Reggae ( / ˈ r ɛ ɡ eɪ / ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora . A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals , " Do the Reggay ", was the first popular song to use the word reggae , effectively naming the genre and introducing it to a global audience. Reggae is rooted out from traditional Jamaican Kumina, Pukkumina, Revival Zion, Nyabinghi, and burru drumming. Jamaican reggae music evolved out of the earlier genres mento , ska and rocksteady . Reggae usually relates news, social gossip, and political commentary. It is instantly recognizable from the counterpoint between the bass and drum downbeat and the offbeat rhythm section. The immediate origins of reggae were in ska and rocksteady; from the latter, reggae took over the use of the bass as a percussion instrument.
116-529: Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American reggae family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians, Bob Marley and Rita Marley , which includes lead singer Ziggy Marley with Sharon Marley , Cedella Marley , and Stephen Marley . Formed in 1979 in Brooklyn , New York, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers members began their musical endeavours in their pre-teens under
232-613: A Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". The Melody Makers' follow-up album One Bright Day , released in 1989. The album charted at no. 26 on the Billboard 200 and at no. 43 on the R&B Albums chart. The single "Look Who's Dancin'" received positive feedback and charted at no. 41 on Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart and at no. 23 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles charts. The album also spawned
348-474: A 150-item pop album chart in 1963. It was eventually expanded into a 200 album list on May 13, 1967. Various genre album charts were also published: Country LP chart in January 1964, R&B chart in 1965, jazz in 1969, Latin in 1973, Gospel 1974, and Rock in 1981. Other charts include Classical albums, Comedy Albums, Holiday Albums, Soundtracks, Independent Albums, Catalog Album and many others besides. At
464-621: A 2012 Grammy nomination. Stephen won the 2012 Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were often compared to their father's group Bob Marley and the Wailers , a Jamaican reggae group. Jo-Ann Greene of All Music Guide stated, "The Melody Makers had a breezy pop style, and while it was impossible not to hear Bob in Ziggy's vocals, this only emphasized the incredible emotional qualities of his own voice." Reggae Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of
580-715: A Friday-to-Thursday cycle. Radio Songs, which informs the Hot 100, synced to the Monday-to-Sunday period after formerly covering Wednesday to Tuesday. All other radio charts and genre tallies followed the Monday-to-Sunday cycle. The move was made to coincide with the IFPI's move to have all singles and albums released globally on Fridays. Starting on February 12, 2005, Billboard changed its methodology to include paid digital downloads from digital music retailers such as Rhapsody , AmazonMP3, and iTunes . With this policy change,
696-513: A Little Love", "One Love", or "Three Little Birds", all written by Bob Marley, can be sung and enjoyed for their optimism and cheerful lyrics. Some dancehall and ragga artists have been criticised for homophobia , including threats of violence. Buju Banton 's song "Boom Bye-Bye" states that gays "haffi dead" (have to die). Other notable dancehall artists who have been accused of homophobia include Elephant Man , Bounty Killer and Beenie Man . The controversy surrounding anti-gay lyrics has led to
812-566: A big following on the Hawaiian islands and the West coast of the US. On the east coast upstate NY has seen a rise in original roots reggae bands such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and John Brown's Body who were inspired by Jamaican reggae bands that performed in the area in the 1980s and 1990s. Matisyahu gained prominence by blending traditional Jewish themes with reggae. Compounding his use of
928-670: A certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music. The equipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it." The reggae organ-shuffle is unique to reggae. In the original version of reggae, the drummer played a reggae groove that was used in the four bar introduction, allowing the piano to serve as a percussion instrument. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Many early reggae bands covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk songs. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise
1044-469: A chart manager, who makes these determinations. According to the 100th-anniversary issue of Billboard , prior to the official implementation of SoundScan tracking in November 1991, many radio stations and retail stores removed songs from their manual reports after the associated record labels stopped promoting a particular single. Thus, songs fell quickly after peaking and had shorter chart lives. In 1990,
1160-516: A concert tribute to the late Dennis Brown, who Bob Marley cited as his favorite singer. On the business side, RIAJam held events focused on reggae's employment opportunities and potential international revenue. . Reggae Month 2019 in Jamaica was welcomed with multiple events ranging from corporate reggae functions to major celebrations in honour of Bob Marley's Birthday on 6 February to a tribute concert in honour of Dennis Brown on 24 February along with
1276-454: A couple of vocalists. Reggae is played in 4 time because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 4 . One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure, often referred to as the skank . This rhythmic pattern accents the second and fourth beats in each bar and combines with
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#17327733182761392-713: A fantastic experience opening for more established acts or in early sets at larger reggae festivals. The live experience is a major part of the American Reggae world and the presence of so many emerging bands to combine with established international acts has allowed the movement to grow in recent years. The American reggae scene is heavily centred in Southern California , with large scenes also in New York City , Washington, D.C. , Chicago , Miami , and Honolulu . For decades, Hawaiian reggae has had
1508-404: A full week of sales on combined sales and airplay points. This allowed several tracks to debut at number one. In December 1998, the policy was further modified to allow tracks to chart on the basis of airplay alone without a commercial release. This change was made to reflect the changing realities of the music business. Previous to this, several substantial radio and MTV hits had not appeared on
