STEPHEN MARLEY'S Mind Control: Acoustic has debuted at number one on Billboard Magazine's Reggae Chart, ending a dismal year for Jamaican music on the trade publication's charts.

Acoustic is the unplugged version of Marley's Mind Control, which won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album this year. Only one album in the latest edition of the Reggae Chart - Beres Hammond's A Moment In Time - was recorded solely in Jamaica.

Compilations

The other albums in the Top 10 that were made in Jamaica are compilations: VP Records' popular Strictly The Best and Reggae Gold.

UB40's Greatest Hits, which closed at number two, has been consistently in the Top five of the Reggae Chart in recent weeks.

Bermudan dancehall act Collie Budz, and Americans Cas Haley and Matisyahu are the other non-Jamaican artistes in the Top 10.

Haley, a Texan, and Collie Budz who was born in New Orleans, both enjoyed lengthy runs in the Top 10.

Soca Gold, a compilation of the year's biggest soca songs and Radio, by Ky-Mani Marley, round out the Top 10.

Failed to make mark

After solid performances by Sean Paul (Trinity) and Junior Gong (Welcome to Jamrock) in the past three years, expectations were high for dancehall albums this year.

Elephant Man's Let's Get Physical and Busy Signal's Loaded were high-profile releases but neither delivered in a big way.

Strong efforts by Etana (Etana - The Strong One) and Morgan Heritage (Mission in Progress) also failed to make a significant mark in the United States.

American bands, however, fared well. Some of them, such as John Brown's Body, are journeyman units who have made a name in their country through constant touring.