LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Universal
Music Enterprises) - B is for Bob, a collection of Bob Marley's most beloved songs re-imagined for kids, debuts at No 1 on Billboard's Top Kid Audio and Reggae Albums Charts and No 77 on the Top 200 this week following its June 23 release on UMe/Island/Tuff Gong. While his music has been cherished by families for years this is the first time a
Bob Marley record has appeared on the kids' music chart. As Island Records celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Legend reaches 10 million sold in the Soundscan era, the strength of Marley's music remains a potent force for listeners of all ages.
Eldest son and four-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley executive produced the album. Mike Davis, Executive Vice President/General Manager of UMe, says "Ziggy's touch to his father's masters are truly special and we're excited about the opportunity it provides to expose a younger generation to the amazing music of Bob Marley."
Bob Marley's music is known around the world for its powerful political and spiritual message that touches people of all ages. With children in mind, Ziggy has transformed some of his father's songs for B is for Bob. In eight of the tracks, including "Three Little Birds," "Redemption Song," "Bend Down Low," "Jamming," "Small Axe," "Satisfy My Soul," "Stir It Up" and "High Tide or Low Tide," certain instruments were removed while others were added, creating a feeling of hearing these songs for the very first time. Meanwhile, four of Bob Marley's other masterpieces are left untouched: "Could You Be Loved," "One Love/People Get Ready," "Lively Up Yourself" and "Wake Up and Live-Pt. 1."
"Me is a common sense man," Bob Marley once said. "That mean when me explain things me explain it in a very simple way, that mean if I explain it to a baby the baby will understand too, you know." Ziggy continues, "My father's music spans generations and with B is for Bob we give the youngest their very own Bob Marley record."
Released in time for summer, the album features fun extras for kids and parents: the CD unlocks bonus online digital content including coloring book pages, a sing-a-long music video and audio stream previews of Ziggy Marley's new Family Time album. Each Bob CD also includes a free one-year subscription to Parents magazine. B is for Bob comes in a recyclable and biodegradable Eco-Pak, making the album kid-, parent- and Earth-friendly. Visit www.ziggymarley.com for more information.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Island Records, which is celebrating the label's rich history of music from the luminaries Bob Marley, U2, Traffic, The Cranberries, Cat Stevens, Melissa Etheridge, PJ Harvey, Fall Out Boy and more. The Island 50th campaign will feature CD reissues, digital compilations, movie festivals and more. Visit www.islandrecords.com for more information.