1624-462: A genre slower than ska featuring more romantic lyrics and less prominent horns. Theories abound as to why Jamaican musicians slowed the ska tempo to create rocksteady; one is that the singer Hopeton Lewis was unable to sing his hit song "Take It Easy" at a ska tempo. The name "rocksteady" was codified after the release of a single by Alton Ellis . Many rocksteady rhythms later were used as the basis of reggae recordings, whose slower tempos allowed for
1740-637: A jazzy pop style. Other 7" singles to appear in Jamaica around this time were covers of popular American R&B hits, made by Kingston sound system operators to be played at public dances. Meanwhile, Jamaican expatriates started issuing 45s on small independent labels in the United Kingdom, many mastered directly from Jamaican 45s. Ska arose in Jamaican studios in the late 1950s, developing from this mix of American R&B, mento and calypso music . Notable for its jazz-influenced horn riffs, ska
1856-664: A musical unit in 1979 to record "Children Playing in the Streets". Bob Marley had composed the song four years earlier for his children and wanted to share this gift with children around the world. All royalties from the single were pledged to the United Nations, to aid its efforts during the International Year of the Child. Ziggy and Stephen performed together at their father's funeral on 21 May 1981, dancing alongside
1972-684: A number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe, whose music and vocal styles are almost identical to contemporary Jamaican music. The best examples might be Alborosie (Italy) and Gentleman (Germany). Both Gentleman and Alborosie have had a significant chart impact in Jamaica, unlike many European artists. They have both recorded and released music in Jamaica for Jamaican labels and producers and are popular artists, likely to appear on many riddims . Alborosie has lived in Jamaica since
2088-540: A number of other reggae artists including their brother Ky-Mani Marley . Cedella currently lives in Miami , Florida , where she is the CEO of Tuff Gong International. She continues to tour with the Melody Makers internationally and perform on numerous TV shows. She has also developed a collection of customized women's clothing, named Catch A Fire, the title of one of her father's albums. Sharon balances her prowess on stage with
2204-641: A partnership with Lee Gopthal 's Trojan Records in 1968, which released reggae in the UK until bought by Saga records in 1974. Reggae's influence bubbled to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late 1972. First Three Dog Night hit No. 1 in September with a cover of the Maytones ' version of " Black and White ". Then Johnny Nash was at No. 1 for four weeks in November with " I Can See Clearly Now ". Paul Simon 's single " Mother And Child Reunion " –
2320-696: A pattern in which the surdo bass drums (four of them at minimum) divided themselves into four or five interlocking parts. In the state of Maranhão , in northeastern Brazil , reggae is a very popular genre. São Luís , the state capital, is known as the Brazilian Jamaica. The city has more than 200 radiolas , the name given to sound teams formed by DJs and sound systems with dozens of powerful amplifiers stacked. Reggae in Maranhão has its own characteristics, such as melody and dance style, as well as having its own radio and television programs. In 2018,
2436-687: A presence in Veracruz , Mexico . The most notable Jarocho reggae group being Los Aguas Aguas from Xalapa . Some of the most popular reggae groups across Latin America come from the Southern Cone, such as the Chilean band Gondwana , and the Argentinian band Los Cafres. The Puerto Rican band Cultura Profética is also widely recognized in the region. Hispanic reggae includes three elements:
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#17327733182762552-571: A row". Reggae as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 rocksteady hit " Do the Reggay " by the Maytals which named the genre. Reggae historian Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae (loose woman) into reggae . However, Toots Hibbert said: There's a word we used to use in Jamaica called "streggae". If a girl is walking and
2668-566: A softer and more commercial sound.Other reggae artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World , Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott . The Grammy Awards introduced the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album category in 1985. Women also play a role in the reggae music industry personnel such as Olivia Grange, president of Specs-Shang Musik; Trish Farrell, president of Island/Jamaica; Lisa Cortes, president of Loose Cannon; Jamaican-American Sharon Gordon, who has worked in
2784-619: A sold-out concert by 2019 Reggae Grammy nominated artiste Protoje for his A Matter of Time Live held at Hope Gardens in Kingston on 23 February. In November 2018 "reggae music of Jamaica" was added to the UNESCO 's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the decision recognised reggae's "contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores
2900-468: A song could chart based on digital downloads alone. On July 31, 2007, Billboard changed its methodology for the Hot 100 chart to include digital streams, which at the time was obtained from Yahoo and AOL's streaming platforms. This change was made exclusively to the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The effect of this chart change was minuscule at the time because it was estimated to account for 5% of
3016-616: A specific religious topic, or simply giving praise to God ( Jah ). Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black nationalism , anti-racism , anti- colonialism , anti-capitalism and criticism of political systems and "Babylon" . In recent years, Jamaican (and non-Jamaican) reggae musicians have used more positive themes in reggae music. The music is widely considered a treasured cultural export for Jamaica, so musicians who still desire progress for their island nation have begun focusing on themes of hopefulness, faith, and love. For elementary children, reggae songs such as "Give
3132-482: A track which he recorded in Kingston, Jamaica with Jimmy Cliff 's backing group – was ranked by Billboard as the No. 57 song of 1972. In 1973, the film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff was released and introduced Jamaican music to cinema audiences outside Jamaica. Though the film achieved cult status, its limited appeal meant that it had a smaller impact than Eric Clapton 's 1974 cover of Bob Marley's " I Shot
