Reggae

At its heart a slower version of early Ska, Reggae has come to represent a wide range of music over the past thirty years. Reggae has many variations -- Rock Steady, Lovers Rock, Ragga, Dancehall and more -- but it is united by languid island rhythms and an accentuation of the offbeat. Early Reggae records were played throughout Jamaica on "sound systems" or DJ setups. Later, Reggae vocalists like Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh and of course, Bob Marley, as well as Reggae producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry brought the style to international prominence.