Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by accents on the off-beat, known as the skank. Reggae is normally slower than ska but faster than rocksteady. Reggae usually accents the second and fourth beat in each bar, with the rhythm guitar also either emphasising the third beat or holding the chord on the second beat until the fourth is played. It is mainly this "third beat," its speed and the use of complex bass lines that differentiated reggae from rock steady, although later styles incorporated these innovations separately.
Reggae: Bob Marley, Damian "Junior Gong" Marley, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, Julian Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Inner Circle, Peter Tosh, Peter Broggs, Black Uhuru, Black Slate, The Abyssinians, Israel Vibration, Alborosie, Katchafire, Eek-A-Mouse, Jah Shaka, Jah Roots, Sean Paul, Matisyahu, The Rastafarians, Roots Radics, Sean Kingston, John Holt, Jimmy Cliff, Collie Buddz, Beres Hammond, Prince Lincoln Thompson, Prince Far I, Kiddus I, Ijahman Levi, I-Roy, Don Carlos, SOJA Aka Soldiers Of Jah Army, UB40, Aswad, Culture, Capleton, Burning Spear, Yellowman, Gyptian, The Ethiopians, Cornell Campbell, Sanchez, Johnny Clarke, Johnny Osbourne, Sizzla, Half Pint, Junior Reid, Big Youth, Alpha Blondy, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, Buju Banton, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Everton Blender, Junior Kelly, Gregory Isaacs, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Steel Pulse, Horace Andy, Max Romeo, Yami Bolo, Dennis Brown, Hugh Mundell, Jacob Miller, The Pioneers, Bunny Wailer, Bunny Lee, Antidoping, Khady Black, The Gladiators, Joseph Hoo Kim, and Ini Kamoze.
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ October 26, 2009
"Well reggae music is a music created by Rasta people.
And it carry force of people riddum. Ya know it's a riddum of people workin, people moving; ya know." -Bob Marley
And it carry force of people riddum. Ya know it's a riddum of people workin, people moving; ya know." -Bob Marley
The reggae song One Love by Bob Marley was named the "Song of the Millenium" by Time magazine in 2000.
by Foober March 15, 2004
Popular music originating in the West Indies; repetitive bass riffs and regular chords played on the off beat by a guitar
by Trish Bevins June 22, 2003
Reggae is a music movement created in Jamaica, contributed to greatly by the late The Hon. Robert Nesta Marley. Reggae is almost like a way of life. And reggae doesn't only involve rastafarians singing about weed. It's about unity, love, and sending that message around the world.
(And now that EVERYONE, that is celebrities, want to jump on the reggae bandwagon, like Sinead O'Connor, Lumidee and Stevie Wonder, the genre has become exploited. Everyone wants to do a collaboration with a reggae star. The Jamaican colours are spread all over, and Jamaica is getting no credit.)
And note, REGGAE is DIFFERENT FROM DANCEHALL MUSIC!! Dancehall is more of a DJ-ing gig and Reggae actually involves singing.
(And now that EVERYONE, that is celebrities, want to jump on the reggae bandwagon, like Sinead O'Connor, Lumidee and Stevie Wonder, the genre has become exploited. Everyone wants to do a collaboration with a reggae star. The Jamaican colours are spread all over, and Jamaica is getting no credit.)
And note, REGGAE is DIFFERENT FROM DANCEHALL MUSIC!! Dancehall is more of a DJ-ing gig and Reggae actually involves singing.
by Anonymous 2000568 696 May 21, 2005
reggae, especially that of bob marley, is some of the most soulful and mystical music you could ever hope to bless your ears upon. it can range from the sweet rhythms and politics of bob marley to the god awful dancehall of sean paul.
it is mostly hated by the shallow, white, suburban teenagers who can't get past that damned punk rock and MTV.
it is mostly hated by the shallow, white, suburban teenagers who can't get past that damned punk rock and MTV.
"My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever." - Bob Marley
by MSTFreak May 2, 2005
The term reggae, in a proper sense, only covers the period in Jamaican music from 1969 to 1979 (or 1985 depending on opinion).
However in today's vernacular, the term has come to refer to all Jamaican music from the development of ska in the early 1960s up until today.
It also refers to music played in the Jamaican reggae styles elsewhere in the world.
Sub-genres and related genres include: Ska, Early or Skinhead Reggae, Roots Reggae, Dub, Nyabinghi Reggae, Lover's Rock, Dancehall, Rumble, Ragga, and Rocksteady.
However in today's vernacular, the term has come to refer to all Jamaican music from the development of ska in the early 1960s up until today.
It also refers to music played in the Jamaican reggae styles elsewhere in the world.
Sub-genres and related genres include: Ska, Early or Skinhead Reggae, Roots Reggae, Dub, Nyabinghi Reggae, Lover's Rock, Dancehall, Rumble, Ragga, and Rocksteady.
by indiefan08 November 27, 2008
A genre of music that is better than all of this rap, pop, and poser-punk shit. Just listen to it, and try to tell me that 50 cent, J.Lo, and Good Charlotte is better. Most people who claim not to like reggae never even gave it a chance. Honestly, though, nobody likes those ignorant little shits, so they can back to watching MTV, and tell themselves that they're listening to good music (Sean Paul and Shaggy don't count as reggae, I'm sorry). It's not rastafarians wailing about their love for Jamaica and weed. Whoever gave people that idea is an asshat. Yes, some of it is, but don't even get me started on some of your rap and rock-wannabe shit rambles about their "sick ass bongs". Reggae is much deeper than that. Just listen to it, you'll see what I mean.
Bob Marley. If you've never listened to reggae, listen to two or three of Bob Marley's songs, you'll like it, I swear.
by Sarah August 16, 2005