Some believed it originated in the 60s as a mix between Jamaican folk tunes, and American rhythms. Some even go back to the 40s when they say African folk songs fused with the Calypso music. This music was then passed through the slums of Jamaica and was pushed to the capital city.
This music has undergone a lot of transformations over the years to get to the latest reggae tunes we hear today from reggae singers. There were many evolutionary stages of the genre and two that stuck the best were mento and ska. Some would argue that mento was a grandfather to the reggae music artists sing today. Mento has a lot of metric synchronized strumming of the guitar mixed with contemporary lyrics that are very energetic.
Ska is a lot like the latest reggae tunes we hear today, except that it is mixed heavily with American rhythm and blues. Before this there was a lot of experimentation with the bass and drums in the 50s, and it was common for the reggae music artist to add multiple strata.
The focus used to be primarily on the instrumental, but it gradually evolved to where the vocals were the main focus, which is what we are most likely to hear today.
Reggae is not as mainstream in America as other forms of pop music, but it has produced some incredibly well-known singers. Bob Marley is of course the most heard of. He is considered to be one of the most impressive and creative musical artist of his genre. His huge popularity was as a result of people recognizing just how talented he was.
Other stars include Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh. They were members of the Wailers, but gained stardom for their individual albums. Sizzla, Buju Banton, and Capleton were other names that would be recognized by serious music listeners. Others who were recognized for their innovation and creativity were Lee Perry, Leslie Kong, and Clancy Eccles.
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