The Marley family, UMe, and Island Records are honoring Bob Marley’s legacy with a year-long celebration commemorating his 80th birthday milestone and his importance in the uprising of global music and the fight for social justice and equality.
“Celebrating Daddy’s 80th birthday under the theme ‘Uprising’ is a special moment for our family and fans worldwide. This album represents so much of his spirit, with powerful songs like “Forever Loving Jah,” “Coming In From The Cold,” “Could You Be Loved,” and “Redemption Song,” which continue to inspire generations,” shares Cedella Marley, CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies. “Each year, we honor his legacy in a way that unites our extended family, friends, and fans from all corners of the globe. This 80th milestone is a reminder of his timeless call for love, resilience, and freedom.”
The premiere episode of “Bob Marley & I” featuring British film director, DJ and musician Don Letts, who details his life-changing experience seeing Bob Marley & The Wailers at the infamous Lyceum Theatre in London in 1975. On the second episode, Marcia Griffiths, Bob Marley’s backup singer in the I Three and solo artist, takes us through her first day at Studio One with The Wailers in Jamaica. More episodes will be showcased throughout the year. Catch the first two episodes of “Bob Marley & I” on Bob Marley’s Official Channels, as well as future episodes, HERE.
One-quarter of all Reggae listened to in the United States is Bob Marley’s. Bob Marley’s Legend was recently re-certified 18x platinum by the RIAA. Legend is the fourteenth-biggest-selling album of all time and the third-biggest-selling Greatest Hits package in United States history. Bob Marley’s music transcends generations, with a timeless message of peace, love, justice, and unity, continuing to influence and empower hearts and minds worldwide. His enduring legacy continues to shape and inspire the world, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture—from music and film to art, theatre, fashion, and beyond.
Bob Marley, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is notable not only as the man who put Reggae on the global map but also as a statesman in his native Jamaica; he famously brought together the country’s warring factions. Today, Bob Marley remains one of the 20th century’s most important and influential entertainment icons. Marley’s lifestyle and music continue to inspire new generations as his legacy lives on through his music. The 2024 biographical drama and mus ical film based on Marley’s life, Bob Marley: One Love, opened at #1 at the domestic box office on February 14th, 2024, with a record-breaking $14M. The film has taken the world by storm, setting new records as the highest-grossing music biopic opening internationally, debuting at No. 1 in 13 major markets, including the U.K., France, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, and Norway. The film also made history in Jamaica, achieving the country’s biggest box office opening of all time. In just 10 days, Bob Marley: One Love surpassed the $200 million mark at the global box office, solidifying its place as a cultural and cinematic phenomenon. Beyond its commercial success, the film has received critical acclaim, earning 14 major award nominations. It won the prestigious 2024 BET Award for Best Movie, while Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by the Film won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.
In the digital era, he has the second-highest social media following of any posthumous celebrity. The official Bob Marley Facebook page draws over 66 million fans, ranking it among the Top 50 of all Facebook pages (#47), and the Top 20 among all celebrity pages (#17). Marley’s music catalog has sold millions of albums worldwide. His iconic collection LEGEND is the longest-charting album in Billboard Magazine’s Catalog Albums chart and remains the world’s best-selling reggae album and second longest charting album of all time overall. “Could You Be Loved,” the first single off Marley’s last album, Uprising (also featured on Legend,) was named one of the “500 Best Songs of All Time” by Rolling Stone Magazine (2021) and surpassed one billion streams on Spotify this Fall (2024). Marley’s accolades include inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1994) and ASCAP Songwriters Hall of Fame (2010), a GRAMMY® Life time Achievement Award (2001), multiple entries in the GRAMMY® Hall Of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2001). For more information, visit bobmarley.com and facebook.com/bobmarley.
Uprising is the 12th studio album by Bob Marley and the Wailers, and the last one to be released (June 10, 1980) during his lifetime. It features “Bad Card,” the anthemic “Redemption Song,” and the Billboard Club Play and R n B Chart (and UK Top 5) smash “Could You Be Loved” (crossed 1 Billion streams on Spotify), among other vintage Marley tracks. Marley used the album as a direct reaffirmation of his Rastafarian faith through such songs as “Forever Loving Jah,” “Work,” “We and Dem,” and the aforementioned “Redemption Song.”
Initially released on May 8, 1984, Legend holds the distinction of being the world’s best-selling reggae album of all time, is the longest-charting album in Billboard Magazine’s Catalog Albums chart, and remains the world’s best-selling reggae album and second longest charting album of all time overall. A greatest hits compilation for the ages, Legend is the soundtrack to the remarkable life and recording career of one of reggae music’s most important and influential figures. This iconic collection not only serves as the perfect introduction to the music of Bob Marley, but it has also become an essential element of every reggae fan’s permanent collection.
