The deadline has passed, and the entries are now in, potentially setting the stage for one of the most intriguing Best Reggae Album races in recent memory. The Recording Academy’s Online Entry Process for the 2027 Grammy Awards officially closed on 21 August, leaving one major question hanging over Jamaica’s music industry: which of this year’s biggest reggae and dancehall albums were actually submitted for consideration?
Albums from Alkaline, Vybz Kartel, Masicka, Beenie Man, Queen Ifrica, Yaksta, D’Yani, Buju Banton, Runkus, Ras-I, Craigy T, Capleton, Ayetian, Protoje, and Chronic Law are among the releases that could potentially enter the conversation, provided they meet the Recording Academy’s eligibility requirements and were formally submitted before the deadline. Chronixx’s Exile, released in 2025, also falls within the current eligibility period, which runs from 31 August 2025 to 28 August 2026. However, eligibility alone does not guarantee consideration. The Recording Academy is clear: if a recording was not formally entered during the Online Entry Process, it cannot appear on a Grammy voting ballot.
That uncertainty is what makes the 2027 Grammy race particularly compelling. The previous Best Reggae Album contest produced a Jamaican clean sweep of the five nomination slots, with Keznamdi, Lila Iké, Vybz Kartel, Mortimer and Jesse Royal making the final list before Keznamdi won for BLXXD & FYAH. This year, the potential field appears to bring together multiple generations, from Grammy veterans such as Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Capleton to contemporary dancehall heavyweights including Kartel, Alkaline, Masicka and Chronic Law.
For now, however, fans will have to wait. Every entry must first be reviewed for eligibility and category placement before the official First Round ballot is determined. The nominations for the 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled to be announced on 16 November 2026, with the ceremony set for 7 February 2027. Until then, one of the biggest questions in Jamaican music remains unanswered: who got in, and who may have missed the Grammy race altogether?
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