?Reggae
Reggae music arose in Jamaica in the late 1960s as a result of the combining influences of traditional mento music (a style of Jamaican folk), R&B, and the earlier genre of ska. Reggae is characterised by its drum and bass downbeat, offbeat rhythm and lyrics centred around political and social commentary that are often associated with the Rastafarian religion and movement.
The name ‘Reggae’ originated from the 1968 song “Do the Reggay” by Toots and the Maytals. Around the same time other iconic reggae songs such as “Israelites” by Desmond Dekker, “Nanny Goat” by Larry Marshall and “No More Heartaches” by the Beltones were released and established reggae as the most popular style of music in Jamaica’s capital.
The most internationally famous reggae band is of course, Bob Marlet & The Wailers who originally came onto the Jamaican music scene as a ska and dancehall band but then transitioned into the reggae genre as it gained popularity.
Bob Marley & The Wailers gained global recognition when Eric Clapton covered the song “I shot the Sheriff”, written by Bob Marley in 1973. This success led the way for other reggae artists to achieve international popularity, with other notable reggae stars of the decade being Jimmy Cliff and Johnny Nash.
As reggae has progressed into the modern day, many sub genres have emerged across the globe, such as dancehall, jungle, lovers rock, drum and bass, dub music, reggaeton, samba reggae and more. Many of these genres are popular with young audiences in both nightclubs and intimate gig venues, particularly in major cities such as London, New York and Miami.
