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100 Greatest Reggae Songs Criteria: This top 200 songs list contains the classic Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dancehall and Dub songs from Jamaica along with newer songs from Reggae artists in the U.K., U.S. and Africa. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity as well as influence and impact in Reggae music. (Note: These are Reggae songs by Reggae artists. Not the occasional reggae song recorded by non-reggae artists.)



Background: Reggae - Around 1960, in the slums of Kingston Jamaica, where the local bands were playing a musical mixture of American R&B, Caribbean, and pan-African sounds, drummers began to emphasize the afterbeat, the 2nd and 4th beats (4/4 time) in unison with the piano and guitar while the bass played walking quarter notes. The musicians called the sound "Upside-down R&B". It soon became known as "Ska". As time passed Ska slowed the beat, lost it's brass sound and morphed into "Rocksteady", performed with fewer musicians and using more harmony vocals. Around 1968 the influences of Rastafari and Africanism along with political and social unrest in Jamaica gave birth to "Reggae", with a slower, stripped-down, less "Pop-like" sound often with accents added on the 3rd beat. Today the term "Reggae" applies broadly to all the Jamaican born music that contains the original afterbeat rhythm.



Edited By: Lew Last Updated: 2017-05-21 1. No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley & the Wailers

2. Israelites - Desmond Dekker & the Aces

3. Stir It Up - Bob Marley & the Wailers

4. Pressure Drop - Toots & the Maytals

5. The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff

6. One Love - Bob Marley & the Wailers

7. 54-46 That's My Number - Toots & the Maytals

8. Satta Massagana - The Abyssinians

9. Funky Kingston - Toots & the Maytals

10. Montego Bay - Freddie Notes & The Rudies

11. Many Rivers To Cross - Jimmy Cliff

12. Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear

13. Legalize It - Peter Tosh

14. Redemption Song - Bob Marley & the Wailers

15. Here I Come - Dennis Brown

16. Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley & the Wailers

17. Rudy Got Soul - Desmond Dekker & The Aces

18. The Tide Is High - The Paragons

19. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley & the Wailers

20. Everything I Own - Ken Boothe

21. Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs

22. You Don't Care - The Techniques

23. Vietnam - Jimmy Cliff

24. Rivers Of Babylon - The Melodians

25. Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin

26. Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley & the Wailers

27. Red Red Wine - UB40

28. Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson

29. (I Am) The Upsetter - Lee "Scratch" Perry

30. Sitting & Watching - Dennis Brown

31. Jammin' - Bob Marley & the Wailers

32. Wear You To The Ball - U-Roy & The Paragons

33. Two Sevens Clash - Culture

34. I Shot The Sheriff - Bob Marley & the Wailers

35. Armagideon Time - Willie Williams

36. 007 Shanty Town - Desmond Dekker & The Aces

37. A Love I Can Feel - John Holt

38. Revolution - Dennis Brown

39. Queen Majesty - The Techniques

40. Natty Rebel - U-Roy

41. Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson

42. Natural Mystic - Bob Marley

43. Equal Rights - Peter Tosh

44. Rocksteady - Alton Ellis & The Flames

45. Do The Reggay - Toots & the Maytals

46. Don't Stay Away - Phyllis Dillon

47. Baby Why - The Cables

48. One Blood - Junior Reid

49. Iron Lion Zion - Bob Marley & the Wailers

50. Book Of The Rules - The Heptones

51. Telephone Love - JC Lodge

52. Blackheart Man - Bunny Wailer

53. Nanny Goat - Larry & Alvin Marshall

54. Unchained - Bob Andy

55. Tenement Yard - Jacob Miller

56. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans

