# Johnny Nash's Reggae No. 1 in 1972

> Johnny Nash hit No. 1 with reggae in 1972, years before Bob Marley's global fame.
- Title: Johnny Nash's Reggae No. 1 in 1972 · American Songwriter
- Summary: Johnny Nash hit No. 1 with reggae in 1972, years before Bob Marley's global fame. Johnny Nash's 1972 reggae hit 'I Can See Clearly Now' reached No. 1 on the…
- Keywords: johnny nash, reggae, hot 100, bob marley, jamaica, jada records, music, American Songwriter
- Source: American Songwriter — https://americansongwriter.com/on-this-day-in-1972-johnny-nash-took-reggae-to-no-1-years-before-bob-marley-became-a-global-superstar
- Author: Clayton Edwards
- Published: 2026-11-04T23:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: johnny nash, reggae, hot 100, bob marley, jamaica, jada records, music, culture
## Johnny Nash's 1972 Hot 100 No. 1
Johnny Nash started a four-week run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with 'I Can See Clearly Now' in 1972.
## First Reggae Hot 100 No. 1
It was the first reggae song to reach the top of the chart, a historic milestone for the genre.
## Jamaica Connection
Nash partnered with producer Danny Sims to market American singers to Jamaica and signed Bob Marley to JAD Records.
## Song in Multiple Films
The song appeared in films including Thelma & Louise and Grosse Pointe Blank, with a Jimmy Cliff cover in Cool Runnings.
## Key takeaway

Johnny Nash's 1972 reggae hit 'I Can See Clearly Now' reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, becoming the first reggae song to top the chart.