Augustus Pablo’s ‘Thriller’ Enters Billboard Reggae Chart For The First Time
Augustus Pablo’s 1975 album Thriller, on the strength of a vinyl reissue on Black Friday, has made its way onto the Billboard Reggae Albums chart for the first time ever.
The eight-track vinyl record is the Reggae visionary’s third studio album, which was originally released by the UK-based label, Nationwide. For its recent Black Friday re-release, made possible through ORG Music on Record Store Day (RSD), 2,000 units, priced at $25.99 each, were sold out.
The album debuted at No. 7 on the Reggae Albums chart dated December 10, with 1,400 units sold in the United States.
Thriller captures some of the former record producer and keyboardist’s best work outside of his King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown collaborative project – regarded as one of the cornerstones of dub, and the record is sure to bring the waves of nostalgia for those who grabbed themselves a copy. The vinyl’s A-side features tracks such as Thriller, Pablo in Red, Pablo Style, Last of the Jestering and Striker can be found, while its B-side completes the collector’s item with Pablo Nuh Jester, Fat Girl Jean, Marcus Garvey, Rocky Road, and Skibo Rock.
Forty-seven years after its release, the album’s surprise appearance on the Billboard chart is a posthumous accomplishment for the Reggae pioneer and former Kingston College alum, who died in Kingston, Jamaica on May 18, 1999, at the age of 44.
Pablo, whose real name is Horace Swaby, was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, and is credited with popularizing the use of the melodica in Reggae music. His historic collaborations with legendary Reggae engineer, King Tubby, paved the way for dub music – one of the hallmarks of contemporary Dancehall and Reggae culture.
Interestingly, Thriller coming in at No. 7 on a list that is topped by Bob Marley’s Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers is a bit of a reunion between the two Reggae visionaries.
In an interview with BBC Radio’s David Rodigan, circa 1971, Pablo shared that he got an opportunity to show his musical talent to Bob Marley but, unfortunately, he was not prepared. “One day I went down to di studio with Randy,” he told Rodigan, “and Bob [Marley] carried us into the booth fi gi mi a likkle audition but… mi neva ready. I was about 15 or 16 at the time.”
He explained that from that moment on, after experiencing some health issues not long after that moment, he decided that school would no longer be a priority for him, and he turned his attention fully towards music. His musical exploits would go on to speak for themselves.
As the list currently stands, completing the top 10 behind the first place Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers and Pablo’s seventh place Thriller, are Sean Paul’s Dutty Classics Collection at No. 2, Shaggy’s Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection at No. 3, Stick Figure, with three entries on the list – Wisdom at No. 4, Set in Stone at No. 8, and World on Fire at No. 6; UB40’s Greatest Hits at No. 5, Rebelution’s Live At Red Rocks at No. 9 and, at No. 10, a re-entry from Burna Boy – Outside.