3248-663: A week-long festival which used to take place in Osoppo , Italy , until 2009, is now held in Benicassim , Spain , and gathers up to 150,000 visitors every year. In Iceland reggae band Hjálmar is well established having released six CDs in Iceland. They were the first reggae band in Iceland, but few Icelandic artists had written songs in the reggae style before their arrival on the Icelandic music scene. The Icelandic reggae scene
3364-463: Is 1968's " Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da " by the Beatles . The Wailers , a band started by Bob Marley , Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, is perhaps the most recognized band that made the transition through all three stages of early Jamaican popular music: ska, rocksteady and reggae. Over a dozen Wailers songs are based on or use a line from Jamaican mento songs. Other significant ska artists who made
3480-682: Is based on the views and fans on social networking websites like Myspace and Facebook. It has since been discontinued. In May 2014, after the Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart was discontinued in the U.S., the Billboard K-Town column continued to provide chart information for K-pop artists on all Billboard charts. The Artist 100 debuted in July 2014. In June 2019, Billboard launched the Top Songwriters Chart and
3596-471: Is characterized by a quarter note walking bass line, guitar and piano offbeats , and a drum pattern with cross-stick snare and bass drum on the backbeat and open hi-hat on the offbeats. When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, ska became the music of choice for young Jamaicans seeking music that was their own. Ska also became popular among mods in Britain. In the mid-1960s, ska gave rise to rocksteady ,
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3712-502: Is common for reggae to be sung in Jamaican Patois , Jamaican English , and Iyaric dialects. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism and religion in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Reggae is deeply linked to Rastafari , an Afrocentric religion which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, aiming at promoting pan-Africanism . Soon after
3828-479: Is considered the true guide to a song's popularity until the creation of the Hot 100 in 1958. Another accolade of a successful song was a position on the "Honor Roll of Hits", introduced on March 24, 1945, initially as a 10-song list, later expanded to 30 songs, which ranked the most popular songs by combining record and sheet sales, disk jockey, and jukebox performances as determined by Billboard's weekly nationwide survey. This chart amalgamated different records of
3944-699: Is expanding and growing at a fast rate. RVK Soundsystem is the first Icelandic sound system , counting five DJs. They hold reggae nights in Reykjavík every month at clubs Hemmi og Valdi and more recently in Faktorý as the crowd has grown so much. Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in Billboard magazine. Billboard biz,
4060-430: Is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated , melodic bass lines that differentiate reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations. Reggae drummers often involved these three tips for other reggae performers: (1) go for open, ringing tones when playing ska and rocksteady, (2) use any available material to stuff
4176-410: The Billboard chart at all, because many major labels chose not to release them as standalone singles, hoping their unavailability would spur greater album sales . Not offering a popular song to the public as a single was unheard of before the 1970s. The genres that suffered most at the time were those that increasingly impacted pop culture , including new genres such as trip hop and grunge . Among
4292-405: The Billboard charts. At the time, instead of using Nielsen SoundScan or Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (BDS), Billboard obtained its data from manual reports filled out by radio stations and stores. For different musical genres, which stations and stores are used separates the charts; each musical genre has a core audience or retail group. Each genre's department at Billboard is headed up by
4408-517: The Billboard 200 and no. 26 on the R&B Albums chart. The album spawned the successful single "Tomorrow People", which charted at no. 16 on the Mainstream Rock chart and no. 39 on the Hot 100 . The second single "Tumblin' Down" was also well-received charting at no. 1 on Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart and at no. 28 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles charts. The album received
4524-471: The Coachella festival , after Chronixx in 2016. The UK was a primary destination for Caribbean people looking to emigrate as early as the 1950s. Because of this, Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Most notable of these is lovers rock , but this fusion of Jamaican music into English culture
4640-496: The Hot 100 song chart, all three data are used to compile the charts. For the Billboard 200 album chart, streams and track sales are included in addition to album sales . The weekly sales and streams charts have been monitored on a Friday-to-Thursday cycle since July 2015; previously it was on a Monday-to-Sunday cycle. Radio airplay song charts, however, follow the Monday-to-Sunday cycle (previously Wednesday-to-Tuesday). The charts are released each Tuesday with an issue date
4756-520: The I-Threes as opening acts. The group was well received at the yearly Reggae Sunsplash in 1986 and 1987. In 1988, the band's popularity was so high that they were signed to the international major label Virgin Records . Later that year, they went into the studio with Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz of Talking Heads to record their third album, Conscious Party . The album charted at no. 23 on
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4872-560: The Reggae Museum of Maranhão was inaugurated, the second reggae museum in the world (after Jamaica ), with the objective of preserving the state's reggae cultural history. In the United States, bands like Rebelution , Slightly Stoopid , Dirty Heads , and Iration are the leading bands in a growing genre. Other bands like The Movement, The Elovaters, Artikal Sound System, Soja, Fortunate Youth, Hirie, Common Kings and Tribal Seeds have enthusiastic followings and typically provide
4988-661: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . Reggae en Español spread from mainland South American Caribbean from Venezuela and Guyana to the rest of South America. It does not have any specific characteristics other than being sung in Spanish, usually by artists of Latin American origin. Samba reggae originated in Brazil as a blend of samba with Jamaican reggae. Reggae also has
