46) Legend

 Listen Now
Download the cd!
Buy the album at Rhino.com

Marley said, "reggae music too simple for [American musicians]. You must be inside of it, know what's happening, and why you want to play this music. You don't just run go play this music because you think you can make a million off it." Ironically, this set of the late reggae idol's greatest hits has sold in the millions. It is also a comprehensive, single-disc example of the universal soul he brought to Jamaican rhythm and Rastafarian spirituality, in the gunfighter ballad "I Shot the Sheriff," the comforting swing of "No Woman, No Cry" and the holy promise of "Redemption Song." Since its release, Legend has been, for many people, their first exposure to Marley, and to reggae in general. It is a superlative beginning -- but only the tip of his genius.

Total album sales: 10 million

Peak chart position: 54

Next: John Coltrane

Back to RS 500 Albums!
Back to RS 500 Songs!