Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction propels Jimmy Cliff onto iTunes, Amazon

By Steven Jackson Observer writer

Friday, March 19, 2010

The music catalogue of reggae icon Jimmy Cliff is charting on iTunes and Amazon online Reggae charts following his recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Cliff's catalogue was absent from any of the 22 listed iTunes country markets a week prior to his induction at the Wardolf Astoria Hotel in New York, US.

On Thursday, three days following the event his music charted at:

*number(#)2 in France with I Can See Clearly Now;

*#3 in France with Reggae Night;

*#2 in Switzerland with Best of Jimmy Cliff album;

*#8 in Switzerland with I Can See Clearly Now; and

*#10 in Germany with I Can See Clearly Now.

Digital sales account for one-third of global music sales and iTunes is the dominant online music store. Cliff was absent from the top 10 iTunes reggae charts in the US but was #9 on US based Amazon.com reggae singles chart with I Can See Clearly Now. Cliff received added international exposure from his induction and online charting notably increased on Monday, the day of the induction when Cliff had three chartings on iTunes at #10 in Australia and the UK and #6 in Spain.

Cliff is the second reggae singer to be inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame following Bob Marley whocurrently dominates iTunes reggae charts with the album Legend which tops 20 of the 22 country iTunes listings.

Cliff following his induction by Wyclef Jean stated: "Reggae music is a music that was not conceived in the United States like most of the music forms that we know...so to be standing here with you today... is a great honour."

Cliff, the original reggae ambassador had facilitated Marley's success, stated the Rock and Rolll Hall of Fame in its induction notice on Cliff. The body stated that Cliff's acting and musical soundtrack in the 1972 movie, the Harder They Come exposed reggae to an international audience.

The unedited citation reads: "Very few single albums can be said to have changed music forever. Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come is one. The album - and the movie that spawned it - introduced reggae to a world-wide audience and changed the image of the genre from cruise ship soundtrack to music of rebellion and inspiration. Sitting in Limbo, The Harder They Come, You Can Get It If You Really Want and Many Rivers to Cross made Jimmy Cliff the first international reggae superstar and created the model that Bob Marley would soon follow. A beautifully gifted singer and a uniquely influential songwriter, Jimmy Cliff has made a profound impact on rock and pop music all over the world for 40 years".

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Olivia 'Babsy' Grange congratulated Cliff who is an international reggae artiste and actor, as "most deserving" of this honour. She said he produced excellent music since the 60s and exposed reggae music to the peoples of the world. She added that the induction shows "the impact reggae has had on the world and the invaluable role Jimmy Cliff has played in achieving that".

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction propels Jimmy Cliff onto iTunes, Amazon