5104-509: The Top Reggae Albums chart. In 1998, the second single "Everyone Wants to Be" charted at no. 16 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart. The album earned the group their third Grammy award. In 1999, the group released their tenth studio album, Spirit of Music . The album peaked at no. 1 on the Top Reggae Albums chart. The album spawned the singles "Higher Vibration," "Jah Will Be Done", and "One Good Spliff". Later that year,
5220-485: The Top World Music Albums chart, no. 75 on the R&B Albums chart, no. 178 on the Billboard 200 chart, and no. 11 on the Top Reggae Albums chart. Returning to their roots with a vengeance and accompanied by former Wailers' bassist Aston Barrett , the album was their final one for Virgin. In 1995, the group signed a record deal with Elektra and released " Free Like We Want 2 B " accompanied by
5336-510: The civil rights movement and the Black Soul movement, and especially the Jamaican independence movement since the 1960s and its messages in reggae and Rastafari. Thus, the sudden popularity of reggae music and musicians in Bahia, Brazil, was not the result of the effects of the transnational music industry, but of the need to establish cultural and political links with black communities across
5452-403: The country singles chart was the first chart to use SoundScan and BDS. They were followed by the Hot 100 and the R&B chart in 1991. Today, all of the Billboard charts use this technology. Before September 1995, singles were allowed to chart in the week they first went on sale based on airplay points alone. The policy was changed in September 1995, to only allow a single to debut after
5568-464: The hazzan style, Matisyahu's lyrics are mostly English with more than occasional use of Hebrew and Yiddish . There is a large Caribbean presence in Toronto and Montreal , Canada , with English and French influences on the reggae genre. Canadian band Magic! 's 2013 single " Rude " was an international hit. In 2017, Toots and the Maytals became the second reggae-based group to ever perform at
5684-418: The ska and rocksteady of 1960s Jamaica, strongly influenced by traditional Caribbean mento and calypso music , as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues . Ska was originally a generic title for Jamaican music recorded between 1961 and 1967 and emerged from Jamaican R&B, which was based largely on American R&B and doo-wop. Rastafari entered some countries primarily through reggae music; thus,
5800-417: The "Best Selling Popular Record Albums", was first published on March 24, 1945, with The King Cole Trio its first No. 1. The first chart had 10 albums, before reducing to five in the following weeks, then increasing again to 10 in 1948. The album chart was split into 33-8 and 45 rpm lists in 1950 before they recombined in 1954, then divided into mono and stereo classifications in 1959 before they merged into
5916-513: The "double skank" guitar strokes on the offbeat. Reggae developed from ska and rocksteady in the late 1960s. Larry And Alvin's "Nanny Goat" and the Beltones' "No More Heartaches" were among the songs in the genre. The beat was distinctive from rocksteady in that it dropped any of the pretensions to the smooth, soulful sound that characterized slick American R&B, and instead was closer in kinship to US southern funk, being heavily dependent on
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#17327733182766032-417: The 'bang" has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following eighth-note beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to " Stir It Up " by the Wailers. Artist and producer Derrick Harriott says, "What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among
6148-507: The 10 top-selling records of three leading record companies as reported by the companies themselves. In March 1937, the "Songs with the Most Radio Plugs" chart debuted with data from a separate company. In October 1938, a review list, "The Week's Best Records", was retitled "The Billboard Record Buying Guide" by incorporating airplay and sheet music sales, which would eventually become the first trade survey of record popularity. In
6264-481: The Americas that had faced and were facing similar sociopolitical situations. Musically, it was the bloco afro Olodum and its lead percussionist, Neguinho do Samba , that began to combine the basic samba beat of the blocos with merengue, salsa, and reggae rhythms and debuted their experimentations in the carnival of 1986. The new toques (drumming patterns) were labeled "samba-reggae" and consisted basically of
6380-646: The Caribbean business of Ghetto Youth United, the Melody Makers support group and as the curator of the Bob Marley Museum. Erica Newell, who was back-up vocalist for the group's tours, has pursued her solo career. She released a single "Inspire Me". She is currently working on her own album, which will be released her independent record label "Ouida International". She sings as a backing vocalist for Stephen Marley and continues to do her own shows. In 2006, Ziggy released his second album Love Is My Religion , which earned Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". In
6496-486: The I-Threes and the Wailers, during their brief homage to the great artist. Later that year, the Melody Makers released their second single, "What a Plot," which, like their debut, appeared on their late father's own Tuff Gong label. In 1983, the group performed at Reggae Sunsplash, a festival that Ziggy and Stephen were already veterans of, having appeared on-stage there back in 1979 during the Wailers' own set. In 1984,
6612-610: The July 27, 1940, issue, the first "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" was published for the week ending July 20, with separate listings covering retail sales, sheet music sales, jukebox song selection and radio play. Among the lists were the 10 songs of the "Best Selling Retail Records", which is the fore-runner of today's pop chart, with " I'll Never Smile Again " by Tommy Dorsey (featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra ) its first number one. This best-seller chart (also known as "Best Sellers in Stores" and "Best Selling Pop Singles in Stores")
6728-517: The Maytals, Lloyd Knibb from the Skatalites, Winston Grennan , Sly Dunbar , and Anthony "Benbow" Creary from the Upsetters . The bass guitar often plays the dominant role in reggae. The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies emphasized. The guitar in reggae usually plays on the offbeat of the rhythm. It
6844-589: The Melody Makers began a recording session with English producer Steve Levine that released a single, "Lying in Bed". In 1985, the group released their first album, Play the Game Right . Although accompanied by the Barrett brothers, who were the solid rhythm section for the Wailers, the group's record bore little resemblance to their father's music. In 1986, Hey World was released and credited to Ziggy Marley &
