Beenie Man’s ‘Simma’ First Week Album Sales Are In

Beenie Man‘s Simma, his seventeenth studio album, failed to debut on the sales and streaming-driven Billboard Reggae Albums chart in the week following its release on September 1.

The 20-track album, independently released via Beenie’s MD Music Group, sold 500 units in sales and streaming in the United States during its first week, according to data provided to DancehallMag from Billboard’s sales tracker Luminate.  Of this, 100 copies were pure album sales.

The album’s lifetime sales, which include sales and streaming equivalent units from its pre-release singles Fun In The Sun with Popcaan and Dre Island and Blessings, stand at 700 units as of September 8, Luminate said.

DancehallMag lauded Simma in its review, highlighting Beenie Man’s continued relevance at age 51. The album also boasted tracks like Zimm with BackRoad Gee and Stonebwoy, Fitness Instructor with Shenseea and Ms Banks, and Good Like Gold with Shaggy.

The weekly Billboard Reggae Albums chart ranks the ten most popular reggae albums in the U.S. based on a combination of sales and streaming metrics, measured in equivalent album units. Each unit represents one album sale, or ten individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported, or 1,250 paid audio and video streams from an album.

This week, the chart welcomed only one new entry: Nigerian artist Ruger’s RU The World album, which claimed the No. 10 spot. The 17-track album, featuring collaborations with Jamaican artists Stefflon Don, Govana, and Projexx, recorded 1,500 units in its first week, with 100 being pure album sales.

Despite the opening numbers, it’s too early to write off Beenie’s Simma entirely. His stateside fan base, combined with potential radio airplay and music video releases, could still propel the album to chart entry in the coming weeks.

Beenie’s last album, Unstoppable (2016), spent six weeks on the Reggae Albums chart, peaking at No. 3.

Five of his past albums — Art And Life (2000), Tropical Storm (2002), The Doctor (1999), Undisputed (2006), and Back To Basics (2004) — all debuted at No. 1 on the chart in the week following their releases.  

Many Moods Of Moses (1998) went to No. 1 almost two months after its release.

Beenie Man’s illustrious career has also seen him chart on the coveted Hot 100 six times with Dude with Ms. Thing (which peaked at No. 26), Feel It Boy with Janet Jackson (No. 28), Who Am I (No. 40), Girls Dem Sugar with May (No. 54), King Of The Dancehall (No. 80), and Dancehall Queen with Chevelle Franklyn (No. 90). On the Billboard 200, he has racked up five entries to date, his best being Tropical Storm, which peaked at No. 18.

Meanwhile, back on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart dated September 16, Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers continued its reign at No. 1 for the 191st non-consecutive week.

Shaggy’s Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection is at No. 2.

Byron Messia’s No Love has re-entered at No. 3 for its 13th week on the chart.

Sean Paul’s Dutty Classics Collection album is at No. 4, followed by UB40’s Greatest Hits album at No. 5.

Stick Figure’s Wisdom, Set In Stone, and World On Fire albums are at No. 6, 7, and 8, respectively, while Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock is at No. 9.