Vybz Kartel could be heading for a third straight year in the Grammy Best Reggae Album conversation. His 14 track LP God & Time, released June 5, is in the running for the 2027 awards. A nomination would follow Party With Me at the 2025 ceremony and Heart & Soul at the 2026 one.
God & Time debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and leans hard on collaborations. Mavado shows up on “Hype Life,” Spice on “Confession,” Shenseea on “Panic” and Skillibeng on “Try Again.”
Kartel won’t have an easy path, though. The eligibility window ran from August 31, 2025 through August 28, 2026, and it produced a deep pool of reggae and dancehall submissions.
Masicka might be the biggest threat. His third studio album Forever Reign opened at No. 4, the highest Billboard Reggae Albums debut by a Jamaican dancehall act in 2026. It carries “Honor Roll” featuring Kraff and “1 Psalm” with Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley.
Chronixx is considered one of the leading contenders with Exile, released October 10, 2025. It opened at No. 5 and picked up strong critical praise after release.
Then there are the veterans. Buju Banton’s Too Too Bad, out July 17, swung back toward a dancehall sound and gave him his first Billboard Reggae Albums chart appearance in six years. It debuted at No. 8 before slipping to No. 10 in its second week.
Beenie Man brings Eminence, a 16 track set that sat at No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes All Genres chart for three straight days. The guest list reads like a crossover wish list, with Rick Ross, T.I., Ashanti, Snoop Dogg, Mýa and Rotimi all involved.
Shaggy submitted Lottery, released May 15, with Robin Thicke, Sting and Akon on board. “Looking Lovely” with Thicke landed on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart, and “Boom Body” with Akon and Aidonia also earned chart recognition.
Grammy winner Protoje is in the mix with The Art of Acceptance, an April release that debuted at No. 9 and features Damian Marley, Shenseea and Masicka. Alkaline is pushing NPT, his third studio album, which entered at No. 10 and then climbed to No. 9.
The younger side of the scene has a seat at the table too. Ai Milly, part of Jamaica’s trap dancehall wave, has the 17 track album Old Milly officially in consideration.
Runkus’ Supernova, Capleton’s Heights of Fire and Yaksta’s The Microphone Saved Me also arrived during the window.
One name missing from the race is Malie Donn. His debut album The Golden Child dropped on September 4, just days after the cutoff, so it rolls into the next eligibility period instead.
Being submitted isn’t the same as being nominated, and plenty of these albums will come up short. First round voting runs October 12 to 22, 2026, with nominees revealed on November 16, and until then every camp on this list is still waiting to hear its name.