6960-410: The Melody Makers' pop-reggae sound has certainly done that. The band is comprised by four of Bob Marley's 11 children, vocalist/guitarist Ziggy , vocalist/guitarist/drummer Stephen , vocalist Cedella , and vocalist Sharon . As the eldest male, Ziggy is viewed by the press as the group's leader, with Stephen often sharing in the songwriting and lead vocals. The four siblings initially came together as
7076-447: The Melody Makers. This album laid the groundwork for the group's fast-maturing sound. A phenomenal mix of upbeat pop and heavier roots, cemented by hip electro-production, it was evident that the Melody Makers were no longer in the thrall of their father's music, but had found their own voice. In support of the album, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers embarked on their first tour, a veritable Tuff Gong roadshow with Nadine Sutherland and
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#17327733182767192-524: The Police 's 1978 debut album, Outlandos d'Amour , laid down the template for the basic structure of a lot of rock/reggae songwriting: a reggae-infused verse containing upstrokes on guitar or keyboards and a more aggressive, on-the-beat punk/rock attack during the chorus. The end of the 1970s featured a ska revival in the UK. By the end of the 1970s, a revival movement had begun in England, with such bands as
7308-489: The Rastafarian movement appeared, the international popularity of reggae music became associated with and increased the visibility of Rastafari and spread its gospel throughout the world. Reggae music is an important means of transporting vital messages of Rastafari. The musician becomes the messenger, and as Rastafari see it, "the soldier and the musician are tools for change." Reggae has spread to many countries around
7424-548: The Reggae Compassionate Act, in a deal brokered with top dancehall promoters and Stop Murder Music activists. They renounced homophobia and agreed to "not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community". Five artists targeted by the anti-homophobia campaign did not sign up to the act, including Elephant Man, TOK , Bounty Killa and Vybz Kartel . Buju Banton and Beenie Man both gained positive press coverage around
7540-533: The Sheriff " which made it onto the playlists of mainstream rock and pop radio stations worldwide. Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff" used modern rock production and recording techniques and faithfully retained most of the original reggae elements; it was a breakthrough pastiche devoid of any parody and played an important part in bringing the music of Bob Marley to a wider rock audience. By the mid-1970s, authentic reggae dub plates and specials were getting some exposure in
7656-636: The Specials, Madness, the (English) Beat, and the Selecter. The Specials' leader and keyboardist, Jerry Dammers , founded the 2 Tone record label, which released albums from the aforementioned racially integrated groups and was instrumental in creating a new social and cultural awareness. The 2 Tone movement referenced reggae's godfathers, popular styles (including the genre's faster and more dance-oriented precursors, ska and rocksteady), and previous modes of dress (such as black suits and porkpie hats) but updated
7772-483: The UK on John Peel 's radio show, who promoted the genre for the rest of his career. Around the same time, British filmmaker Jeremy Marre documented the Jamaican music scene in Roots Rock Reggae , capturing the heyday of Roots reggae . While the quality of Reggae records produced in Jamaica took a turn for the worse following the oil crisis of the 1970s, reggae produced elsewhere began to flourish. In
7888-544: The UK, and there have been a number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe. Reggae in Africa was boosted by the visit of Bob Marley to Zimbabwe in 1980. The 1967 edition of the Dictionary of Jamaican English lists reggae as "a recently estab. sp. for rege ", as in rege-rege , a word that can mean either "rags, ragged clothing" or "a quarrel,
8004-444: The bass drum so that it tightens up the kick to a deep, punchy thud, and (3) go without a ride cymbal, focusing on the hi-hat for timekeeping and thin crashes with fast decay for accents. The guitar in reggae usually plays on the off beat of the rhythm. So if one is counting in 4 time and counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ...", one would play a downstroke on the "and" part of the beat. A musical figure known as skank or
8120-417: The bottom reaches of the charts. The single "Good Time" only charted no. 85 on Hot 100 charts. The album charted at no. 3 on the Top World Music Albums and at no. 63 on the Billboard 200 . The album also spawned the singles "Rainbow Country", "Kozmic", and "Small People". The album received a Grammy nomination. In 1993, the group released their seventh album " Joy and Blues ". The album charted at no. 5 on
8236-525: The cancellation of UK tours by Beenie Man and Sizzla. Toronto, Canada has also seen the cancellation of concerts due to artists such as Elephant Man and Sizzla refusing to conform to similar censorship pressures. After lobbying from the Stop Murder Music coalition, the dancehall music industry agreed in 2005 to stop releasing songs that promote hatred and violence against gay people. In June 2007, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton signed up to
8352-441: The chart's total points. In October 2012, Billboard significantly changed the methodology for its country, rock, Latin, and rap charts, when it incorporated sales of digital downloads and streaming plays into what had previously been airplay-only charts. Another change was that rather than measuring airplay only from radio stations of a particular genre, the new methodology measures airplay from all radio formats. This methodology
8468-702: The current Hot 100 chart. The jukebox chart ceased publication after the June 17, 1957, issue, the disk jockey chart after July 28, 1958, and the best-seller chart after October 13, 1958. After July 28, 1958, the composite chart the "Top 100" chart was also discontinued; and the "Hot 100" began the following week on August 4, 1958, listing " Poor Little Fool " by Ricky Nelson as its first No. 1. The Hot 100 currently combines singles sales, radio airplay , digital downloads , and streaming activity (including data from YouTube and other video sites). Many Billboard charts use this basic formula apart from charts dedicated to