57. I'm Still In Love With You - Alton Ellis

58. Pass The Kutchie - The Mighty Diamonds

59. Wonderful World, Beautiful People - Jimmy Cliff

60. Mama Africa - Peter Tosh

61. Fade Away - Jr. Byles

62. How Could I Leave - Dennis Brown

63. Soon Forward - Gregory Isaacs

64. Trenchtown Rock - Bob Marley & the Wailers

65. I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash

66. You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff

67. Westbound Train - Dennis Brown

68. Cool Rasta - The Heptones

69. My Conversation - Slim Smith & The Uniques

70. Talk About Love - Pat Kelly

71. Now That We Found Love - Third World

72. 1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade) - Third World

73. I Need A Roof - The Mighty Diamonds

74. War Inna Babylon - Max Romeo

75. Declaration of Rights - The Abyssinians

76. Waiting In Vain - Bob Marley & the Wailers

77. Big Ship - Freddie McGregor

78. Guess Who's Comming To Dinner - Black Uhuru

79. What One Dance Can Do - Beres Hammond

80. Crying Over You - Ken Boothe

81. Someone Loves You - JC Lodge

82. Sonny's Lettah - Linton Kwesi Johnson

83. What Kind Of World - The Cables

84. Rain From The Sky - Delroy Wilson

85. Everything Crash - The Ethiopians

86. Love Me Forever - Carlton & The Shoes

87. My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small

88. Love Is My Religion - Ziggy Marley

89. Monkey Man - Toots & the Maytals

90. War - Bob Marley & the Wailers

91. Can I Change My Mind - Alton Ellis

92. Duppy Gunman - Ernie Smith

93. Johnny Too Bad - The Slickers

94. Black Cinderella - Errol Dunkley

95. Have Mercy - The Mighty Diamonds

96. Tumblin Down - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

97. Zungguzungguguzungguzeng - Yellowman

98. Hold Me Tight - Johnny Nash

99. Angel - Shaggy & Rayvon

100. Dreadlocks In Moonlight - Lee "Scratch" Perry

101. Freedom Street - Ken Boothe

102. Give A Little Love - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

103. You Don't Love Me (No No No) - Dawn Penn

104. Welcome To Jamrock - Damian Marley

105. 400 Years - Peter Tosh & the Wailers

106. Perfidia - Phyllis Dillon

107. Feel Like Jumping - Marcia Griffiths

108. African Herbsman - Bob Marley & the Wailers

109. Greetings - Half Pint

110. Better Must Come - Delroy Wilson

111. Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt - Yellowman

112. Rumours - Gregory Isaacs

113. Electric Boogie - Marcia Griffiths

114. Maga Dog - Peter Tosh

115. What Is Life? - Black Uhuru

116. I've Got To Go Back Home - Bob Andy

117. Pretty Looks Isn't All - The Heptones

118. Breaking Up - Alton Ellis

119. The Gorgon - Cornell Campbell

120. Ram Goat Liver - Pluto Shervington

121. All Wi Doin Is Defendin - Linton Kwesi Johnson

122. People Are You Ready - Johnny Osbourne

123. Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis

124. Moving Away - Ken Boothe

125. Rock & Groove - Bunny Wailer

126. Tomorrow People - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

127. Herbman Hustling - Sugar Minott

128. Buddy Bye - Johnny Osbourne

129. Murderer - Barrington Levy

130. Oh Carolina - Shaggy

131. Sweet Sensation - The Melodians

132. Calling Rastafari - Culture

133. Sweet Talking - The Heptones

134. Reggae Ambassador - Third World

135. Baltimore - The Tamlins

136. Forward Jah Jah Children - Jacob Miller

137. Things You Say You Love - The Jamaicans

138. Look Who's Dancin' - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

139. Black Man Time - I-Roy

140. Ok Fred - Errol Dunkley

141. This Is Reggae Music - Zap Pow

142. Always Together - Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths

143. Members Only - Tyrone Taylor

144. Love Forever - Cynthia Schloss

145. Ball Room Floor - Bunny Wailer

146. Fire Burning - Bob Andy

147. Sinsemilla - Black Uhuru

