Love This Reggae Music: 1975-2015

If you love reggae music, then you’ll definitely want to check out this blog post. It covers the history of the genre from 1975 to 2015, and highlights some of the best tracks from each year.

Introduction

Few genres of music are as instantly recognizable as reggae. The laid-back, island-inspired sound has been thrilling listeners for decades, and its influence can be heard in many other genres today. Love This Reggae Music: 1975-2015 collects some of the best reggae tunes of the last 40 years, making it the perfect introduction to the genre for newcomers and a welcome addition to the collection of any fan.

The Birth of Reggae

Reggae music originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae was first used to describe a particular style of music developed by Jamaican artists that blended elements of rocksteady and early ska. Reggae typically features a strong bass line, guitar accompaniment, and drums. Vocals are often delivered in a staccato, syncopated style.

Reggae gained popularity in the 1970s with the release of some classic albums, such as Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Catch a Fire” (1973) and “Burnin'” (1974), and Dennis Brown’s “Crown Prince of Reggae” (1977). The genre continued to evolve in the 1980s and 1990s, with artists such as Buju Banton, Shaggy, and Sean Paul helping to bring reggae to a wider audience.

The 21st century has seen a renewed interest in reggae music, with artists like Alborosie, Chronixx, and Protoje keeping the genre fresh and exciting. Reggae music has also been increasingly embraced by the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) community in recent years, with many DJs and producers incorporating elements of reggae into their tracks.

The Spread of Reggae

Reggae music first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that the genre began to spread to other countries.

Reggae became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, with artists such as Bob Marley and The Wailers achieving mainstream success. Reggae also became popular in the United States, with hits such as Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys” and Eric Donaldson’s “Cherry Oh Baby”.

In the 1980s, reggae began to spread to other parts of the world, including Africa and Asia. In Africa, artists such as Lucky Dube and Youssou N’Dour became international stars. In Asia, artists such as Shinichi Osawa and Afrojack helped popularize reggae music.

Reggae has continued to grow in popularity throughout the world in the 21st century. Artists such as Sean Paul and Shaggy have achieved global success, while newer genres such as dancehall and dubstep have emerged from reggae’s influence.

The Golden Age of Reggae

The 1970s was the golden age of reggae music with the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Peter Tosh becoming international superstars. The genre was given a huge boost in 1975 when Marley’s album “Rastaman Vibration” became the first reggae album to enter the US Top Ten. The following year, Cliff’s film “The Harder They Come” introduced reggae to a wider audience and helped to make stars of its soundtrack performers, such as Cliff himself and Tosh. The late 1970s saw the rise of roots reggae, with bands like Culture and Junior Murvin scoring international hits with songs like “Two Sevens Clash” and “Police and Thieves”, respectively.

The Revival of Reggae

With the release of Marley’s album “Exodus” in 1977, a new era of reggae began. This album featured more conscious lyrics and a more political message than Marley’s previous work. “Exodus” was followed by “Kaya” in 1978, which continued Marley’s trend of writing more conscious lyrics. The late 1970s also saw the rise of roots reggae, which was influenced by Rastafarianism and was characterised by spiritual lyrics and slower tempos.

The 1980s saw the rise of dancehall, a faster, more youthful style of reggae that emphasised hedonism and often featured rude lyrics. Dancehall became increasingly popular in Jamaica throughout the 1980s, and it soon spread to other countries in the Caribbean and to the UK, where it exerted a massive influence on the British music scene.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional styles of reggae music, with artists such as Protoje and Chronixx becoming popular both in Jamaica and abroad. The 2010s have seen a new wave of interest in reggae music, with artists such as Hollie Cook and JD Reid bringing fresh sounds to the genre.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reggae music has seen a huge resurgence in popularity in the last few years. Thanks to the internet and social media, people are rediscovering the joys of this genre and are sharing it with the world. Reggae is here to stay, and we can only hope that it will continue to evolve and grow in popularity.