Pop Goes Reggae: Top Reggae Songs in Pop Music

Originally recorded by Neil Diamond, UB40 released their cover in 1983, but it wasn't until a 1988 re-release that the song would rise to #1 on the charts.

A Canadian reggae singer becomes a one hit wonder, spending 7 weeks at #1 on the charts with the reggae smash from 1992. Might not catch all the lyrics however.

Reggae really hit the mainstream in the 90's, where many of these songs hit the charts.  Makes sense for a Jamaican to join the ranks.  Boombastic hit #3 on the Hot 100 chart in 1995, and #1 on the hip-hop charts.

Before Rihanna was a household name, she was a girl from Barbados with a cool sound, as demonstrated in the reggae pop vibe of her debut track, which went to #1 in the clubs, but only #2 on the pop charts in 2005.

Warning, once you start singing this, you can't stop.  An addictive track, with a ridiculous video, everyone was smiling in 1988 as it rose to the #1 spot, becoming the first a cappella song to ever do that.

Originally a Soca song (dance cousin of reggae), the song would get the club remix, and rise up to #4 on the pop charts in 2003/2004.

Thanks to the TV show COPS, this 1987 reggae jam became popular in 1993, rising to #7 on the Top 40 charts.  The song references Sheriff John Brown, the Sheriff "shot" in the popular Bob Marley song.

While not their highest chart topping song, Santeria is the most popular for punk group Sublime, who found a vibe infusing the reggae/punk sound in 90's alternative.  The video was filmed after the lead singers death in 1997.

Matisyahu became a sensation in 2005 with this single, as he did not look like anyone who would be releasing this style of music.  It rose to 7 on the modern rock charts and barely cracked the top 30 on the pop charts.

17 year old Sean Kingston broke onto the charts with this one in 2007, combining a pop/rap/reggae style with sampling. The song would hit #2 on the Top 40 charts, becoming his signature song.

While they'd become one hit wonders in the US, Ini Kamoze saw massive success with this #1 track from 1994-95.  It was a popular track connected to 90's fashion shows.

A definite detachment from the normal sound of these legendary rockers, that many fans didn't take it seriously in 1973, so it saw very limited success.  However, it grew on people to become one of their most popular songs.

While not one of No Doubt's most popular songs now, it was their highest charting track, and won them a Grammy in 2003.  The track also feature reggae star Lady Saw.

Bi Mountain took this Peter Frampton classic, and reggae-fied it in 1994, thanks to reggae's pop resurgence.  One it hit the "Reality Bites" movie soundtrack in 1994, the song surged to #6 on the charts.

As the reggae sound made its way into the pop charts in the 90s, the Jamaican band Inner Circle was able to make it's way to the mainstream with this track, especially in Europe.  Eventually got to #8 briefly on the US Top 40 charts in 1992-93.

While the song did not see major chart success, it was a major download song in 2009, and saw quite a bit of commercial success.

Travis teamed with Bruno Mars for this debut track. The lyrically creative song would make it to #3 on the Top 40 charts in 2011

Sean Paul found success combining the reggae rap sound with pop/dance in 2005/2006, with this song and "Get Busy".  Both song would rise to #1, though Temperature stuck around longer.

Although it's Shaggy's best known hit, this track was never intended to be a single.  Thankfully for him it became one, as it helped launch his career, easily taking the #1 spot in September of 2000. However, true reggae fans criticize this track for being more pop than reggae.

With a catchy hook, strange video, plenty of pop culture references, and a subject everyone could relate to, it was no surprise it became on of the best selling digital singles of 2011, while peaking at #3 on the Top 40 charts.