Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music

Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music is a 2002 BBC documentary series written and presented by musicologist Lloyd Bradley.

Origins of Reggae

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae was first used to describe a style of music that was influenced by traditional mento and calypso music, as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues. Reggae typically features a heavy bass line, electric guitar, drums, and horns.

Ska

Ska is a style of Jamaican music that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was the precursor to reggae music and has influences from American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line, accented guitar, and horns. The horns are what give ska its distinctive sound.

Rocksteady

Rocksteady is a style of Jamaican popular music that developed from ska and R&B in the late 1960s and reached its height of mainstream popularity in the early 1970s. The term rocksteady comes from a 1968 single by Alton Ellis, “Rock Steady”.

Rocksteady evolved directly from the prevalent sound of ska at the time, which was characterized by a strong backbeat and guitar work inspired by American rhythm and blues. The music was slower than ska and featured more use of crotchets than quavers in the melodies.

The biggest star of rocksteady was Toots Hibbert, whose band The Maytals release some of the genre’s most enduring hits including “Do the Reggae”, “Monkey Man” and “Pressure Drop”. The Maytals were instrumental in introducing rocksteady to a wider audience outside Jamaica with their appearances on British television show Ready Steady Go! in 1967.

Other important early figures in rocksteady include Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Errol Dunkley, John Holt, Desmond Dekker and The Ethiopians. By 1968, Nyabinghi drummer Count Ossie had started to play a slow hand drum style over the one drop rhythm that became prevalent in rocksteady.

The Golden Age of Reggae

Reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The golden age of reggae was the 1970s. This was a period when the music was at its peak, with many artists creating classic tracks that are still popular today. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular reggae songs from this era.

The Wailers

Reggae music first gained international attention in the 1960s with the rise of Jamaican sensation, Bob Marley and his band, The Wailers. From their humble beginnings in the rough Kingston neighborhoods of Trenchtown and Nine Mile, The Wailers would go on to become one of the most successful and influential reggae groups of all time.

With hits like “Stir It Up,” “Get Up Stand Up,” and “I Shot the Sheriff,” The Wailers helped bring reggae music to a whole new audience. The group’s signature sound, a unique blend of ska, rocksteady, and traditional Jamaican folk music, was unlike anything that had been heard before. And Marley’s lyrics, which often reflected his Rastafarian faith and advocated for social justice and peace, struck a chord with people all over the world.

The Wailers’ success continued throughout the 1970s with the release of several more popular albums including “Catch a Fire” (1973) and “Exodus” (1977). But by the 1980s, tensions within the band were beginning to surface. Following Marley’s untimely death from cancer in 1981, The Wailers dissolved.

In the decades since Marley’s death, The Wailers have been reinvigorated by new members like singer/songwriter Junior Marvin and bassist Aston Barrett Jr., son of original Wailer Aston “Family Man” Barrett. Today, The Wailers are recognized as one of the most important groups in Jamaican music history and continue to tour and make new music that carries on Marley’s legacy.

Bob Marley

Bob Marley is considered by many to be the King of Reggae. His music and message were instrumental in spreading reggae throughout the world. He is also credited with helping to bring about social and political change in his home country of Jamaica.

Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley in 1945, in the small town of Nine Mile in the parish of Saint Ann. He was interested in music from an early age, and he began his career as a singer with the group the Wailers in 1963. The Wailers would go on to become one of the most successful reggae groups of all time.

Marley’s biggest hits include “No Woman, No Cry,” “Rat Race,” “Jamming,” and “One Love.” He also recorded a number of iconic albums, including “Catch a Fire,” “Burnin’,” and “Exodus.”

Marley died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36. His legacy continues to live on through his music, which is still widely listened to around the world.

Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff is a Jamaican reggae musician, singer, and actor. He is the only living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a citizen of Jamaica. Cliff is best known for his hits “The Harder They Come”, “Sitting in Limbo”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and ” many more. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Roots of Reggae

Reggae is a type of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term “reggae” is derived from the word “raggedy”, which refers to the Haiti rebellion of 1791. Reggae music is a blend of various genres, including Ska, Rocksteady, and African music. It is characterized by a strong bass line, guitar, and drums.

Rastafarianism

Rastafarianism began in the 1930s, inspired by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I. Selassie is seen as a messianic figure by Rastafarians, who believe that he will one day lead them back to Africa. The religion has its roots in both Christianity and Marcus Garvey’s teachings of black pride and self-reliance. Followers of Rastafarianism are called Rastafarians, or “Rasta” for short.

