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
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
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
The best genre of music to exist. I really have a thing for doom metal and ska, but reggae beats em to it. It really does. Dont knock it till yo try it
Bob Marley, TOK, Sanchez, Nativos, Sean paul?, Sublime etc.
Bob Marley, TOK, Sanchez, Nativos, Sean paul?, Sublime etc.
by arielthealien September 26, 2005
A male with a big dick that gets all the girls tripping and all the boys angry and jealous. A handsome person who always gets laid.
by by John Asher August 14, 2018
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 rhythm style characterized by regular chops on the off-beat, known as the skank. The tempo is generally slower than that found in ska and rocksteady. Reggae usually has accents on the 2nd and 4th beat in each bar, there being four beats in a bar.
Reggae is often associated with the Rastafari movement, an influence on many prominent reggae musicians from its inception. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including faith, love, relationships, poverty, injustice and other broad social issues.
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 rhythm style characterized by regular chops on the off-beat, known as the skank. The tempo is generally slower than that found in ska and rocksteady. Reggae usually has accents on the 2nd and 4th beat in each bar, there being four beats in a bar.
Reggae is often associated with the Rastafari movement, an influence on many prominent reggae musicians from its inception. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including faith, love, relationships, poverty, injustice and other broad social issues.
by peggy the pirate November 30, 2007