CHART WATCH BILLBOARD: Protoje’s ‘A Matter of Time’ debuts at number one

 New entries stop ‘Stony Hill’ short of 52-week chart run

Protoje’s new release A Matter of Time, has entered the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart, valid for up to Saturday, July 14, in fine style - debuting at number one. It has two collabs with Chronixx (‘Flames’ and ‘No Guarantee’), along with ‘Camera Show’, ‘Blood Money’, ‘Mind of a King’, ‘Bout Noon’ and ‘Lessons’ among its 10 tracks.

A Matter of Time is one of five new entries this week, which of course means major movement all around. The most striking result is that Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley’s Stony Hill does not make an appearance for the first time since its release last July — its unbroken chart run snapped at 49 weeks, just three short of a year.

After the number two placed Free Rein by Rebelution, and the Sting and Shaggy combination 44/876 at third, the other four new sets this week are lined up one after the other. They begin with the Sean Paul EP Mad Love: The Prequel at number four, followed by the multi-artiste Soca Gold 2018 at five. The number six placed Unbreakable: Alborosie meets The Wailers United, has more guests than the title would suggest. Beres Hammond turns up on ‘Too Rock’; ‘Contradiction’ features Chronixx; Jah Cure is the guest on ‘Mystical Reggae’ and Raging Fyah features on ‘The Unforgiven’. ‘Altitude’ (Jahman) takes the number seven slot.

The remainder of the current Billboard Reggae Albums Chart consists of survivors from last week, all of which have experienced a decline in their rankings. Iration’s self-titled set has dropped five places from last week to number eight in its third week on the chart. The five-place tumble is the same for Ziggy Marley’s Rebellion Rises, which is ninth this week in its seventh week on the chart. And closing off the current Billboard Reggae Albums Chart is Henricci’s EP Sister Caro, which has dropped a relatively moderate two places from last week to hold the 10th spot in its 26th week on the listing.