The Pioneers of Reggae Music
Contents
The Pioneers of Reggae Music is a blog dedicated to the history and evolution of reggae music.
Reggae Basics
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae was first used to describe this new style of music in 1968. Reggae is often characterized by a 4/4 time signature, offbeat rhythms, and call and response vocals. Reggae has been a very popular genre of music over the past few decades, and its influence can be heard in many other genres of music.
Defining Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by regular beats on the off-beat, known as the skank. Reggae is normally slower than both ska and rocksteady. The concept of call and response can be found throughout reggae music.
Reggae evolved out of the earlier genres ska and rocksteady and is characterized by a number of features, including its distinctive rhythm, its focus on proclaimed Rastafari themes such as Africana hairstyles or dreadlocks, anti-colonialism, black nationalism, marijuana smoking as religious sacrament, Marcus Garvey’s Pan-Africanism as envisioned in his famous speech Look to Africa for the crowning of a black king who will deliver them from bondage, words like Reps (meaning respect) or Irie (meaning good or happy feeling), or phrases like one love or conscious living.
The Birth of Reggae
The 1960s saw the birth of reggae music in Jamaica. This new style of music was a blend of Caribbean mento, American jazz and R&B, and African rhythms. The new sound was developed by musicians such as The Skatalites, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff. Reggae quickly became popular in Jamaica, and by the 1970s it had spread to other parts of the world, including the UK and the US.
Reggae’s Golden Age
In the late 1960s, a new music genre was born in the form of reggae. Reggae music comes from the island of Jamaica, and it was pioneered by artists such as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. Reggae music has a unique sound that is created by the use of drums, bass, and guitars. The lyrics of reggae songs often deal with topics such as love, peace, and social justice.
The 1970s
In the early 1970s, reggae music enjoyed a surge in popularity in both Jamaica and abroad. This was due in part to the success of Bob Marley and The Wailers, who released a string of hits during the decade. But other reggae artists were also finding success, including Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, and Desmond Dekker. These artists helped to bring reggae music to a wider audience and lay the foundation for the genre’s continued popularity.
The 1970s was also a period of experimentation for reggae artists, as they began to experiment with new sounds and styles. This led to the development of new subgenres like dub and rocksteady. Reggae music would continue to evolve in the following decades, but the 1970s served as a crucial period in its history.
The 1980s
The 1980s saw the height of reggae’s influence on pop music around the world. Many artists began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines, giving birth to a new subgenre called dancehall. While some traditionalists criticized this new sound, it quickly became popular in Jamaica and soon spread to other countries. The 1980s also saw the rise of roots reggae, a more conscious and spiritual style of music that harkened back to the early days of the genre.
Contemporary Reggae
Even though contemporary Reggae might not be as popular as it was a few decades ago, there are still a lot of people who love this genre of music. Reggae has its roots in Jamaica, and it is a genre that is known for its relaxed, laid-back vibes. If you’re looking for some good contemporary Reggae music, here are a few artists you should check out.
The 1990s and 2000s
By the 1990s, reggae was well on its way to becoming a truly international music genre, popular not only in Jamaica but also in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Thanks to the efforts of Jamaican-born producers like Sly & Robbie, King Jammy, and Donovan Germain, as well as overseas-based producers like Mad Professor and Steel Pulse’s David Hinds, contemporary reggae continued to evolve in new and exciting ways.
One of the most important developments in ’90s reggae was the rise of Dancehall, a faster, more electronic-based subgenre that emphasized R&B-style singing and deejaying (rapping) over traditional singing. Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, and Mr. Vegas were among the most popular Dancehall artists of the decade. Another important trend was the growing popularity of roots reggae among young people in Jamaica and elsewhere; artists like Capleton, Luciano, Sizzla, Anthony B., and Junior Murvin helped to keep this classic style alive and relevant.
The 2010s
In the 2010s, reggae music continued to evolve and change. New genres and subgenres emerged, while old ones faded away or remained popular. The following are some of the most popular reggae artists and groups of the 2010s.
Reggae fusion is a genre of reggae that incorporates elements of other genres, such as pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and electronic dance music. Some notable artists and groups who have achieved success with this genre are Major Lazer, Matisyahu, Shaggy, Sean Paul, and Ziggy Marley.
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Dancehall is characterized by a heavy bass sound andTypically, dancehall songs are about parties, relationships, violence, or other topics of interest to young people. Some of the most popular dancehall artists of the 2010s are Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, and Mavado.
Reggae-rock is a genre of music that combines elements of reggae and rock. It first gained popularity in the 1990s with bands like Sublime and 311. In the 2010s, there was a resurgence of interest in this genre with bands like Rebelution and Iration achieving success.
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 2000s. It is characterized by heavy basslines and drum patterns. Although it is not strictly a form of reggae music, dubstep often incorporates elements of reggae and has been very popular with reggae fans in recent years.
