World Music Views

07/30/2025

“Passenger Princess” is proving to be a massive regional hit this summer, soaring to the top of the charts across the Caribbean and beyond. The track has claimed the #1 spot on Apple Music in 16 countries, including Jamaica, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands. It also ranks #2 in Grenada and continues to climb in other territories, such as #6 in The Gambia and #21 in Seychelles.

On YouTube, the song has also seen significant traction, hitting #1 in Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas, while ranking #2 in Belize.

iTunes has echoed the momentum with “Passenger Princess” securing:
• #1 in Antigua and Barbuda

Even on Deezer, the song is gaining ground, holding the #2 spot in Jamaica, and it has started to register on Shazam, entering the UK chart at #189.

07/30/2025

Mariah Carey is showing major love to Shenseea following the release of their new single “Sugar Sweet” featuring Kehlani. In an Instagram story post, the pop icon shared a photo with Shenseea, adding the heartfelt caption: “Love you girl!” alongside a link to stream their new song.

The track, released on July 25, 2025, had peaked in the Top 5 on the U.S. iTunes chart within hours of its release but after its debut; it has since fallen to No. 100 in the U.S.

The track is not expected to hit the Billboard Hot 100 next week.

Produced by Mariah herself alongside HARV, “Sugar Sweet” was recorded between studios in Los Angeles and Dania, Florida, and features songwriting credits from all three artists.

Shenseea posted her own love note to Mariah on Instagram saying : “I’m blowing these up and hanging them on my wall.. jsyk ” in reference to the image of the two singers.

The song has surpassed 500,000 YouTube views and 1.1 million Spotify streams in four days.

07/29/2025

American reggae band The Movement has entered the Billboard Reggae Albums chart this week at No. 7 with their 8th studio album Visions, making it the first original album released in 2025 to debut on the chart this year with just over 3000 units in streams and sales.

Visions, released July 18, under the R4RE label, features a string of fellow white reggae bands such as Tribal Seeds, Stick Figure, The Elovators, The Green and Nick Hexum.

The Movement is a reggae band fronted by Joshua Swain, who describes the group as “Southern white boys.” In a 2023 interview, Swain said, “We wanted to show that Southern white boys can do it, too.”

The weekly sales and streaming-driven Billboard Reggae Albums chart ranks the most popular reggae albums in the U.S. based on consumption metrics measured in equivalent album units. Each unit accounts for one album sale, 10 individual track sales, 3,750 ad-supported streams, or 1,250 paid/subscription streams from the album.

The group formed in 2003 in Columbia, South Carolina, then later relocating to Philadelphia, has built a loyal following with its blend of reggae, rock, hip hop, and acoustic music. Visions is their fifth project to it the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart following One More Night (2010) — #1 , Side By Side (2013) — #2, Golden (2016) — #1 and Ways of the World (2019) — #1.

More on WMV! Link in bio.

07/29/2025

Fiji’s 2018 Album Enters Top 10 Following His Passing July 29, 2025 | World Music Views American reggae band The Movement has entered the Billboard Reggae Albums chart this week at No. 7 with their 8th studio album Visions, making it the first original album released in 2025 to debut on the chart this year with just over 3000 units in streams and sales....

'Visions' by Southern White Boy Reggae Band The Movement Becomes First 2025 Release to Debut on Billboard Reggae Albums Chart World Music Views

07/28/2025

Exclusive – Miami, FL

Legendary reggae icon Buju Banton has officially signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for full-service agency representation across all areas of his career.

The deal which was first announced by concert trade publication Pollstar in January comes amid a resurgence in Banton’s international touring presence, which includes a string of sold-out performances across the United States and the Caribbean. Last summer, the Grammy- Award winning artist grossed a combined $4.5 million from back-to-back shows at UBS Arena in New York on July 13 and 14 according to Billboard boxscore—a historic first for any Jamaican performer at the time.

Banton then launched his Overcomer Tour, which delivered capacity-filled performances at major venues across North America including Canada. He then made history as the first solo reggae artist to sell out the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in November, when he headlined the 19,000-capacity venue, capping off the biggest solo U.S. arena tour for a reggae act of all time.

The Barclays concert also set a new benchmark for the genre: ticket prices ranged from US$124 to a record-breaking US$8,400 for luxury suites—making it the highest-priced reggae concert ticket in U.S. history.

While the tour played to packed audiences at venues like State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., and others, six dates were canceled due to low ticket sales. Buju cited scheduling conflicts and announced plans to reschedule the missed shows in 2025.

The new partnership with IAG, which represents acts like 50 Cent and Mary J Blige, marks a strategic expansion of Banton’s global reach into uncharted markets according the sources close to the matter.

More on WMV! Link in bio.

07/28/2025

Regional Exclusive – Miami, FL Legendary reggae icon Buju Banton has officially signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for full-service agency representation across all areas of his career. The deal which was first announced by concert trade publication Pollstar in January comes amid a resurgence in Banton’s international touring presence, which includes a string of sold-out performances across the United States and the Caribbean....

