The Best of 1989 Reggae Music
Looking for the best of 1989 reggae music? Look no further than our blog post! We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 tracks from that year, so you can enjoy the best of what reggae has to offer.
Best Reggae Albums of 1989
The 1980s was a golden era for reggae music, with a plethora of standout albums and artists emerging from the Jamaican scene. The best reggae albums of 1989 continued to build on the foundations laid in previous years, with innovations and experiments in sound and style yielding some truly classic records.
Let’s take a look at some of the best reggae albums of 1989, shall we?
Topping our list is Toots and the Maytals’ iconic album ‘True Love’, featuring some of their most well-known hits like ‘Pressure Drop’ and ‘Monkey Man’. This was followed closely by Bunny Wailer’s ‘Stir It Up’, another essential reggae album which includes the classic title track as well as the beautiful ballad ‘Dreamland’.
Other great reggae albums from 1989 include Burning Spear’s ‘Resistance’, Damn Right I’m Damn Sure by The Wailing Souls, and Inna De Yard by The Heptones. As you can see, it was a great year for Jamaican music, with plenty of essential records to choose from. So whether you’re a fan of roots reggae or dancehall, there’s something for everyone in our picks for the best reggae albums of 1989.
Best Reggae Songs of 1989
The late 80s proved to be a somewhat transitional period for reggae music, as digital production techniques began to be introduced, giving rise to the popular dancehall style that would dominate Jamaican music throughout the 1990s. Nevertheless, there were still plenty of fantastic roots reggae tracks released in 1989, as this list of 10 of the best shows.
10. “Dem Babylon” by Morgan Heritage
Taken from their debut album Morgan Heritage, “Dem Babylon” is a blazing roots track with a wicked bassline and conscious lyrics delivered with passion by lead singer Peetah Morgan.
9. “No More War” by Dennis Brown
One of the most influential reggae singers of all time, Dennis Brown scored another huge hit in 1989 with “No More War”, a powerful anti-war anthem which appeared on his album Live Love.
8. “Praises” by Luciano
Luciano’s soaring voice is perfectly showcased on this lovely roots number which appeared on his second album Mansion of Happiness and became one of his biggest hits.
7. “Back Out” by Ninjaman
With its rough edges and explicit lyrics, Ninjaman’s brand of dancehall was not to everyone’s taste but there’s no denying the raw power of tracks like “Back Out”, taken from his debut album Scriptures.
6. “Can’t Stop Cocaine” by Junior Reid
A huge hit in Jamaica upon its release in 1989, Junior Reid’s “Can’t Stop Cocaine” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction set to a thumping digital riddim.
Best Reggae Artists of 1989
Reggae music is a genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae was first used to refer to a ska-based music style that was popularized in Jamaica by artists such as Toots and the Maytals and Desmond Dekker. In the 1970s, reggae became more widely known with the release of hits such as Bob Marley’s “Rastaman Vibration” and Eric Donaldson’s “Cherry Oh Baby”. Reggae artists such as Marley, Bunny Wailer, and Peter Tosh helped to bring the genre to international prominence.
Reggae music has since evolved into various subgenres including roots reggae, dub reggae, and dancehall. Despite its Jamaican origins, reggae has been embraced by many cultures around the world. In 1989, a number of memorable reggae tracks were released by both established and up-and-coming artists. Here are some of the best reggae tracks of 1989.
10. “Boom Shankar” – Aswad
9. ” Twist and Shout” – Chaka Demus & Pliers
8. “One Love/People Get Ready” – Bob Marley & The Wailers
7. “Here I Come” – Barrington Levy
6. “Caan Dun” – Tony Rebel
5. “Punky Reggae Party” – Bob Marley & The Wailers
4.” Gwanparagraph (Raggamuffin)”- Cutty Ranks
3.” Under Me Sleng Teng”- Wayne Smith
2.” Mr. Loverman”- Shabba Ranks
1.” Murder She Wrote”- Chaka Demus & Pliers