8584-450: The drum's emphasis on beat three to create a unique sense of phrasing. The reggae offbeat can be counted so that it falls between each count as an "and" (example: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ... , etc.) or counted as a half-time feel at twice the tempo so it falls on beats 2 and 4. This is in contrast to the way most other popular genres focus on beat one, the "downbeat". The tempo of reggae is usually slower than both ska and rocksteady . It
8700-635: The dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual." The term cod reggae is popularly used to describe reggae done by non-Caribbean people, often in a disparaging manner because of perceived inauthenticity . Boy George has been described as “one of the great cod reggae artists of all time.” Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz , mento , calypso , African, and Latin American music, as well as other genres. Reggae scenes consist of two guitars, one for rhythm and one for lead—drums, congas, and keyboards, with
8816-422: The end of each year, Billboard tallies the results of all of its charts, and the results are published in a year-end issue and heard on year-end editions of its American Top 40 and American Country Countdown radio broadcasts. The first such annual charts released were for the year 1946, published on the January 4, 1947, issue, although annual listing of songs had been published some years prior, such as
8932-560: The following Saturday. The first chart published by Billboard was "Last Week's Ten Best Sellers Among The Popular Songs", a list of best-selling sheet music , in July 1913. Other early charts listed popular song performances in theatres and recitals in different cities. In 1928, "Popular Numbers Featured by Famous Singers and Leaders" appeared, which added radio performances to in-person performances. On January 4, 1936, Billboard magazine published its first pop chart based on record sales. Titled "Ten Best Records for Week Ending", it listed
9048-571: The following year, Stephen released his first album Mind Control in March 2007, which also earned a Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". In 2008, Ziggy released a live CD/DVD "Love Is My Religion Live". In 2009, Ziggy released his third album Family Time . In the same year, Stephen joined Snoop Dogg and Slightly Stoopid on the Blazed and Confused 2009 Tour and released Mind Control Acoustic . In February 2011, Cedella announced she would design
9164-634: The group performed "Believe in Yourself", the theme song to the PBS Kids series, Arthur . In early 1997, the group performed at the tribute concert "Marley Magic Live" in Central Park , New York on the Summerstage. They also released their second best-of album " The Best of (1988-1993) ". Later that year, the group released ninth album " Fallen Is Babylon ". The album only charted no. 3 on
9280-565: The group released a concert DVD, "Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live". The DVD was filmed in 2000 in Pompano Beach , Florida . In 2003, Ziggy released his first album Dragonfly . In the same year, Stephen and his brother Damian put together an album called Educated Fools under the group name of Marley Boyz. They recorded it on the labels Ghetto Youths International and Tuff Gong International, collaborating with
9396-401: The group reunited to perform at the "One Love All-Star Tribute Concert." The concert was recorded and released in the same year and features other performances from Rita Marley , Julian Marley , Erykah Badu , and other artists. In 2000, the group released their live album Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live, Vol. 1 , which charted at no. 5 on the Top Reggae Albums chart. In May 2001,
9512-514: The group's own recording label "Ghetto Youths United". The album charted at no. 170 on the Billboard 200 chart and no. 3 on the Top Reggae Albums chart. The single "Power to Move Ya" charted no. 13 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles . In 1996 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers released a song called "Love Power" for the Jim Henson soundtrack movie Muppet Treasure Island with the composers Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil [1] In that same year,
9628-402: The guys look at her and say "Man, she's streggae" it means she don't dress well, she look raggedy. The girls would say that about the men too. This one morning me and my two friends were playing and I said, "OK man, let's do the reggay." It was just something that came out of my mouth. So we just start singing "Do the reggay, do the reggay" and created a beat. People tell me later that we had given
9744-503: The incorporation of the Spanish language; the use of translations and versions based on known riddims and background music; and regional consciousness. It is a medium of rebellious contestation rising from the underground. Hispanic reggae is related to rap, sharing characteristics that can be found not only in the social conditions in which they developed in the region but also in the characteristics of social sectors and classes that welcome them. Brazilian samba-reggae utilized themes such as
9860-486: The independent reggae music industry. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding made February 2008 the first annual Reggae Month in Jamaica. To celebrate, the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam) held its first Reggae Academy Awards on 24 February 2008. In addition, Reggae Month included a six-day Global Reggae conference, a reggae film festival, two radio station award functions, and
9976-554: The kit for the Jamaican track and field team at the 2012 Summer Olympics , including world champion Usain Bolt , under an arrangement with Puma . In May 2011, Stephen released his second album "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life". In July 2011, Ziggy released his fourth album Wild and Free . The album spawned the single "Forward to Love". In September 2011, Cedella released a book called "One Love". Ziggy's "Wild and Free" album and Stephen's "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life" received
10092-806: The late 1970s and early 1980s, the UK punk rock scene flourished, and reggae was a notable influence. The DJ Don Letts would play reggae and punk tracks at clubs such as The Roxy . Punk bands such as the Clash , the Ruts , the Members and the Slits played many reggae-influenced songs. Around the same time, reggae music took a new path in the UK; one that was created by the multiracial makeup of England's inner cities and exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse , Aswad and UB40 , as well as artists such as Smiley Culture and Carroll Thompson . The Jamaican ghetto themes in
