Reggae developed from earlier genres like Ska and Rocksteady. It featured chants, bass-guitar-driven riffs, offbeat chords, and offbeat chord progressions.
Rastafarian beliefs include an understanding of Black resistance against what they refer to as “Babylon.”
Toots & the Maytals and Bunny Wailer of Bob Marley’s Wailers (Bunny Wailer) were three early reggae artists of note.
Origins
Reggae music first gained momentum in Jamaica at a time of national awakening and increasing nationalism, when British colonial rule had long since left its mark since Christopher Columbus arrived. Only in the 1960s did independence feel rise among Jamaicans – creating an atmosphere conducive to reggae music which evolved out of earlier styles such as ska and rocksteady.
Reggae was birthed with the arrival of American funk musicians who introduced a fresh emphasis to Jamaican rhythmic patterns, slowing tempos and simplifying guitar upbeats (known as “guitar skanks”). Reggae eventually evolved into “roots” music with Toots Hibbert and the Maytals becoming some of the first reggae artists to achieve international fame through their 1968 record 54-46.
Lee “Scratch” Perry became one of the most important musicians during this era, responsible for pushing reggae past the boundaries set by ska and rocksteady. Using wah-wah technique that involved shuffling between chords to produce an unsettlingly choppy sound. Additionally, he pioneered dub, an influential subgenre which would later influence African American hip-hop music as well as dance music.
Roots era reggae music also saw the birth of its iconic bass sound that remains an integral component of modern reggae today. This effect was accomplished by altering bass guitar tunings so as to remove higher frequencies while amplifying lower ones – thus making it easier for listeners to hear riffs and chord progressions of songs more clearly; this distinct bass tone now forms the cornerstone of many beloved reggae classics!
Bob Marley has become one of the most iconic faces associated with reggae since its origins, as his songs and image came to symbolize a movement to promote racial awareness and equality in society. Even though he did not identify as Rastafarian himself, his songs helped spread its message into mainstream popular culture.
Styles
Reggae music has come to encompass several distinct genres over time. Genres that make up Reggae include rocksteady, ska, dub reggae, dancehall and reggae fusion (combining Reggae with other musical genres). Reggae has long been associated with Rastafarian culture as it often touches upon social and political commentary as well as love, faith and hopefulness lyrically.
Rocksteady developed from ska’s rhythms, which had a more leisurely tempo than ska and featured smooth vocals with less prominent horns. A guitar rhythm known as the skank is frequently utilized in reggae music as it features alternating eighth and quarter note beats with strong emphasis on the third beat; this rhythm forms part of its bass line definition; additionally it is frequently employed across other genres like soul punk rock music.
Reggae dub was pioneered by studio producers Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and King Tubby in the studio, featuring extensive remixing of recorded material with particular emphasis placed on drum and bass line, creating an irresistibly visceral experience described by Tubby as sounding “just like a volcano in your head”. Artists such as Augustus Pablo and Mikey Dread were early proponents of this genre.
Dub reggae fused elements of rock, jazz and American funk into its music; experimentation was key during this era with drum patterns and chords such as tritones in some tunes; Dub poetry began emerging, most prominently written by Linton Kwesi Johnson himself.
Jamaica faced economic difficulties during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and reggae artists used songs as an outlet to express these problems through lyrics. Reggae artists drew upon both personal experience as well as spiritual teachings from Rastafarian movements in creating powerful messages that reached a wide audience.
Today, reggae music has had a dramatic influence across multiple genres including hip hop and rap music, while remaining immensely popular in Jamaica where it continues to thrive. Additionally, reggae has found acceptance across global communities with artists combining reggae with other styles such as rock and punk for an exciting blend.
Influences
Jamaica’s colonial past – both Spanish and British – has had a significant effect on reggae music, giving it its unique rhythmic flair that became immensely popular at dancehalls from Kingston to Montego Bay. Furthermore, its rich history made reggae music an expression of Rastafari beliefs as well as defiant spirit which cannot be suppressed.
Reggae continued its roots of ska and rocksteady beats that had helped form it, but with additional influences like Nyahbinghi drumming tradition and mento poetry which celebrated African culture. Furthermore, new styles emerged like dub which was created from remixing original tracks with an emphasis placed on bassline and drumming; guitar upbeats became simplified into one beat known as the “guitar skank,” creating a more relaxed sound than its predecessors.
Reggae was also heavily influenced by American funk and R&B, leading to the formation of what has now come to be known as “ska rock.” This style featured samba rhythms with a more distinct beat, making it especially popular with Britain’s skinhead subculture in the late 1960s and 70s – sometimes known as “skinhead reggae” or more generally as “ska-steppers.”
As reggae’s popularity expanded worldwide, its influence began to spread into other genres. A toasting style popularized by DJ Kool Herc of Jamaica became known as ragga or “raggamuffin,” eventually giving way to hip hop as an American musical genre.
Artists such as Bob Marley and the Wailers pioneered an evolved form of reggae through their musical talents to combat social injustices while spreading Rastafari religion. Through this influence came new styles such as dancehall, ragga and drum and bass which helped make reggae music an international genre; its influence even enabled artists who blended elements of reggae into other mainstream styles like pop and rock music to find greater success.
Musicians
People typically associate reggae music with images of dreadlocked musicians playing syncopated guitar beats. Other associations might include palm trees and tropical locations. Whatever their imagination tells them about it, reggae has had an enormous influence in music–from rock, punk and hip hop genres to electronica and everything in between!
Reggae musicians have played an essential part in expanding and evolving the genre over time. Notable names in reggae include Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley and the Wailers; Toots and the Maytals’ 1968 record “54-46 (That’s My Number)” is one of its earliest significant hits under reggae’s new umbrella genre.
Jimmy Cliff began as a ska performer before transitioning into reggae music, successfully incorporating many elements of reggae into his sound, becoming popular both locally and abroad. One of Cliff’s groundbreaking international albums was Wonderful World, Beautiful People from 1970 which brought great fame.
Reggae artists have created distinctive musical idiosyncrasies to distinguish their music from other styles of music, due to the specific rhythmic characteristics found within reggae music. One such characteristic is centered on beats two and four of a song’s rhythm – beats one and three are often unplayed, giving a different feel than that found with ska music’s one drop beats. Another distinctive element found within reggae music is organ shuffle which uses Hammond organ chords with choppiness as part of its signature.
Reggae was developed during the 1970s out of national pride, which can be seen through its lyrics which often contain social criticism and religious references. Reggae’s message of positivity has uplifted masses around the world.
Reggae also saw significant innovations with its development through subgenres such as dub, which was created using rerecorded rocksteady and ska tunes with Rastafarian lyrics spoken over them by an MC known as a toaster. Dancehall deejays adopted reggae into their music as well, which ultimately contributed to hip-hop’s emergence at the turn of the century in America.