DUB legend Augustus Pablo’s seminal albums East of the River Nile and King Tubbys Meet Rockers Uptown occupy the top two positions on British magazine Mojo’s 50 Greatest Reggae Albums Of All Time.

Released in 1977, East of The River Nile is regarded as a collector’s item. It feature tracks such as Unfinished Melody, Chant To King Selassie I and Addis Ababa. King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown released in 1976 contains the title track, which is a dub collaboration between Pablo and influential engineer Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock. Pablo (real name Horace Swaby) died in 1999.

The list coincides with Jamaica’s celebration of its 50th year of Independence. Surprisingly, no album by Bob Marley, the man recognised as king of reggae made the cut even though Britain is where he had most of his chart success. In 1999, Time magazine named Marley’s Exodus album of the 20th century. In 2001, the TV network VH1 named it the 26th greatest album of all time, while Legend, the compilation of some of his best known songs, made number 46 on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 albums.
Ironically, albums by Beenie Man and TOK made the list.

Barrington Levy is at number three with Shaolin Temple which was originally released only in Jamaica in 1979. It was later reissued in the United States and has tracks such as Bounty Hunter, Shine Eye Gal and Moonlight Lover. Beenie Man also made the top 10 at number four with his Grammy Awardwinning Art and Life released in 2000. In the number five spot is Big Youth’s Screaming Target which was released in 1972. Bim Sherman’s 1996 set Miracle is at six while Black Uhuru sits at number seven with the Sly and Robbie-produced Showcase, recorded in 1979. Bob Andy follows with the Studio One masterpiece, Songbook. Buju Banton came in at number nine with ‘Til Shiloh released in 1995, with Burning Spear’s 1975 album, Marcus Garvey, completing the top 10.

BELOW ARE MOJO’S TOP 50 REGGAE ALBUMS

1. East of the River Nile – Augustus Pablo
2. King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
– Augustus Pablo
3. Shaolin Temple – Barrington Levy
4. Art & Life – Beenie Man
5. Screaming Target – Big Youth
6. Miracle – Bim Sherman
7. Showcase – Black Uhuru
8. Songbook – Bob Andy
9. ‘Til Shiloh – Buju Banton
10. Marcus Garvey – Burning Spear
11. Burning Spear – Burning Spear
12. Two Sevens Clash – Culture
13. Wolves & Leopards – Dennis Brown
14. CB200 – Dillinger
15. Best Dressed Chicken in Town – Dr Alimantado
16. Tunes From the Missing Channel – Dub Syndicate
17. It’s Growing – Garnet Silk
18. Extra Classic – Gregory Issacs
19. Night Nurse – Gregory Issacs
20. Skylarking: Best Of Horace Andy – Horace Andy
21. Macka Fat – Jackie Mittoo
22. African Dub Chapter 3 – Joe Gibbs
23. Truth and Rights – Johnny Osbourne
24. Mr Rock Steady – Ken Booth
25. Passion – Lady Saw
26. Messenger – Luciano
27. Naturally – Marcia Griffiths
28. War Ina Babylon – Max Romeo & The Upsetters
29. Midnight Confessions: Classic Rocksteady &
Reggae – Phyllis Dillon
30. Prince Buster – Fabulous Greatest Hits
[Diamond Range] – Prince Buster
31. Man from Wareika – Rico Rodriguez
32. King of Sax – Roland Alphonso
33. Scientist Meets The Space Invaders – Scientist
34. Black Woman & Child – Sizzla
35. My Crew My Dawgs – TOK
36. Mpla – Tappa Zukie
37. Forward on to Zion – The Abyssinians
38. Heart of the Congos – Congos
39. Trenchtown Mix Up – The Gladiators
40. On Top – The Heptones
41. Never Grow Old – Maytals
42. Right Time – Mighty Diamonds
43. On the Beach with the Paragons – The Paragons
44. Ska Boo-Da-Ba: Top Sounds From Top Deck,
Vol. 3 – The Skatalites & Don Drummond
45. Return of Django – Upsetters
46. Funky Kingston – Toots & Maytals
47. Blackboard Jungle Dub – Upsetters
48. Version Galore – U Roy
49. King Tubby’s Prophesy of Dub – Yabby You
50. Mister Yellowman – Yellowman

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Augustus-Pablo-on-top#ixzz1roSjDksd