Reggae Gold 1998 / Various

Turntable-deprived reggae fans count on V.P. Records' annual Reggae Gold collections to serve up vinyl singles in compilation-CD form while they're still running on radio airwaves. Whether roots & culture or dancehall style, featuring singer or DJ, as long as it impacted bigtime, the tune qualifies. This year's version showcases once again reggae's many and varied permutations. With Spragga Benz, Sizzla, Luciano, Beenie Man, Beres Hammond, Degree, newest sensation Vegas, and current reggae king Buju Banton representing, reggae, 1998, sounds a helluva lot better than it actually was. --Elena Oumano