There were fifty-three entries for the Best Reggae Album – only five made the cut.  The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees for Best Reggae Album are…

Rebirth
Jimmy Cliff

[UMe/Sunpower]

Miracle
The Original Wailers[MRG Recordings]

Tomahawk Technique
Sean Paul[VP/Atlantic]

New Legend – Jamaica 50th Edition
Sly & Robbie & The Jam Masters[Mondo Tunes]

Reggae Got Soul: Unplugged On Strawberry Hill
Toots And The Maytals[Metropolis Recordings]

In the Music Industry, winning a GRAMMY is the highest honour.  Last year’s GRAMMY Award winner for Best Reggae Album went to Stephen Marley for “Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life”.  In 2010, the award went to Buju Banton for his “Before The Dawn” album – released after he was incarcerated.

ReggaeMania.com salutes all of the GRAMMY nominees and even those who didn’t make the shortlist, including fine albums released by Busy Signal, Konshens,Vybz Kartel, I-Octane and Jah Cure.  Sean Paul’s nomination is considered a mystery to some as his “Tomahawk Technique” LP was mediocre at best.  More than likely, his presence was to make-up for the fact that there was no true representation of a Dancehall DJ on the list.

Looking back, it was the Dancehall DJ’s who had the best year, not any of the artists chosen – this is by no means meant to disrespect those artists that were nominated.  This leads me to question – what is the criteria for being nominated for a GRAMMY? and who qualifies to sit on the board made up of Recording Academy members? – How are they chosen?

I don’t believe that the musical contributions of the five nominees are more superior than the rest of the entries.  That being said, it’s fair to say politics might play a role in this whole process as it often does pre and post award shows.  In the end, it’s nice to be acknowledged – being nominated is a privilege.  The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 10, 2013 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The show will be broadcast on CBS at 8 PM.