Reggae Star Buju Banton Signs With IAG for Global Agency Representation, Headlines Hard Rock Live Atlantic City World Music Views

07/28/2025

This week’s Jamaica Top 20 WMV YouTube Chart plays out like a Dancehall fairytale, powered by Courvoisier and driven by the mystical Story Book Riddim. Three key warriors- Valiant, Vybz Kartel, and Skippa dominate the riddim’s tale with major entries, but a surprise twist shakes the kingdom: A!MS debuts at No. 1 with “Need Somebody,” a non-riddim track that dethrones the previous “Passenger Princess” king.

With over half a million streams, A!MS disrupts the narrative like an unexpected hero.

Meanwhile, Valiant slips from first to second with “Passenger Princess,” and Kartel climbs to third with his own spellbinding entry “Story Book.” Skippa’s “Toxic” adds to the chaos, while Chronic Law’s “NY Girls” holds strong.

From Lila Iké and Masicka’s fading romance to Masicka’s subtle solo but consistent presence, hit the link in bio for the full chart.

07/28/2025

Once Upon a Riddim... In the enchanted kingdom of YouTube Jamaica, where views are gold and riddims wield power, a mystical Rvssian force known only as Story Book Riddim rose again. From its pages came three charting warriors — Valiant, Vybz Kartel, and Skippa — each armed with song of the summer verses. But just as the kingdom prepared for a battle between legends, a cloaked figure named…...

A!MS Tops, But ‘Story Book Riddim’ Runs the Show with Valiant, Kartel & Skippa in the Top 5 On YouTube Jamaica Chart (Week Ending July 24, 2025): World Music Views

07/27/2025

If Vybz Kartel is on a mission to show the world that dancehall—raw, streetwise, hardcore dancehall—deserves stadium status, then Baltimore just became his latest proof of concept. The CFG Bank Arena was the site of Kartel’s sixth consecutive sold-out U.S. arena show( since his release from prison, and the July 26 staging of Reggae Fest felt like he has drawn new gear and is ready for the world, fresh his recent coronation....

Vybz Kartel’s Sixth Sold-Out U.S. Arena Show at Reggae Fest Proves Hardcore Dancehall Can Go Global: Concert Review Concerts World Music Views

07/27/2025

Queen Of The Dancehall Spice, delivered a show-stopping performance at Reggae Fest Baltimore on Friday, July 26, joining Vybz Kartel for one of the most memorable moments of the night. As one of Kartel’s most consistent tour collaborators—having performed at five of his six “Tails Out” shows so far—Spice once again reminded the world why she’s regarded as the greatest female performer in dancehall history....

Spice Delivers a Show-Stopping Set At Reggae Fest, Proving Why She’s the Greatest Female Dancehall Performer of All Time World Music Views

07/27/2025

Da’Ville, began his professional music career through his father, the producer and artist known as Jah Thomas of the Midnight Rock label. “Growing up around him and those iconic veterans, I got bitten by the bug early,” Da’Ville shared. His real break came as a founding member and lead singer of the R&B-influenced group ARP, formed alongside, Patrick Hylton, Leon Gilbert, Roger Mitchell, and Orand Rose-Green. Inspired by American acts like Boyz II Men and Jodeci, ARP gained attention through local talent shows such as T-Zitane and collaborations with artists like Beenie Man.

But as creative differences set in, Da’Ville found himself writing and recording solo songs while still labeling them as ARP tracks. Eventually, he made the leap on his own with Love Will Show Me the Way followed by the breakout duet All My Life featuring Marcia Griffiths’ grandson, Maestro. The solo career had officially begun.

Despite not signing a major record deal early on, Da’Ville found international success. He inked a deal with AVEX Group, one of Japan’s biggest labels at the time. “I was focused on Japan. I didn’t need the rest of the world unless the offer made sense,” he said. A reluctant deal with VP Records later followed, mainly to release a remix featuring Sean Paul.

After stepping away from the spotlight, Da’Ville made a surprising turn—he joined the U.S. Army. “I always wanted to serve. That desire was there since high school in Jamaica,” he explained. “I have no regrets. It was on my bucket list.” The discipline and structure of the military brought balance to a life once consumed by the unpredictable music industry.

More on WMV! Link in bio.

07/26/2025

Da’Ville, began his professional music career through his father, the producer and artist known as Jah Thomas of the Midnight Rock label. “Growing up around him and those iconic veterans, I got bitten by the bug early,” Da’Ville shared. His real break came as a founding member and lead singer of the R&B-influenced group ARP, formed alongside, Patrick Hylton, Leon Gilbert, Roger Mitchell, and Orand Rose-Green....

“I Only Started Seeing Results When I Produced and Recorded Myself”: Da’Ville on ARP’s Creative Rift, Solo Career, and His Faith-Fueled Comeback World Music Views Interview