Some Best reggae bands Are The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, Black Uhuru and Prophetic Culture, among others.
Reggae is a musical genre emerged in Jamaica in the 60's, with a style that may resemble ska and rocksteady but which developed its own characteristics.
The Wailers
One of its differential features is the accentuation of the off-beat or pulse, also called skank, in which the tonic is put in the second and fourth time of each compass, while the guitar accentuates the third.
It has a slower pace than the genres that inspired its beginnings. In addition, their themes were related to an entire ideological current linked to the Rastafari culture , Which was his definitive impulse.
You may also be interested in viewing The 71 best phrases of reggae and rastafari .
The 30 best reggae bands
1- The Wailers
Formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963 by Bob Marley, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Bunny Livingston (better known as Bunny Wailer), Winston Hubert McIntosh (Peter Tosh) and Cherry Smith, was the most significant reggae band.
With a particular sound, lyrics representative of their life experiences and a certain ideological approach to the Rastafarian culture, this group gave life to great individual talents, who would then continue their solo careers.
He suffered an extensive series of modifications in his training, but since his debut album, The Wailin In 1965, set a precedent in music. With sporadic presentations, the group continue to perform live.
2- Bob Marley
Born in 1945 in Jamaica, Robert Nesta Marley Booker, began his musical career as guitarist and singer of The Wailers, band that accompanied him throughout his career.
After the initial success, Bob began to take a leading role for the quality of his compositions and his charisma and since 1974 began his solo career.
With 18 albums to his credit, numerous books and films with his history, militant of the rastafari culture and defender of the legalization of the cannabis, Marley passed away in 1981 leaving a huge musical legacy.
3- Peter Tosh
Winston Hubert McIntosh, better known as Peter Tosh, was another member of The Wailers, a group that left in 1974 to start a prolific solo career.
He was the creator of a style of broken strumming of the guitar, that marked the genre, and was a militant of the human rights, the fight against the system, the war and defender of the legalization of the marijuana, that marked his work.
In addition to the eight albums with The Wailers, Tosh signed another 12 solo albums until his death in 1987.
4- Bunny Wailer
Another founder of The Wailers, who left the band in 1974 to launch his solo career. Wailer and Peter Tosh were annoyed by Marley's use of the group.
Born in 1947 under the name of Neville O'Riley Livingston, he was not as successful as his peers as a soloist, devoting more time to faith and musical production. Even today he continues to give concerts.
5- Toots and the Maytals
Popularly called The Maytals, this group emerged in 1962 as a vocal trio consisting of Frederick"Toots"Hibbert, Henry"Raleigh"Gordon and Nathaniel"Jerry"McCarthy, who sang on musical bases of The Skatalites.
With several interruptions and modifications, the band, which was one of the precursors of the genre, is still giving some concerts.
6- Black Uhuru
Considered one of the great bands of the second generation of reggae, this ensemble was born in 1970 with Ervin"Don Carlos"Spencer, Rudolph"Garth"Dennis, and Derrick"Duckie"Simpson.
The latter and Andrew Bees keep alive the group today, after several changes in their formation and interruptions in their production. They have more than 30 albums to their credit.
7- UB40
Born in 1978 by the union of eight childhood friends Alistair Campbell, Robin Campbell, James Brown, Earl Falconer, Norman Hassan, Brian Travers, Michael Virtue and Astro, this set is still in business.
With 24 records and a long list of successes throughout his career, this English band owes its name to the United Kingdom unemployment form.
8- Inner Circle
Founded by the brothers Ian and Roger Lewis in 1968, it was one of the precursory bands of the genre in Jamaica.
During its more than 40 years of race, this set underwent numerous changes in its formation. It has 23 studio albums, the last of 2004, but still remains active.
9- Jimmy Cliff
James Chambers was born in Jamaica in 1948, but quickly took Jimmy Cliff as his stage name, being a contemporary of the founding fathers of the genre.
With a score of albums to his credit, his song was undoubtedly I Can See Clearly Now , One of the greatest successes of his prolific musical career.
10- The Abyssinians
Another of the founders of the genre. This set was formed in 1969 in Jamaica with Bernard Collins, Donald Manning and Linford Manning.
The three musicians remain active to this day with their intact Rastafarian militancy. They recorded 10 discs.
The Abyssinians should not be confused with The Ethiopians, another musical group, although their names have the same meaning in many languages.
Alpha Blondy
Seydou Koné was born in 1953 in Cote d'Ivoire. He became known as Alpha Blondy in 1982 and is considered the heir to Bob Marley.
His lyrics express his ironic and defiant look at political reality, especially in Africa, and he has the peculiarity of singing in five languages: dioula, French, English, Arabic and Hebrew.
It has 21 discs of studies, numerous successes and is one of the artists of the most influential reggae of the present time.
12- Gregory Isaacs
Born in 1951 in Jamaica, he emerged on the music scene dazzling with his talent in the competitions of his country and is defined as the most exquisite artists of reggae.
After an extensive career, with more than 50 albums as musician and producer, Isaacs passed away in 2010 in London.
