Bob Marley’s “Legend” Album Rise in Chart Rankings Attributed to Release of Biographical Film

The Bob Marley album, “Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers,” has continued to perform extremely well in the United States even decades after its release in 1984. Now, it has become even more popular with the screening of “Bob Marley: One Love,” the musical film biography of the Jamaican reggae legend.

“Bob Marley: One Love” boosts interest in his music

As of March 1, 2024, Marley’s “Legend” rose higher in the rankings of five Billboard charts. The album has consistently been listed on the charts for years, but it has not achieved rankings this high for some time. “Legend” rose from Number 29 to Number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart and has returned to the Top 20 rankings on the most-consumer albums in the US. The firm behind the Billboard charts, Luminate, noted that the album shifted more than 29,000 equivalent units in the most recent tracking period, which is over 35 percent from the previous week.

Sales for “Legend” increasing

The iconic album is also selling at a higher rate. It has narrowly missed re-entry to within the Top 10 ranking on the Top Album Sales chart. This chart measure only actual purchases, not equivalent units like the Billboard 200, which includes streaming. “Legend” rose from Number 14 on this chart to Number 11 and sold more than 6,700 additional copies, increased over 25 percent from the previous period. The compilation album has actually reached a new high on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as well, rising from Number 11 to Number 8, a spot it has never reached until now.

Increased streaming interest

“Legend” also achieved a new “best” ranking on the Top Streaming Albums chart, which tracks non-genre-specific recordings and the most successful projects appearing on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music in the US. On this chart, “Legend” rose from Number 44 to Number 23, the largest rise of any ranking. It also rose to Number 3 on the Top R&B Albums chart, up from Number 5, and has remained at the top spot on the Top Reggae Albums chart, where it can usually be found.

Vinyl the exception

However, in spite of the boost the album has seen since the release of “Bob Marley: One Love,” “Legend” has dropped from Number 8 to Number 9 on the Vinyl Albums chart. Previously, the album has dominated this chart by remaining one of the best sellers among vinyl recordings in the US.