Reggae Music Concerts Near Me: Tickets & Schedule for 2024/2025 Events

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REGGAE MUSIC MUSIC

Reggae music originated in Jamaica in the 1960s. By the 1970s, it made an imprint on international music, becoming popular in Britain, the Untied States, and various African countries. Its quick route to popularity is based largely in its reputation as the voice of the oppressed, a type of protest music. Keep reading to learn more about the history of reggae and why it is loved in performances around the world to this day.

Reggae was shaped by ska, a previous form of pop music in Jamaica, which Britannica calls the country’s “first indigenous urban pop style.” It was created by mobile discos in the 1950s, and it sounded much like the rhythm and blues created in New Orleans, Louisiana. What set it apart was its stronger folk influences and cutting-edge beats, borrowing heavily from other island music across the Caribbean. Maybe most notably to Western listeners, ska places emphasis on the offbeat. Like ska, reggae is recognized by popping off-beat emphasis, ground bass drum lines, and eclectic instrumental influences. In concert and in recording, these sounds come together in a vibrant, fresh, easy going sound.

On first listen, reggae sounds positive and ephemeral. However, the lyrics and themes offer greater complexity and serve a deeper purpose. What sound like vibrant, positive wails is actually forlorn, conflicting grievances bemoaned at the world. Dominant culture is critiqued as musicians explore race, class, colonialism, and oppression. Bright sounds are broken by sharp, shocking sounds of gunshots and threats. Inherently politicized, reggae has been both critiqued and praised for its attention to social and economic injustices. When the genre evolved into the 1970s, it was used to champion the Rastafarian movement, which supported the relocation of the African diaspora to Ethiopia, among other things.

Today, many listeners oversimplify reggae as a genre, reducing it to its highly commercialized, pop rock form, packaged by the entertainment industry. However, in concerts around the world, performers are carrying on the spirit of reggae, in style and message. Tracks like Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” John Holt’s “I’d Love You To Want Me,” Toots and Mayals’ “54-46 Was My Number,” Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam,” and Peter Tosh’s “Wanted Dread & Alive” give a glimpse into some popular tracks from reggae’s roots, and musicians continue to cover these popular pieces. In concert, the emotions and intentions that sometimes are lost through radio become clearer, as artists pour their souls into performances. To experience this for yourself, or to simply enjoy the popular sound of reggae, look into some concerts near you.