148. Betcha By Golly Wow - Errol Dunkley

149. Can't Hide From Jah - Yellowman

150. Youthman - Jr. Reid

151. Shark Attack - Wailing Souls

152. Boombastic - Shaggy

153. Under Me Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith

154. Dance of the Vampires - Scientist

155. Who Can Make The Dance Ram - Yellowman

156. Give It All You've Got - Beres Hammond

157. Arlene - General Echo

158. Rockaway - Beres Hammond

159. Play de Music - Ernie Smith

160. No Vacancy - Sugar Minott

161. Rhythm Of Life - Third World

162. Queen of The Minstrels - Cornell Campbell

163. Natty With A Cause - Willie Williams

164. Guava Jelly - Johnny Nash

165. Rude Boy Gone A Jail - The Clarendonians

166. Stop Lovin You - Freddie McGregor

167. Birds Of A Feather - Johnny Nash

168. Mr. DC - Sugar Minott

169. Night And Day - Dawn Penn

170. Tune In - Cocoa Tea

171. All The Way In - Cynthia Schloss

172. Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds & The Dominoes

173. Ten Commandments - Prince Buster

174. Sidewalk Killer - I-Roy

175. Natty Dread In A Greenwich Farm - Cornell Campbell

176. Mission - Admiral Tibbett

177. Jamming In The Street - Sugar Minott

178. Train To Skaville - Derrick Morgan

179. Hard To Confess - The Tamlins

180. Nice Up The Dance - Michigan & Smiley

181. Black People - The Slickers

182. Solomon - Derrick Harriott

183. Caan Dun - Shabba Ranks

184. One Draw - Rita Marley

185. Ganga Smuggling - Eek-a-Mouse

186. Positive Vibrations - Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus

187. The Same Song - Israel Vibration

188. On The Beach - The Paragons

189. One Love, One Heart - Righteous Flames

190. Under Mi Sensi - Barrington Levy

191. I Love Marijuana - Linval Thompson

192. A Hundred Pounds Of Collie - Cornell Campbell

193. Champion - Buju Banton

194. Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush - Jacob Miller

195. Smoke Two Joints - The Toyes

196. Pirates Anthem - Shabba Ranks

197. Police In Helicopter - John Holt

198. Look - Bounty Killer

199. Your Honour - Pluto Shervington

200. Fatty Fatty - Clancy Eccles













Top Five Songs That Influenced The Birth Of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae. 1. Be My Guest

- Fats Domino

2. No More Doggin'

- Rosco Gordon

3. Billy's Heartache

- Billy Stewart

4. Sick & Tired

- Chris Kenner

5. The Monkey

- Dave Bartholomew









































Reggae Covers of Popular Non-Reggae Songs Ain't No Sunshine - Ken Boothe

Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountain

Blueberry Hill - Ferdinand

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Jimmy London

Can't Help Falling In Love - UB40

Don't Let Me Down - Marcia Griffiths

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - JC Lodge

Family Affair - Shabba Ranks

Fly Like An Eagle - Sugar Black

Hard To Handle - Toots Hibbert

Hey Jude - Toots & The Maytals

Hit The Road Jack - Big Youth

Hotel California - Edi Fitzroy

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Heptones

I Got You Babe - UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde

I Shall Be Released - Jacob Miller

If You Don't Know Me By Now - Zap Pow

Johnny B. Goode - Peter Tosh

King Of Pain - Inner Circle

Knockin' On Heavens Door - Luciano

Maggie May - Wayne Armond

Margaritaville - Reggae Machine

Money - Easy Star All Stars

Mother And Child Reunion - Horace Andy

Mr. Tambourine Man - Ken Boothe

Roxanne - Aswad

Sexual Healing - Jimmy Riley

(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Dennis Brown

Take Me Home Country Roads - Toots & The Maytals

The Girl Is Mine - Yellowman & Peter Metro

This Magic Moment - Leroy Gibbons

To Sir With Love - Dawn Penn

United We Stand - Bob Andy

Whiter Shade Of Pale - Pat Kelly

Wild World - Maxi Priest

You Can't Always Get What You Want - Steel Pulse