Rastafarians typically dress in all-natural fibers, like wool and cotton, and wear their hair in dreadlocks. They also abstain from alcohol, tobacco, and meat. The use of marijuana, or ganja, is common among Rastafarians as a way to commune with God. Reggae music is closely associated with Rastafarianism and is often used as a tool for spreading the religion’s message of peace, love, and unity.

Dub

In the 1960s, the work of producers such as Duke Reid and Clement Coxsone Dodd began to find an international audience, exemplified by the success of tracks such as The Beatles’ “And I Love Her” (produced by Coxsone Dodd) and The Pioneers’ “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” (produced by Reid). The Wailers, initially a group featuring only vocalist and guitarist Peter Tosh and vocalist Bunny Wailer, also scored international hits with Dodd (such as “Simmer Down”) and Reid (“Stop That Train”), before signing to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records in 1972.

One of the most significant developments in the history of reggae was the arrival of dub. Dub is a form of Jamaican popular music that arose in the late 1960s when sound engineers began radical experimentation with studio techniques, such as echo and delay, which created new sounds from existing recordings. These techniques were later used to create new recordings by other producers, giving rise to the dub subgenre. Early dub producers included Lee “Scratch” Perry and Errol Thompson. Perry’s The Upsetters was one of the first dub albums; other notable early dub albums include Soul Syndicate’s Brain Washing (1972), Thompson’s Jamaica Funk (1975), and King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (1976).

The roots of dub can be traced back to a number of factors. One is the development of sound system culture in Jamaica in the 1950s; another is the influence of American rhythm and blues on Jamaican musicians in the 1940s and 1950s; yet another is the Jamaican practice of “toasting” (or talking over) instrumental versions of songs, which can be traced back to African griot traditions. Whatever its specific origins, though, it is clear that dub was deeply influenced by both African and American music traditions.

The Reggae Revival

In the late 2010s, a new generation of Jamaican artists began to experiment with elements of reggae, resulting in a sound that was both fresh and familiar. This “reggae revival” has been led by artists like Chronixx, Protoje, and Kabaka Pyramid, who are modernizing the sound of reggae while staying true to its roots.

Chronixx

Chronixx, born Jamar Rolando McNaughton, is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is considered one of the leading artists in the Reggae Revival movement. Chronixx’s music is often spiritual in nature, and he has been influenced by his Rastafarian faith. His 2013 debut mixtape, Chronology, was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards. His 2018 album, Chronology, won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

Protoje

Protoje’s album, Ancient Future, was a critical and commercial success, charting on Billboard and winning the 2015 award for Album of the Year at the International Reggae and World Music Awards. His follow-up album, Who Knows, featured the song “Who Knows”, which became an international sensation and propelled Protoje and The Indiggnation to new levels of popularity.

The Future of Reggae

Reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The music is characterized by a strong rhythm section, bass guitar, drums, and a horn section. The lyrics are often about social issues, such as poverty, injustice, and inequality. Reggae has been popularized by many artists, such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer.

Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a musical genre that originated in Puerto Rico in the early 1990s. It is a fusion of reggae and hip hop, with elements of dancehall, ragga, and Latin music. The lyrics are typically in Spanish, although some artists do sing in English.

Reggaeton has become one of the most popular genres of music in the past decade, with hits such as Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” and Don Omar’s “Danza Kuduro” topping the charts in many countries. The genre has also been criticized for its explicit lyrics and for its association with crime and violence.

Despite its criticisms, reggaeton continues to be one of the most popular genres of music around the world, with many artists finding success both in Puerto Rico and abroad.

Dancehall

In the 1980s, a new style of reggae emerged, influenced by electronic music. This new style, called dancehall, was typified by a faster beat and deejays who would talk (or “toast”) over the music. Dancehall quickly became popular in Jamaica and soon spread to other parts of the world.

One of the most popular dancehall deejays was a man named Bounty Killer. Bounty Killer’s trademark was his violent lyrics, which often glorified “gangsta” lifestyle. Another popular dancehall artist was Beenie Man, who had a string of hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In recent years, some reggae artists have begun to experiment with other genres such as hip hop and R&B. These artists include Sean Paul and Shaggy, who have both had mainstream success in the United States.