

Her resurgence coincides with a new documentary on the cultural impact of “Bam Bam,” featuring commentary from: Janelle Monáe, Kool Herc, Pete Rock. Large Professor and other music luminaries.