From the 1960’s to now: Royalty Free Reggae Music 

Music and art have always been vehicles for expression — creative, political, or otherwise. 

Think of Pablo Picasso’s 1937 mural “Guernica” with its distorted figures crowded together in a scene of chaos and suffering. Or Bob Dylan’s lyrics of protest in songs like “Oxford Town” (1963) and “Masters of War” (1963).

Real life experiences and cultural events influence music in a significant way, and genres like reggae are the result. 

In the words of Bob Marley, one of the most renowned reggae artists, “This music is about struggle. Reggae is a vehicle to carry a message of freedom and peace.”

When reggae emerged in the 1960s, it had a ripple effect that extended across international waters. Many artists from that time and afterward contributed to the genre’s legacy in memorable ways.  

That’s why, in this guide, we’ll take a look at reggae’s beginnings and four artists who had a part in making this genre what it is today.  

To help you find and license reggae music for your own videos, we’re also sharing royalty free alternatives to the popular music from these artists.  

The Origin of Reggae 

The 1960s was a time of social and political unrest in the U.S. The civil rights movement was in full swing, as was the Vietnam War. Within these ten years, two political figures were assassinated — President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968. 

During this decade, Jamaica’s political and social climate was also undergoing a major shift as it transitioned from a British colony to an independent nation. Naturally, this had an impact on the island nation’s music scene.

Stylistically, reggae evolved from the earlier music genres of Ska, rocksteady, and mento. American jazz and rhythm and blues also had an influence on the artists at the time. 

Lyrically, reggae was deeply rooted in spirituality and, specifically, the Rastafari religion. This spiritual connection comes through in the lyrics of songs like Bob Marley’s “War” (1976) and “Rasta Man Chant” (1973).

As political and social divides grew in Jamaica toward the end of the 60s, reggae artists didn’t shy away from this in their music. In fact, reggae singers often centered their songs on societal struggles, protest, and the desire for peace. 

By the 1970s, this genre had risen to popularity overseas, specifically in the U.S. and U.K. 

While many artists contributed to this international success, let’s take a look at four reggae singers who had a major impact on the genre.  

4 Artists That Made Reggae What It Is Today

Bob Marley (1945-1981)

A pioneer of reggae, Bob Marley wrote, produced, and recorded some of the most well-known reggae tracks that put the genre on the map.

“No Woman No Cry” — featured in the video above — ranks #37 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and remains one of Marley’s most popular songs to-date. 

A little known fact about this song is that Marley cited one of his childhood friends as a songwriter. That friend, Vincent Ford, used the royalties from the song to keep his soup kitchen in Jamaica up and running. 

Desmond Dekker (1941-2006)

The self-proclaimed King of Ska, Desmond Dekker’s legacy as a reggae musician was solidified with hits like “007 (Shanty Town)” (1967) and “Israelites” (1969). 

A group called The Aces provided the backing vocals for several of Dekker’s songs, such as his debut hit “007 (Shanty Town).”

Though this song was extremely popular, “Israelites” is perhaps his most well-known chart-topping track.  

Marcia Griffiths (1949-)

Marcia Griffiths, also regarded as the Empress of Reggae, has been successful as a solo performer and member of the I-Threes — a female singing group that toured with Bob Marley and the Wailers. 

In the video above, Griffiths performs the song that became her first hit as a solo artist, “Feel Like Jumping” (1968). She’s also well-known for her song “Electric Boogie” and how it inspired the Electric Slide dance. 

Jimmy Cliff (1944-)

Reggae artist Jimmy Cliff’s debut into the music scene happened at an early age with a song called “Hurricane Hattie.” Years later in 2010, Cliff was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as “reggae's first champion.”

His 1993 cover of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” was featured in the film “Cool Runnings” and came in at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Songs like “You Can Get It If You Really Want” (1972) and “Many Rivers To Cross” (1969) are among Cliff’s most popular contributions to the reggae music scene.

Looking for royalty free reggae music with a similar feel? Check out these tracks.

1. St. Martin by Ian Kelosky
2. One Day by Eko
3. Blond Dreads by Echobody
4. Steel Pan Island by Music City Reggae Squad
5. Easy Goer by In This World

Need royalty free reggae music for your next project? 

Jamaica and reggae are connected in a similar way as New Orleans and jazz. These are the places where both genres got their start and the earliest performances took place. 

The artists that we’ve spotlighted in this post are a few of the many creators that made reggae into what it is today. 

While you’d probably jump at the opportunity to license music from any of these artists, you also know that this is easier said than done. 

Music licensing in the traditional sense means negotiating with a number of copyright owners for different types of licenses, depending on the use-case scenario. And that’s only if you’re able to get in touch with these copyright owners in the first place.

Trying to license a single song can be time consuming and costly, which is why it’s not always doable for teams with close deadlines and tight budgets. 

But when you license music through a stock library like Soundstripe, you can find and license the reggae music you need in five minutes or less without breaking the bank. 

The similar song recommendations we’ve shared are just a few of the options you have to choose from. To find the music you want, all you have to do is select or exclude filter options in the Soundstripe app and voila! 

By signing up for a free Soundstripe account, you can start building custom playlists, getting preview downloads of songs, and favoriting the music you love.