Queen Ifrica

2009 turned out to be a tough year for Jamaica's music industry. Record sales plummeted with reggae/dancehall music failing to produce an album that resonated internationally.

Also, controversy reigned at home with the Gaza/Gully feud and the fierce debate surrounding Rompin' Shop, a controversial song by dejays Vbyz Kartel and Spice.

The year was anything but uneventful. Here are some of the highlights.

Sleeper hit of the year: Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti and Cherine Anderson. Produced by Sly and Robbie, this song reached number 18 on Billboard magazine's pop chart but got little attention on local radio.

Major achievement: It was announced two weeks ago that singer Jimmy Cliff will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March. He is only the second reggae act (after Bob Marley in 1993) to earn such recognition.

Album of the year: Montego Bay by Queen Ifrica. Conscious sounds from the dancehall, Ifrica's second set touched on a variety of issues, from incest (Daddy) to sexual intolerance (Keep it To Yourself) and female independence (Lioness on The Rise).

Disappointment of the year: Sean Paul's Imperial Blaze album sold less than 100,000 units according to Nielsen-SoundScan. Unlike its predecessors, Dutty Rock and The Trinity, Imperial Blaze failed to produce a big hit and floundered.

Buju banton

Dancehall song of the year: The Letter by Merciless. The deejay's heartfelt tale to his mother about incarceration in a Florida prison, got the blood of hard-core fans pumping and 'thumbs up' from conservatives.

Most innovative project: Pomedy, Yasus Afari's fresh concept of poetry and comedy went over well with audiences in St Elizabeth and Kingston.

Hype of the year: Gaza vs Gully starring publicity-hungry deejays Vybz Kartel and Mavado, and a supporting cast that included a gullible media.

Fall from grace: Roots singer Luciano's reputation as a messenger of peace took a beating in March when a wanted man, allegedly linked to the artiste, was killed by police during a shootout at his St Andrew home. Two police officers were shot and injured. Luciano has been charged with harbouring a fugitive.

Tragic figure: Buju Banton, whose Rasta Got Soul tour of the United States was hounded by gay advocates, resulting in multiple show cancellations. On December 10, Banton was arrested in Florida by Drug Enforcement Administration officers and charged with attempting to distribute cocaine.

( l - r ) Jimmy Cliff, Luciano, Sean Paul