The 1990s were good times for Jamaican music on the international scene. Major labels signed artistes at rapid pace, dancehall and reggae songs positioned themselves on mainstream radio, and several hit songs decorated Billboard and international charts.

On the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart dated March 26, 1994, just 30 years ago, multiple songs by Jamaicans made their presence felt.

Sound Boy Killing, a 1993 hit on the local charts from a teenaged Mega Banton, crossed over to urban radio and found its way at #92, before taking a dip to #100 in its second week.

Released by Relativity Records (a remix version featured a sample from Barry White’s
Playing Your Game Baby), Sound Boy Killing was produced by Maurice “Jack Scorpio” Johnson for Black Scorpio Records.

Worker Man by Patra made its début on the chart that week at #79. Produced by Clifton “Specialist” Dillion and Tony Kelly. Worker Man later peaked at #20 on the chart.

Stir it Up (from the Cool Runnings soundtrack) by Diana King fell to #57 that week after peaking at #53 the week before. It was a remake of the Bob Marley and the Wailers original from 1967. In 1972, American singer Johnny Nash covered Stir It Up. A year later, Marley re-recorded the song for the album Catch a Fire. The single was re-released and earned a silver certification in the UK.

Sly and the Family Stone took Family Affair to #1 in 1971. But a remake by Shabba Ranks and Patra, featuring Terri & Monica, was positioned at #56 some 30 years ago, after peaking at #16.

Family Affair was featured on the soundtrack to the film Adams Family Values and it was released via Atlas/Island Def Jam Music Group.

Dawn Penn’s re-recording of You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) became a hit all over again in its second wind. This time around the success of the song landed her a recording contract with Big Beat, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records — Garnet Silk was signed to the label as well — which resulted in her début album No No No.

You Don’t Love Me was produced by Steely and Clevie and topped out at #50 that week, falling from #42 where it had peaked two weeks earlier. The song was also successful in Europe and made the top 10 in the UK.

Now let’s make that journey over to this week’s Billboard Reggae Albums chart, where Bob Marley and the Wailers maintain their dominance at #1 with
Legend for a 218th non-consecutive week.

Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection by Shaggy remains at #2, while World on Fire by Stick Figure rises to #3.

Greatest Hits by UB40 is still at #4, while Set in Stone by Stick Figure climbs to #5.

Sean Paul’s Dutty Rock inches up to #6,The Trinity by Sean Paul re-enters at #7, while
 Wisdom by Stick Figure is steady at #8.

Two entries by Bob Marley and the Wailers re-enter the chart: Exodus is at #9, while
Rastaman Vibration is #10.

Praise Jah in the Moonlight by YG Marley continues to make ground around the world on several charts. In the UK, the song falls to #15, having peaked at #6. On the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 it steps down from #25 to #42, while on Billboard’s Global 200 it backtracks from #14 to #33. It fares better on Billboard’s Global 200 excluding US chart, slipping from #19 to #32.

On the Billboard Hot 100, Praise Jah in the Moonlight crashes from #39 to #57, while on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart it rises from #38 to #35.

Sherwin Gardner’s Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me) makes its exit from Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs and Gospel Digital Song Sales charts. However, it stays active on the US Afrobeats Songs chart though dropping from #29 to #33.