119 Albums Reportedly Enter 2027 Grammy Race for Best Reggae Album

A reported 119 albums have been accepted for consideration in the Best Reggae Album category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, putting established reggae performers and contemporary dancehall artists in contention ahead of the announcement of this year’s nominees.

The figure was reported by DancehallMag on October 13, which said the total had risen from 73 albums in the previous year’s field. The publication identified Capleton’s Heights of Fire among the accepted entries, alongside releases from several prominent Jamaican artists.

The Recording Academy has not published a complete public list of all the entries, so the total and album titles are based on specialist music-industry reporting rather than a publicly accessible, comprehensive Academy roster.

Dancehall artists feature in the reported field

Among the projects identified by DancehallMag are Vybz Kartel’s God and Time, Masicka’s Forever Reign and Alkaline’s NPT.

Other reported entries include Buju Banton’s Too Too Bad, Beenie Man’s Eminence, Chronixx’s Exile and Protoje’s Art of Acceptance.

The list also includes Capleton’s Heights of Fire, Ziggy Marley’s Brightside and Burning Spear and Friends’ Call on Me (Live).

The range of artists illustrates the different generations and musical approaches represented in the Best Reggae Album category, which includes work from reggae performers as well as artists associated with dancehall.

However, the number of entries alone does not establish whether reggae or dancehall has experienced an increase in sales, streams or international audience reach.

Five nomination places at stake

Despite the size of the reported field, only five albums can be nominated in the category, according to DancehallMag.

That means the first-round voting process will determine which releases advance to the official nominee list. Inclusion among the accepted entries does not guarantee a nomination, and none of the artists should be described as a 2027 Grammy nominee until the Recording Academy announces its selections.

The Recording Academy’s official schedule states that first-round voting runs from October 12 to October 22, 2026, with the nominees scheduled to be announced on November 16.

Final-round voting is scheduled for December 10, 2026, through January 7, 2027. The 69th Annual Grammy Awards are scheduled for February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.

What the field means for Jamaican music

The reported increase from 73 entries to 119 points to a larger pool of releases seeking consideration in the category. The presence of both established reggae performers and contemporary dancehall acts also highlights the breadth of Jamaican music represented in the race.

The decisive test will come when the official nominees are announced in November. Until then, the reported entry list offers an indication of which projects have been put forward, not which artists have secured Grammy recognition.

For Jamaica’s music industry, the nominations will provide a clearer picture of which reggae and dancehall releases have advanced through the Recording Academy’s voting process.