10208-576: The late 1990s and has recorded at Bob Marley's famous Tuff Gong Studios. Since the early 1990s, several Italian reggae bands have emerged, including Africa Unite, Gaudi , Reggae National Tickets, Sud Sound System , Pitura Freska and B.R. Stylers . Reggae appeared on the Yugoslav popular music scene in the late 1970s, through sporadic songs by various rock acts, most prominently by new wave bands Haustor , Šarlo Akrobata , Aerodrom , Laboratorija Zvuka , Piloti , Zana , Du Du A and Grupa I . In
10324-485: The latter half of the 20th century, phonograph records became of central importance to the Jamaican music industry, playing a significant cultural and economic role in the development of reggae music. "In the early 1950s, Jamaican entrepreneurs began issuing 78s" but this format would soon be superseded by the 7" single, first released in 1949. In 1951 the first recordings of mento music were released as singles and showcased two styles of mento: an acoustic rural style, and
10440-567: The leap to reggae include Prince Buster , Desmond Dekker , Ken Boothe , and Millie Small , best known for her 1964 blue-beat/ska cover version of " My Boy Lollipop " which was a smash hit internationally. Notable Jamaican producers influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae include: Coxsone Dodd , Lee "Scratch" Perry , Leslie Kong , Duke Reid , Joe Gibbs and King Tubby . Chris Blackwell , who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed
10556-479: The lyrics were replaced with UK inner city themes, and Jamaican patois became intermingled with Cockney slang. In South London around this time, a new subgenre of lovers rock , was being created. Unlike the Jamaican music of the same name which was mainly dominated by male artists such as Gregory Isaacs , the South London genre was led by female singers like Thompson and Janet Kay . The UK Lovers Rock had
10672-407: The many pre-1999 songs that had ended up in this Hot 100 limbo were The Cardigans ' " Lovefool ", Natalie Imbruglia 's " Torn " (which peaked at 42), Goo Goo Dolls ' " Iris " (which hit number 9), OMC 's " How Bizarre ", Sugar Ray 's " Fly ", and No Doubt 's " Don't Speak ". On June 25, 2015, Billboard made changes in its chart requirements. The official street date for all new album releases
10788-467: The methodology for its charts that incorporated YouTube video streaming data into the determination of ranking positions on streaming charts. The incorporation of YouTube streaming data enhanced a formula that includes on-demand audio streaming and online radio streaming. The YouTube video streams that used in this methodology are official video streams, Vevo on YouTube streams, and user-generated clips that use authorized audio. Billboard said this change
10904-781: The mid-1980s appeared Del Arno Band , often considered the first Yugoslav band whose sound was primarily reggae-oriented, remaining one of the most notable reggae acts on the post-Yugoslav music scene. The first homegrown Polish reggae bands started in the 1980s with groups like Izrael . Singer and songwriter Alexander Barykin was considered the father of Russian reggae. In Sweden, Uppsala Reggae Festival attracts attendees from across Northern Europe and features Swedish reggae bands such as Rootvälta and Svenska Akademien as well as many popular Jamaican artists. Summerjam , Europe's biggest reggae festival, takes place in Cologne , Germany , and sees crowds of 25,000 or more. Rototom Sunsplash ,
11020-464: The movement in these places is more stamped by its origins in reggae music and social milieu. The Rastafari movement was a significant influence on reggae, with Rasta drummers like Count Ossie taking part in seminal recordings. One of the predecessors of reggae drumming is the Nyabinghi rhythm , a style of ritual drumming performed as a communal meditative practice in the Rastafarian life. In
11136-419: The musical elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, mento (a celebratory, rural folk form that served its largely rural audience as dance music and an alternative to the hymns and adapted chanteys of local church singing), calypso , and also draws influence from traditional African folk rhythms. One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on
11252-434: The name the Melody Makers . Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling fourth album, Conscious Party , which contained the hit single "Tomorrow People" and the number-one single "Tumblin' Down". Their fifth album, One Bright Day , which contains themes of optimism and self-empowerment, was released in 1989. In 2000, they toured worldwide for
11368-440: The offbeats of the measure. The tempo of reggae is usually slower-paced than both ska and rocksteady. The concept of call and response can be found throughout reggae music. The genre of reggae music is led by the drum and bass. Some key players in this sound are Jackie Jackson from Toots and the Maytals, Carlton Barrett from Bob Marley and the Wailers , Lloyd Brevett from the Skatalites , Paul Douglas from Toots and
11484-435: The online extension of the Billboard charts, provides additional weekly charts, as well as year-end charts. The two most important charts are the Billboard Hot 100 for songs and Billboard 200 for albums, and other charts may be dedicated to a specific genre such as R&B, country, or rock, or they may cover all genres. The charts can be ranked according to sales, streams, or airplay, and for main song charts such as
11600-463: The political consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism , or by informing the listener about controversial subjects such as apartheid . Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known as herb , ganja , or sinsemilla ), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement . There are many artists who utilize religious themes in their music – whether it be discussing
11716-404: The release of their live DVD, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Live (2001). In 1996, they sang the theme song for the animated children's TV series Arthur . Originally formed at the request of their father, Bob Marley , it was only after his death that the Melody Makers came into their own. Their vision, however, is similar to their father's desire to bring people together through music and
11832-644: The rhythm section to drive it along. Reggae's great advantage was its almost limitless flexibility: from the early, jerky sound of Lee Perry's "People Funny Boy", to the uptown sounds of Third World's "Now That We've Found Love", it was an enormous leap through the years and styles, yet both are instantly recognizable as reggae. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright and featured in transitional singles "Say What You're Saying" (1968) by Eric "Monty" Morris and "People Funny Boy" (1968) by Lee "Scratch" Perry . Early 1968
