The Best of Reggae Music

Looking for the best reggae music around? Check out our blog for the latest and greatest hits from your favorite reggae artists!

What is Reggae Music?

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, “Do the Reggay” was the first popular song to use the word “reggae”, effectively naming the genre and introducing it to a global audience. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues, especially the New Orleans R&B practiced by Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint. Reggae usually relates news, social gossip, and political commentary.

The Origins of Reggae Music

The origins of reggae music can be traced back to the late 1960s in Jamaica. The style is a combination of ska, rocksteady, and African rhythms. Reggae is characterized by a dominantly rhythmic bass guitar and drums, with a snare drum sound that is distinctively staccato or “chopped off”, and often includes home-made percussion instruments such as washboards and cowbells.

The earliest known use of the word “reggae” was in a 1968 song by Toots and the Maytals called “Do the Reggay”. In 1973, reggae achieved international recognition with the release of Bob Marley’s album Catch a Fire. Marley’s 1974 album Natty Dread was also successful, helping to popularize reggae outside of Jamaica.

Reggae has been influenced by many other genres of music, including jazz, ska, rocksteady, R&B, and pop. Reggae fusion is a genre that combines elements of reggae with other genres such as hip hop, dancehall, dubstep, or electronic music.

The Best Reggae Songs of All Time

Reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term ‘reggae’ is derived from the Italian word ‘rigato’, meaning ‘striped’. The style is characterized by a strong rhythmic component, as well as by a wide range of other musical elements.

Reggae has been very popular over the years, and has produced some truly classic songs. Here are just a few of the best-known and most loved reggae songs of all time.

-Bob Marley – “No Woman, No Cry”
-UB40 – “Red, Red Wine”
-Peter Tosh – “Get Up, Stand Up”
-Jimmy Cliff – “The Harder They Come”
-Inner Circle – “Bad Boys”

The Best Reggae Albums of All Time

Reggae music has its origins in Jamaica, and its roots are in ska and rocksteady. The genre developed in the 1960s, and by the 1970s it had become a worldwide phenomenon. Reggae has since spawned many subgenres, such as dub, roots, and dancehall.

The best reggae albums of all time include classics like Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Exodus,” Peter Tosh’s “Equal Rights,” and Burning Spear’s “Marcus Garvey.” These are the essential reggae albums that every fan should own.

The Future of Reggae Music

In the past decade, reggae music has seen a resurgence in popularity, with new artists carrying on the legacy of Bob Marley and other iconic figures. Reggae music has always been about more than just the music – it’s a lifestyle, a way of life. It’s a force for good, for peace, for love, and for social change.

Reggae music has the power to unite people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. It’s a music that soulful, that spiritual, that feels good. It’s a music that makes you want to move your feet and groove your body. It’s a music that makes you think, that makes you feel.

Reggae music is the sound of the people – it’s the sound of Jamaica, of Africa, of the Caribbean. It’s the sound of resistance, of struggle, of hope. It’s the sound of love. Reggae is a way of life, and it’s a way of feeling. It’s positive vibration made manifest in sound.

The future of reggae music is bright – there are new artists emerging every day who are carrying on the legacy of this important musical genre. Reggae music is here to stay, and it will continue to inspire people from all walks of life for many years to come.