Top 10 Shaggy Songs

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Our Top 10 Shaggy songs list looks back at the career of one of the most successful reggae music crossover artists in classic rock history. Before the world knew him as Shaggy, the Jamaican-American reggae talent served for the United States Marine Corps from 1988 until 1991. As an officer in the tenth marine regiment Field Artillery Battery, Orville Burrell managed to rank as high as a lance corporal, but he was demoted twice. When he returned home from his tour of duty, Burrell opted to pursue a career in music, adopting the name Shaggy as his stage name. As of 1993, that pursuit paid off with the start of a few hit singles, which ultimately led to him recording and releasing, so far, a total of thirteen studio albums, seven compilations, and seventy-seven singles.

Top 10 Shaggy Songs

#10 – In the Summertime (featuring Rayvon)

“In the Summertime” made its debut as a song in 1970 by the British rock group, Mungo Jerry. The musical celebration of the summer season performed by them was one of the best-selling singles of all time at thirty million copies sold. Shaggy’s 1995 version was featured on an episode on Baywatch before it was rewritten a year later for the 1996 film, Flipper. For Shaggy, the reggae mix into the beachy style of In the Summertime served as the first breakthrough hit in the US for the artist as the song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

It was actually a chart-topper on the US Billboard Hot Rap Singles and on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles. In the Summertime was also a top forty hit among most of the nations, peaking as high as number five on the UK Singles Chart and becoming certified silver with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ) also certified the single, but through them it was gold. This breakthrough hit would be the first of five charted singles from his second studio album, Boombastic.

#9 – Luv Me, Luv Me (featuring Samantha Cole)

When Shaggy released “Luv Me, Luv Me” the first time it was with Janet Jackson in 1998 as a single on a soundtrack for the movie, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The original single featured samples from Impeach the President by The Honey Drippers. According to Shaggy, working with Janet Jackson was a nightmare. Shaggy wanted to include Luv Me, Luv Me on his next studio album, Hot Shot, but Janet Jackson’s label refused to allow her vocals to be featured in the song in his album. This meant he needed to redo the song as a new recording, which he did with Samantha Cole for its 2000 release.

It served as a great formula as Cole’s soft and sultry lyrical voice played beautifully off Shaggy’s charismatic reggae style. On the UK Singles Chart, Luv Me, Luv Me peaked at number five and was a top ten hit among the nations of Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and Portugal. In the US, the 1998 version with Janet Jackson charted at number seventy-six. The 2000 version with Samantha Cole charted at number twenty-three on the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40.

#8 – That Girl (featuring Maxi Priest)

When the two reggae talents such as Maxi Priest and Shaggy paired up in 1996 for “That Girl,” it became a number one hit on RPM Canada’s Dance chart and was at least a top twenty single among most of the nations’ billboard charts. On the US Billboard Mainstream Top Forty, the song peaked at number sixteen and was a number twenty hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. That Girl also became certified gold with the Australia Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and became platinum in New Zealand. Adding to the sexy performances laid out by Maxi Priest and Shaggy were samples from the 1962 instrumental Green Onions’ performance by Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

#7 – Me Julie (featuring Ali G)

In 2002, “Me Julie” was a single featured on the soundtrack for the movie, Ali G Indahouse. Reggae at its best only Shaggy can deliver, his vocals added that little extra charisma to a love song that was dedicated to Ali G’s love interest in the movie, Julie. Ali G’s relatively comedic jab as a hip-hop artist gave the song that little extra personality that seemed to suit the song well. Although Me Julie wasn’t recognized on any US-based music charts, it performed very well in the UK as it topped the Hip Hop and R&B chart, peaked at number two on its Official Singles Chart and became a BPI-certified silver single. Across most of Europe, as well as the nations of Australia and New Zealand, it was a top ten hit. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single charted at number fourteen.

#6 – Oh Carolina

Originally a folk song, “Oh Carolina” was first recorded in 1958 by the Folkes Brothers and has since been covered by many artists over the years. In 1993, Shaggy’s version was featured as his debut single, which came from his album, Pure Pleasure. Thanks to the catchy shuffle style that merged Jamaican funk music with pop, Shaggy’s Oh Carolina contributed to a revival of reggae back into mainstream popularity, at least in the UK. The single topped its official music chart, as well as in Ireland and Canada. It was a top ten single throughout the European and Oceania nations and climbed as high as number fourteen on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay. The US Billboard Hot 100 charted the song at number fifty-nine. Oh Carolina was certified gold by the music industries belonging to Australia, Germany, and the UK.