11948-476: The same song by different performers as one, and topping the first chart was " Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive ". In November 1955, a composite standing chart that combined retail sales, jukebox and disk jockeys play charts but counted individual record separately was created as "The Top 100" chart, with " Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing " by The Four Aces its first No. 1. This chart is the direct predecessor to
12064-483: The singles "Black My Story (Not History)", "One Bright Day", "Justice", and "When the Lights Gone Out". The album received a Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". In 1991, the group released their sixth album, Jahmekya . Although it brought the Melody Makers their most glowing reviews, the record itself did not begin to equal the sales of their last albums, and their single, "Good Time", barely scraped into
12180-598: The sound its name. Before that people had called it blue-beat and all kind of other things. Now it's in the Guinness World of Records. Bob Marley said that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king's music". The liner notes of To the King , a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning 'to the king'. Reggae's direct origins are in
12296-693: The sound with a faster tempo, more guitar, and more attitude. Birmingham based reggae/ pop music band UB40 were main contributors to the British reggae scene throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The achieved international success with hits such as " Red Red Wine ", " Kingston Town " and " (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You ." Other UK-based artists that had international impact include Aswad , Misty in Roots , Steel Pulse , Janet Kay , Tippa Irie , Smiley Culture and more recently Bitty McLean . There have been
12412-432: The three data sources: sales (both physical and digital), airplay and streaming. In the early period, the issue dates and the chart dates given in Billboard were different until January 13, 1962, when the issue dates and the chart dates both referred to the week ending dates. The Honor Roll of Hits chart was discontinued after November 16, 1963. Billboard also publishes various music genre charts. "Harlem Hit Parade"
12528-525: The undifferentiated annual chart based on "Honor Roll of Hits" for 1945. Between 1991 and 2006, the top single/album/artist(s) in each of those charts was/were awarded in the form of the annual Billboard Music Awards , which were held in December until the awards went dormant in 2007. The awards returned in May 2011. For many years, a song had to be commercially available as a single to be considered for any of
12644-477: The world for publicly renouncing homophobia by signing the Reggae Compassion Act. However, both of these artists have since denied any involvement in anti-homophobia work and both deny having signed any such act. Reggae has spread to many countries around the world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. In November 2018 UNESCO added the "reggae music of Jamaica" to
12760-536: The world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. Reggae en Español spread from the Spanish-speaking Central American country of Panama to the mainland South American country of Venezuelathen to the rest of South America. Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Many reggae artists began their careers in
12876-845: Was created in 1943 which became "Best-Selling Race Records" in 1948 and "Best-selling Rhythm & Blues Records" in 1949, and then "Soul Singles" in 1969 (currently Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ). "Best-selling Folk Records" was published in 1948, and this morphed into "Best-Selling Country & Western Records" in 1949, "Best-Selling C&W Records" in 1956 and "Hot Country Singles" in 1963 (now Hot Country Songs ). MOR charts has been published since 1961, variously called "Easy Listening", "Middle-Road Singles" and "Pop-Standard Singles" and now Adult Contemporary . Billboard charts now cover these music genres: rock , pop, country , dance , bluegrass , jazz , classical , R&B , rap , electronic , Latin , Christian , world and holiday music , and even ringtones for mobile (cell) phones. An album chart,
12992-431: Was extended to their Christian and gospel charts in late 2013. These methodology changes resulted in higher positions on the genre charts for songs with crossover appeal to other genres and radio formats (especially pop) at the expense of songs that appeal almost exclusively to core fans of the given genre, a change that proved controversial with those devotees. On February 20, 2013, Billboard announced another change in
13108-711: Was made to further reflect the divergent platforms of music consumption in today's world. Notes In December 2010, Billboard announced a new chart titled Social 50 , which ranks the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites. The Social 50 chart tallies artists' popularity using their weekly additions of friends/fans/followers, along with weekly artist page views and weekly song plays on Myspace , YouTube , Facebook , Twitter and iLike . In January 2011, Billboard introduced another chart called Uncharted , which lists new and developing artists, who are yet to appear on any major Billboard chart, "...regardless of their country of origin." The ranking
13224-413: Was moved from Tuesday to Friday in the United States. For all sales-based charts (ranking both albums and tracks), Billboard and Nielsen changed the chart reporting period to cover the first seven days of an album's release. As a result of the changes, The Billboard 200, top albums sales, genre-based albums, digital songs, genre-based downloads, streaming songs, and genre-focused streaming surveys ran on
13340-542: Was seminal in the formation of other musical forms like drum and bass and dubstep . The UK became the base from which many Jamaican artists toured Europe and due to the large number of Jamaican musicians emigrating there, the UK is the root of the larger European scene that exists today. Many of the world's most famous reggae artists began their careers in UK. Singer and Grammy Award-winning reggae artist Maxi Priest began his career with seminal British sound system Saxon Studio International . Three reggae-tinged singles from
13456-471: Was when the first bona fide reggae records were released: "Nanny Goat" by Larry Marshall and "No More Heartaches" by the Beltones. That same year, the newest Jamaican sound began to spawn big-name imitators in other countries. American artist Johnny Nash 's 1968 hit " Hold Me Tight " has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts. Around the same time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock and pop music ; one example
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