The development of reggae

Key learning points

1. Reggae grew out of ska and rocksteady to become an important style of music in Jamaica and around the world.
2. Reggae often expresses political messages and addresses social issues.
3. Some of its defining characteristics are the skank rhythm on electric guitar, one-drop drum beat and reggae bubble.
4. Those features all emphasise the offbeats, and avoid emphasising the usual strong beats (one and three).
5. The bass line often plays on the strong beats, sticking out from the other rhythms.

Keywords

• Ska - Ska is an upbeat style of music that emerged in the late 1960s in Jamaica. It later developed into a style called rocksteady.

• Reggae - Reggae is a style that emergend in the late 1960s and became an important global style.

• Skank - The skank rhythm is a defining feature of reggae that emphasises offbeat quavers.

• Reggae bubble - The reggae bubble is a typical organ pattern that emphasises offbeats.

• One-drop - The one-drop beat is a typical reggae drum beat, which removes the usual emphasis on beat one.

Common misconception