#5 – I Need Your Love (featuring Mohombi, Faydee, and Costi)

2014’s “I Need Your Love” was recorded by the Swedish ensemble group, Mohombi, along with the collaboration of Costi and Faydee’s lyrical vocals. The inclusion of Shaggy’s reggae performance added extra multicultural appeal, which contributed to the overall success of this particular version of a song that was originally written and recorded by Costi and Faydee. In Arabic, this song is titled Habibi, which means “my love” when translated into English.

There are many different versions to this song, performed in many different languages, but the one performed in English saw the greatest chart and commercial success overall. In Poland, I Need Your Love charted to number one. On the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40, the song charted at number twenty and it was a number sixty-six hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. In sales as a single, it became certified gold with Music Canada, as well as Spain’s PROMUSICAE, and with the USA’s RIAA. I Need Your Love was certified silver with the UK’s BPI.

#4 – Hey Sexy Lady (featuring Brian and Tony Gold)

The first single from his album, Lucky Day, was “Hey Sexy Lady,” which was released in 2002. While it barely squeaked as a hit on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number ninety-seven, the playful and sexy mix of tango meeting reggae single was considerably more successful on the UK Singles Chart at number ten. It was also a top ten hit among the nations of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Portugal. The instrumental version of this song was used in European automobile dealership commercials. Hey Sexy Lady was also used in the 2003 film, Kangaroo Jack and the 2006 motion picture, She’s the Man.

#3 – Boombastic

Released on June 5, 1995, the flirtatious “Boombastic” was the second single released from Shaggy’s second studio album. Both the song and the album achieved tremendous commercial success for the artist. As a single, Boombastic charted as high as number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, as well as on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. It was number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and a top ten hit throughout Oceania and most of the European nations. This charismatic funk meets reggae single also earned platinum certification in New Zealand, Norway, the UK’s BPI, and USA’s RIAA. Gold certifications were earned among the nations of Austria, France, Germany, and the UK.

#2 – Angel (featuring Rayvon)

The moment “Angel” begins as a single, featuring the reggae performance from Shaggy, combined with the lyrical delivery from Rayvon, fans of the single, Angel of the Morning will instantly recognize samples of its music and parts from its chorus. The Joker from Steve Miller Band also had samples of its music featured in Angel, which was just as easily recognizable. Altogether as a beautifully performed single, Angel still remains as an addictive favorite for romantics who see so much more value to the song than its rhythmic style.

This clearly showed on the music charts worldwide as Angel topped the US Billboard Hot 100, the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40, the US Billboard Rhythmic, and on the Eurochart Hot 100 charts. Several nations saw Angel peak at number one, or at the very least, within the top ten of their respective music charts. In Australia, the single became triple platinum and it was double platinum in Sweden. Platinum certification was also achieved from the music industries belonging to Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. In France, Germany, and the UK, Angel was certified gold. In the US, well over one million copies of Angel were sold as a single but did not earn any certifications from the RIAA. Nevertheless, it was one of two major reasons why the album, Hot Shot became the most successful album Shaggy has ever produced in his career. The album became a multi-platinum phenomenon and was the top-selling album in Canada in 2001.

#1 – It Wasn’t Me (featuring Rikrok)

From Shaggy’s fifth studio album, Hot Shot, “It Wasn’t Me” was a single he collaborated with Riktok in a tale of a friend asking a friend for advice regarding his girlfriend catching him cheating on her. Shaggy advised Riktok to deny everything. The single was inspired by a segment from Eddie Murphy’s Raw standup comedy special, which became a number one hit on a multitude of music charts around the world.

On the US Billboard Hot 100, the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs, the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40, and the US Billboard Rhythmic charts, the song peaked straight to the top. Rickrock’s rhythmic performance paired beautifully with Shaggy’s comedic suggestion to deny everything with his classic reggae style. In Australia and the UK, the single was certified platinum three times over. Among the nations of Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, the single also became platinum. Gold was the certification it received from the music industries belonging to Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.

Although nearly two million copies of the single were sold in the US, there were no official certifications awarded to it. This single was, however, the ultimate breakthrough hit for Shaggy to be recognized in the pop music genre and was the highest-charted single in his career.