UB40
Some may be surprised to learn of UB40’s international success. They have been pegged as one of the world’s most popular reggae acts, and placed along side Bob Marley & The Wailers. UB40 for nearly three decades has traveled the world playing gigs in some of the most unique places such as Tonga and New Caledonia. They have racked up an astonishing 51 hit singles and have appeared on nearly every chart imaginable around the globe. Their worldwide popularity is matched only by their heart, when not touring their charitable work includes raising money for the United Nations AIDS Awareness Campaign and performing at humanitarian based Live 8 and Live Earth benefit concerts. Their reach is far and many say that Bob Marley himself would be proud of the group's dedication to the reggae genre and its message of racial harmony.

Maxi Priest
Christened the "King of Lovers Rock" by his fans, British reggae star Maxi Priest is one of the most internationally popular reggae singers since Bob Marley. Priest's pop and modern R&B influences have given him a strong crossover appeal. His silky-smooth voice is ideally suited for light, romantic material, and his best music is as sensual as it is soulful. Priest released his debut album, You're Safe (Virgin Records), in 1985, which spun off the U.K. hit "In the Springtime." His 1986 follow-up, Intentions, featured two more U.K. successes in "Strollin' On" and the Van Morrison cover "Crazy Love." It was his 1988 album Maxi Priest that ranked as his true breakthrough; his Top 30 cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" gave him his first American hit, and another cover, Robert Palmer's "Some Guys Have All the Luck," kept his hit streak alive in the U.K. In 1990, Priest's album Bonafide climbed up the charts; the single "Close to You" went all the way to #1 on the American pop charts. He has released a number of other albums since then, focusing in the late 1990s on hip-hop and smooth soul balladry. (All Music Guide)