The reggae music of Jamaica and the Afro-Caribbean traditions of various other islands are some of the most popular genres of music in the world.
Does your
Bob Marley-loving teenager have you stumped for gift ideas? Does your
reggae fanatic best friend leave you mystified when it comes to present-buying? Or are
you the reggae lover, looking for ideas for your own wish list? In any case, you'…
Jamaican music is some of the most popular music in the world. Trailblazers like Bob Marley put the music of Jamaica on the map, but the history of Jamaican music is peppered with hundreds of amazing artists and dozens of amazing genres. Learn more about Jamaican music!
What is your favorite first wave ska CD? Which band do you consider to be essential listening for ska music beginners? What ska CDs do you think are the very best?
Traditional Jamaican
ska music came about in the early 1960s. It was originally a blend of traditional Caribbean sounds (including
mento and
calypso) and American R&B and soul. It was fast music, made for …
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae music, characterized by socially conscious and spiritual lyrics. Roots reggae peaked in the late 1960s with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and their contemporaries, but there are still great artists recording roots reggae, and it remains popular among people who dislike the slack lyrics of modern dancehall.
Readers Choose: What is the best Bob Marley album of all time? Of all the records Bob Marley released, which one do you consider the most essential? Which Bob Marley album could you not live without?
Bob Marley is generally best remembered for his songs about social justice and revolution, but his collection of love songs are equally worth remembering. From light and airy
rocksteady tunes about teen romance to rich, intense
How and why did Bob Marley die?Bob Marley's died of cancer at age 36. Some controversy surrounds his death, though, as it seems that his cancer may have been curable. So why did Bob Marley die?
Bob Marley is one of the most covered musical artists in history, but very few non-reggae artists seem to cover his songs, and when they do, it's often unsuccessful. Occasionally, though, a gem has broken through, and the resulting song is pretty extraordinary. Here the ten best Bob Marley covers ever recorded by non-reggae artists.
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican music that consists of a deejay rapping (or toasting) over a reggae-like beat (or riddim). Some of the more popular dancehall artists include Yellowman and King Jammy. Many music historians believe that dancehall is a predecessor to rap, with the toasting style brought to New York City by Jamaican immigrants.
Listening to
reggae music is, of course, deeply enjoyable, even for people who aren't from the Jamaican culture which created the genre. However, gaining some background of the genre can add important social context and reveal the personalities behind the music, thereby bringing a whole new depth to the reggae experience. From cas…
Rocksteady music is a derivative of ska music that became popular in Jamaica during the late 1960s, when reggae music was also becoming popular. Popular artists of the rocksteady era of jamaican music are Toots and the Maytals, Justin Hinds and the Dominoes and Alton Ellis.
Calypso music is a genre of Caribbean music native to the island of Trinidad. Calypso music, like most genres of Caribbean music, is heavily rhythmic and has clever, catchy melodies and lyrics. Calypso music was made popular in the United States by Harry Belafonte.
If you like the reggae music stylings of Bob Marley, check out some of these related reggae music artists. This list includes Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, who were part of The Wailers, Bob Marley's early rocksteady and reggae band, as well as artists like Justin Hinds, Burning Spear and Toots and the Maytals.
Reggae music is perhaps one of the best-known genres of world music, and was popularized in the United States in the 1960s by artists such as Bob Marley.
Ska music is by far one of the most popular genres of world music. Ska music has been through several incarnations, from traditional Jamaican ska to second-wave two-tone ska and finally American third-wave ska, which fused ska and punk music.
Every ska, rocksteady and reggae fan has at least one Bob Marley CD on their shelf, but if you're new to the genre, you might be confused as to where to start. These essential albums will help you build your Bob Marley library.
Chutney music is a style of music that derives from a combination of calypso and soca music and Indian music. It was created by Indians in Trinadad and Tobago and is one of the world's most popular genres of music.
Soca music is a popular form of Caribbean music that comes out of the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a blend of traditional Trinidadian Calypso and Indian rhythms.
Mento is the early "country" folk music of Jamaica, characterized by folk instruments, a reggae backbeat, and occasionally bawdy lyrics.
Like Matisyahu? Check out these other Jewish reggae artists.
World Music and Pop Music are not mutually exclusive. This is a fun list of reggae or reggae-influenced tunes that hit the Top 10 Pop Music charts.
