Jamaica gained independence in the 1960s, sparking a sense of national pride that manifested in reggae songs like Desmond Dekker’s “Israelites”, depicting black people as slaves living under modern-day Babylon and imploring God to hear their pleas for freedom.
Bob Marley and the Wailers popularized reggae music in the United States, where it influenced rock music; punk bands like the Clash incorporated reggae sounds into their soundscapes.
Origins
Reggae music emerged in Jamaican music scene during the late 1960s, drawing inspiration from ska, rocksteady and Rastafari (an African religious and social movement) while maintaining its unique sound with its signature beat: snare drum rhythm with bass and guitar chords emphasizing every third beat in each bar – is what distinguishes reggae from other styles while its lyrics often deal with political or spiritual topics such as marijuana being considered sacred by certain members of Rastafari movement.
Reggae music achieved international renown during the early 1970s after Bob Marley released his album The Harder They Come and its film adaptation was widely circulated. Since then, reggae music has become an integral part of global pop culture.
Reggae draws its influences from African rhythms like samba, as well as American soul and funk music genres. Early reggae bands would cover Motown or Atlantic soul-funk songs when first starting out; legendary musicians like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer helped establish reggae by using it as an avenue for political activism and spiritual discourse through reggae music.
Reggae goes beyond political activism to celebrate romantic love and convey messages of spiritual development. Glasgow-based Champion Lover was an example of female reggae singer operating within the genre known as lovers rock – which combined reggae’s smooth melodic sound with romantic themes.
Reggae music, once associated exclusively with Jamaica and its diaspora, has now gained global acclaim. Reggae’s universal message of equality and justice has proliferated globally as an influence on popular culture – its style and music having had profound impacts across fashion, food, dance, language, visual arts and philosophy in countless cultures around the globe.
Characteristics
Reggae music stands out as being distinctive for its lyrics to often carry social messages that range from political and religious concerns, such as those voiced by Bob Marley, to positive, encouraging thoughts. These lyrics often come accompanied by a beat that is intrinsic to reggae – usually composed by emphasising beat three on both snare drum and bass guitar to create what’s known as the “rockers’ beat – giving reggae its distinctive groove.
Reggae singing style is also distinctive. While melodic parts may be present, its more distinctive characteristic lies in its rhythmic and scat-like delivery (known as toasting), which has had a major influence on modern rap and hip hop music. Furthermore, reggae singers typically sing in their native Jamaican accent to give songs an additional unique dimension that cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
Musically, reggae’s bass sound can be easily identified due to its thick and heavy character; equalized so as to remove upper frequencies while emphasizing lower ones. When using simple chord progressions, its bass pattern typically repeats itself two or four bar riffs accompanied by piano-like Hammond organ sounds for added flavor; these sounds often create an authentic reggae-organ shuffle sound.
One of the key turning points in reggae’s evolution was the 1972 release of “The Harder They Come”. Starring Jamaican reggae artist Jimmy Cliff, it brought reggae into international consciousness and helped propel its growth globally. Additionally, it created a Jamaican identity which resonated strongly across cultures while encouraging pride within its people of their home nation.
Influences
Reggae music draws upon many styles and influences, from New Orleans rhythm and blues to African nyah-bingi drumming, among many others. The genre first emerged during the ’60s from rhythmic music such as ska and rocksteady; artists like Toots Hibbert and Lee “Scratch” Perry made this genre truly expressive of ghetto culture through lyrics, vocal effects (such as chanting) and musical idioms such as skengay – which sounds like gunshot riccocheting around city streets – to express ghetto culture through lyrics, vocal effects (such as chanting) and musical idioms such as this sound effect played out over each beat (ievoking memories of city streets), vocal effects (such as chanting) or musical idioms like this musical term which originated.
Jamaican musicians also slowed the tempo of ska music during this period, creating the brief but influential style known as rock steady. This emphasised bass guitar and rhythm guitar, and gave rise to such performers as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Phyliss Dillion.
Bob Marley was an integral figure in the evolution of reggae music and its appeal beyond Jamaica. His songs became staples among popular American acts like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, while his spirituality made an indelible impactful mark with Rastafari followers.
After its decline in Jamaica during the late ’70s, reggae began moving into London’s inner cities where it was further influenced by England’s multiculturalism and multiracial backgrounds. Influences from this new form, known as lovers rock, included Jamaican ghetto themes being replaced by UK inner city issues while Jamaican patois mixed with Cockney slang to produce music very popular with young British punk rockers such as Clash, Ruts and Members – also inspiring dancehall subgenres such as Ragga and Jungle as well as eventually leading into electronic forms such as dub and reggaeton/segae which emerged later than expected in late 80s. Other offshoots of reggae include ska-fusion/reggaeton/segae
Styles
Reggae music emerged in the ’60s as an offshoot of ska, Jamaican mento and calypso from Trinidad and Tobago. Reggae features an insistent four-beat rhythm accompanied by drums, bass guitar or “scraper,” an instrument made up of corrugated sticks rubbed together (later becoming part of another instrumental style called dub). Reggae lyrics often contain social criticism and religious themes which distinguish this genre.
Roots reggae music, popularised by artists such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, established Jamaicans as urban guerillas (see Rude Boy album by the band in 1966) while also popularising Rastafarianism — an African religious faith which advocates mass migration back to Africa — as well as toasting — an early form of rap music vocalization style.
Rocksteady, which followed ska, featured slower beats to create a more relaxed version of the genre and lyrics focused on romantic longing. Rocksteady paved the way for raggae which further slow down beats while adding funk-influenced instrumentation.
Reggae began as an acoustic genre; later styles involved electric instruments like keyboards and guitars. One distinct characteristic of reggae music is its thick bass sound; often electronically equalized so upper frequencies are reduced while lower ones become amplified; often featuring two or four bar bass patterns although some artists have developed more intricate chord progressions.
Reggae music has many offshoots, such as lovers rock, dancehall raggae jungle toasting. Reggae has also inspired hip-hop artists who incorporate elements of reggae into their lyrics and styles – dub soca and zouk are other influential genres influenced by reggae music. Reggae’s most contentious themes revolve around marijuana use and rejection of established white man culture; other songs may focus on antiracism/anticolonialism/criticism of political systems etc.
Musicians
Reggae music represents much more than simply music for Jamaicans; it represents their entire culture and way of life, complete with unique sounds, fashion trends, dance moves and language as well as philosophy and cuisine. Reggae has captured hearts all around the globe through its message of “One Love” and spiritual guidance based on Rastafari teachings.
Black Uhuru was led by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare as their rhythm section; their production featured drum machines and synthesizers on early hits like Red (1981). Third World offered commercial reggae/funk/soul fusion music; Desmond Dekker’s 1968 song “Israelites” alluded indirectly to oppressed black masses as “true Israelites,” trapped within modern Babylon while yearning for deliverance by an almighty Zion God – becoming an early blueprint for reggae music popularized by Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Bob Marley made waves as one of the premier reggae performers, combining powerful protest lyrics with top-of-the-line melodies and production standards that delighted both his Jamaican audience as well as U.S. rock listeners. Additionally, he highlighted bass guitar as well as elements of Jamaica’s indigenous drumming tradition called mento.
Lee Perry helped bring reggae music to an international audience through his production of artists such as Johnny Nash and Jimmy Cliff, including Cliff’s hit Wonderful World Beautiful People (1969) which combined reggae with hippie peace-and-love ideology, while Do The Reggay (1968) provided notice that something new had entered the marketplace. Furthermore, Toots Hibbert and the Maytals’ rendition of “Electric Boogie” caused a brief dance craze here in America.