The race for Best Reggae Album at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards has intensified, with 119 albums accepted for consideration, representing a 63% increase from the previous cycle’s 73 entries. The expanded field includes established Grammy winners and contemporary reggae and dancehall heavyweights, including Alkaline, Shaggy, Ziggy Marley, Capleton, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Chronixx, Masicka, and Vybz Kartel, all hoping to secure a spot among the five nominees to be announced on November 16, 2026.
First-round voting opened on October 12 and runs through October 22, putting artists and their teams under pressure to make their strongest case to Recording Academy voters. According to Reggaeville, the voting period has been accompanied by a wave of For Your Consideration campaigns across social media, with artists and labels using promotional posts and reels to raise awareness of their submissions.
Veterans are making their presence felt. Capleton has entered Heights of Fire, Buju Banton is represented by Too Too Bad, Beenie Man by Eminence, Ziggy Marley by Brightside, and Shaggy by Lottery. Burning Spear and Friends are also in contention with Call On Me (Live). Meanwhile, the younger generation is represented by Chronixx’s Exile, Protoje’s Art of Acceptance, Kabaka Pyramid’s Rebel Music | The Lyrics Tape and Masicka’s Forever Reign. Dancehall stars Vybz Kartel and Alkaline have also entered the race with God and Time and NPT, respectively.
The competition extends beyond Jamaica, with international submissions including Gentleman’s Gratitude, Alborosie’s Nine Mile, and projects from American reggae acts Hirie, Mike Love and Tropidelic. Compilations, including Tides of Reasoning Riddim, have also made the reported list. The increase in entries points to a more crowded field, although the number of submissions alone does not establish the likelihood of any individual album earning a nomination.
The eligibility period covered albums released between August 31, 2025 and August 28, 2026, while the online entry window closed on August 21. The complete For Your Consideration roster has not been publicly released, and Reggaeville has described its list as partial. The five nominees are scheduled to be announced on November 16, followed by final-round voting from December 10 through January 7, 2027. The winners will be revealed at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards on February 7, 2027, as reggae and dancehall fans await to see which five projects emerge from this significantly expanded field.
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