13- Natiruts
It could be considered one of the bands that renewed reggae in the last 20 years and did it from a special place: Brazil.
The formation came when Alexandre Carlo reunited his soccer buddies Luis Mauricio and Bruno Dourado. Then they would join Izabella Rocha and Kiko Peres. Since then they have recorded 12 albums.
14- Skatalites
Born in 1964, this Jamaican ensemble could be considered the reggae soundtrack and the creators of ska.
With their particular style they were the main influence of musicians like: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Toots and the Maytals. They are still active.
15- Steel Pulse
Formed in 1975 are the band that initiated the reggae movement in England, followed by UB40. Its members were children of Caribbean immigrants on the island, so their letters expressed the plight of their families in that country.
16- The Pioneers
Sydney and Derrick Crooks and Winston Hewitt formed this vocal trio in 1962, being another of the precursors of the genre with a unique style. It had two reforms but is still active.
17- Prophetic Culture
As a voice of protest in Puerto Rico, Prophetic Culture takes 21 years of career. With just five records and 14 members, this band gained popularity for its tributes to Bob Marley.
18- The Paralamas do Sucesso
Herbert Vianna, Bi Ribeiro and João Barone were all a sensation when they burst onto the music scene in 1977 being one of the most important groups in South America.
In spite of the air accident that left to its leader, Vianna, in wheelchairs, the band did not stop its production and its legacy continues expanding.
19- Laurel Aitken
Born in Cuba in 1927, he grew up in Jamaica and was the first of reggae musicians to succeed in Europe, even before Bob Marley.
He is considered a pioneer of reggae and ska, with nine albums and a career based on their live performances, Aitken passed away in 2005.
20- Prince Buster
Although never considered a reggae musician, the influence on the precursors of the genre was such that it deserves the place in this list.
Top figure ska and rocksteady, who gave life to reggae years later, Buster stood out as both singer and producer, leaving two dozen records until his death in 2016.
21- Culture
This band emerged in Jamaica in 1976 as a vocal trio and with the years was transformed, but always maintained its style and commitment in the struggle with peace.
22- Israel Vibration
From 1970 to the present, this harmonious group caused a sensation for his compositions and social commitment to his country, Jamaica. Lascelle"Wiss"Bulgin and Cecil"Skeleton"Spence, are still in the band, Albert"Apple Gabriel"Craig began his solo career in 1997.
23- Derrick Morgan
It is another of reggae's living stories, born in 1940 worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, and is still current with records and live performances.
Its great success was Forward March In 1962 to celebrate the independence of Jamaica and Great Britain.
24- The Aces
While the great artist of this group was Desmond Dekker, the ensemble had one of the first Jamaican hits in the world with Israelites . Dekker was one of the first stars of reggae.
25- Alborosi
This Italian born in 1977, dazzled the world with his virtuosity and even came to live in Jamaica, to better understand the origins of the genre. Year after year his music evolved and his success grew.
26- Barri Biggs
Biggs achieved fame by a cover, Sideshow Of Blue Magic song, but slowly was finding its place in the reggae scene and it continues in force. Their versions discs, were always their best success.
27- S.O.J.A
Soldiers Of Jah Army (Jah Army Soldiers) are one of the last appearances of reggae. Formed in the United States in 1997, they express their concern for the world today, especially on issues such as love and environmental problems.
28- Read"Scratch"Perry and The Upsetters
It is not a band but a solo artist, one of the pioneers of dub and reggae. Born in Jamaica in 1936, he began playing music in the poverty of his family and set up an extensive career.
At the age of 80, he continues to work as a musician, inventor, producer and sound engineer and since the beginning he has been the driving force behind numerous ensembles.
29- Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
Lee is another pioneer of Jamaican music. He was born in 1935 and died in 2008, leaving an immense musical legacy, but will always be remembered for being the one who introduced electric bass on the island.
30- Musical Youth
The pairs of brothers Kelvin and Michael Grant and Junior and Patrick Waite formed this group in England in 1979. But the formation would be completed with Frederick Waite, father of the two musicians, as singer and Denis Seatton.
After some successes was a participation next to Donna Summer that finished to consolidate them but in 1985 the band was dissolved. In 2001 they returned to the scene, but as a duet with Michael Grant and Dennis Seaton.
Origins of reggae
Its name, reggae, has different etymologies. The term"rule"was used in England as a synonym for rags or ragged clothing, but also to describe a street fight.
Musically its origins are even more diffuse. According to some records it was Desmond Dekker, who coined it for the first time in 1968, because he did not like the name rocksteady.
Other versions attribute the name to the genre to Clancy Eccles. Who, after a deformation of the terms patois streggae (easy woman) and reggay (ragged), began to call reggae to this style.
But Bob Marley also made his own interpretation of the name, which he defined as"king's music". Whatever its origin, this genre has a rich history of artists, which we will develop in this article.
References
- Reggae: The Rough Guide, Rough Guides, Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton, Rough Guides Limited, England, 1997.
- Bass Culture: the history of reggae, Lloyde Bradley, Antonio Machada, Spain, 2014.