All-Time Favorite Reggae Albums
I thought Bob Marley was a folk singer when I first heard of him around the time he died. I wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't until college that I learned from a couple dreads with a radio show that there was more to reggae than Marley. A couple decades later, I've absorbed hundreds of albums, visited Jamaica, read a dozen books on it, and participated in reggae discussion forums. Yet I still feel like I don't know much. Since the early 1960s, there has been an unprecedented proportion of talented active musicians in Jamaica. I wouldn't be surprised if musician was the top occupation, at least through the 80s. Every year previously unknown gems are being unearthed and reissued. The vast quantity of records made during the crazy and chaotic era of reggae's 70's peak guarantees this will continue for some time. My list is hardly definitive. It shows my obsession for Toots & The Maytals, and my preference for quirky, lesser known albums by Rico, Justin Hinds, Cedric Brooks, Ijahman and all things Lee Perry. But if your only point of reference is Bob Marley (whom I love and is well represented), or you've only associated reggae only with annoying hackey sack-tossing college trustifarians, you'll find some rewarding stuff here.
- The Congos - Heart Of The Congo (Blood & Fire) 77
- Toots & the Maytals - Funky Kingston (Mango) 73
- Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves (Mango) 77
- Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Super Ape (Mango) 76
- Rico - Man From Wareika (Island) 76
- Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Jezebel (Island) 76
- Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba (Total Sounds/Honest Jon's) 76
- Max Romeo & the Upsetters - War Ina Babylon (Mango/Hip-O Select) 76
- Junior Byles - Beat Down Babylon (Trojan) 72
- The Abyssinians - Satta Massagana (Heartbeat) 76
- Keith Hudson - Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood (Mamba/Atra) 74
- Yabby You - Conquering Lion (Prophets/Blood & Fire) 72
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Natty Dread (Tuff Gong/Island) 74
- The Mighty Diamonds - Right Time (Shanachie) 76
- Bunny Wailer - Blackheart Man (Island) 76
- Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Mango) 72
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Catch A Fire (Tuff Gong/Island) 72
- George Faith - To Be A Lover (Black Swan/Hip-O Select) 77
- Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey (Mango) 75
- The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Tales Of Mozambique (Dynamic) 75
- Max Romeo & the Upsetters - Revelation Time (Trojan/Blood & Fire) 75
- The Heptones - Party Time (Mango/Island) 77
- Culture - Two Sevens Clash (Shanachie) 77
- Peter Tosh - Equal Rights (Columbia) 77
- Dennis Brown - Visions of Dennis Brown (Shanachie/Joe Gibbs) 78
- Dennis Brown - Wolves And Leopards (Blue Moon) 77
- The Heptones - Night Food (Mango/Island) 76
- Scientist - Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires (Greensleeves) 81
- Lee Perry & the Upsetters - Blackboard Jungle Dub (Upsetter/Trojan) 73
- The Maytals - Monkey Man (Trojan) 70
- The Meditations - Message From The Meditations (UA) 76
- Lee Perry - Roast Fish Collie Weed and Corn Bread (Upsetter/VP) 78
- Ijahman - Haile I Hymn (Mango/Jahmani) 78
- Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile (Message/Shanachie) 77
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Burnin' (Tuff Gong/Island) 73
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Exodus (Tuff Gong/Island) 77
- The Heptones - Better Days (Third World) 78
- The Chantells - Waiting In The Park (Phase One) 78
- The Jolly Brothers - Conscious Man (Seven Leaves) 78
- The Meditations - Wake Up (Third World) 78
- Peter Tosh - Legalize It (Columbia) 76
- The Meditations - Guidance (Makasound) 78
- Sugar Minott - Black Roots (Black Roots/Hip-O Select) 80
- Johnny Clarke - Rockers Time Now (Front Line) 76
- Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread (Ras) 75
- Toots & the Maytals - In The Dark (Trojan) 73
- The Chantells - Children Of Jah 1977-79 (Blood & Fire)
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - African Herbsman (Trojan) 72
- Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World, Beautiful People (Island/Trojan) 69
- Kiddus I - Rockers: Graduation In Zion 1978-1980 (Dub Store)
- The Upsetters - Return of Django (Trojan) 69
- Bim Sherman - Love Forever (Tribesmen/Century) 78
- The Maytals - From The Roots (Trojan) 70
- Michael Prophet - Serious Reasoning (Island) 80
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Soul Rebels (Trojan) 70
- Third World - 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango) 77
- Horace Andy - In The Light (Blood & Fire) 77
- The Wailing Souls - Wild Suspense (Island) 79
- Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba In Reggae (Total Sounds) 77
- Augustus Pablo - This Is (Kaya/Heartbeat) 73
- Scientist - Heavyweight Dub Champion (Greensleeves) 80
- Prince Lincoln & The Royal Rasses - Humanity (Ballistic/Orange Street) 79
- Dennis Brown - Just Dennis (Trojan) 74
- Harry Mudie - Harry Mudie Meets King Tubby In Dub Conference Vol. One (Moodisc) 76
- Scientist - Scientist Meets The Space Invaders (Greensleeves) 81
- The Royals - Pick Up The Pieces (Pressure Sounds) 77
- Sugar Minott - Black Roots (Black Roots) 80
- Keith Hudson - Rasta Communication (Joint International/Greensleeves) 78
- Rico & The Rudies - Blow Your Horn (Trojan) 69
- The Maytals - Sweet And Dandy (Beverly's) 70
- The Meditations - No More Friend (Greensleeves) 83
- Bob Andy - Song Book (Studio One) 70
- Horace Andy - Skylarking (Trojan) 70
- The Cables - What Kind Of World (Heartbeat) 70
- Toots & the Maytals - Reggae Got Soul (Mango) 76
- Gladiators - Trench Town Mix Up (Front Line/Virgin) 76
- Yabby You - Chant Down Babylon Kingdom (Nationwide) 76
- Johnny Osbourne - Truths and Rights (Studio One/Heartbeat) 79
- Sugar Minott - Ghetto-ology (Trojan/Easy Star) 79
- Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Travel With Love (Nighthawk) 84
- Tenor Saw - Fever (Blue Mountain/Sprint) 85
- The Wailing Souls - Fire House Rock (Greensleeves) 81
- Junior Murvin - Muggers In The Street (Greensleeves) 84
- The Wailing Souls (Studio One) 76
- Augustus Pablo - Original Rockers 1972-75 (Greensleeves)
- Johnny Clarke - Authorized Version (Front Line) 76
- Cedric Im Brooks - United Africa (Aquarius) 78
- Burning Spear - Social Living (Blood & Fire) 78
- The Ethiopians - Everything Crash (Studio One) 80
- The Ethiopians - Slave Call (Third World) 77
- Barrington Levy - Shaolin Temple (Auralux) 79
- Gregory Isaacs - Soon Forward (Virgin) 79
- Freddie McGregor - Mr. McGregor (VP) 79
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Rastaman Vibration (Tuff Gong/Island) 76
- Bob Marley & The Wailers - Uprising (Tuff Gong/Island) 80
- Sylford Walker & Welton Irie - Lambs Bread International (Blood & Fire) 79
- Norris Reid - Give Jah The Praises (Rockers) 79
- Dennis Brown - Words Of Wisdom (Shanachie) 79
- Dennis Brown - Joseph's Coat Of Many Colours (Shanachie/Blood & Fire) 79
- Ijahman - Are We A Warrior (Mango/Jahmani) 79
- Augustus Pablo - This Is Augustus Pablo (Kaya/17 North Parade) 73
- The Silvertones - Silver Bullets (Trojan) 73
- Horace Andy - Pure Ranking (Clocktower) 79
- Prince Alla - Heaven Is My Roof (Blood & Fire) 79
- Herman Chin-Loy - Aquarius Rock (Pressure Sounds) 73
- Impact Allstars - Java Java Java Java (Impact!/VP) 73
- Rico - Midnight In Ethiopia (Island) 77
- Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - African Dub Chapter Two (Gibbs/17 North Parade) 77
- The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Grounation (Ashanti/MRR) 72
- Cornell Campbell - Natty Dread In A Greenwich Farm (Grounation) 75
- Joe Higgs - Life of Contradiction (Vulcan/Lagoon) 75
- Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana (Trojan) 78
- Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free By 1983 (Ras) 75
- Cedric Im Brooks & The Light Of Saba - Sabebe (Total Sounds) 78
- Junior Delgado - Taste Of The Young Heart (DEB) 78
- Culture - Baldhead Bridge (Joe Gibbs/17 North Parade) 78
- Gladiators - Proverbial Reggae (Front Line/Virgin) 78
- Dr. Alimantado - Best Dressed Chicken In Town (Greensleeves) 78
- Culture - Harder Than The Rest (Frontline) 78
- The Abyssinians - Arise (Frontline) 78
- Linval Thompson - Look How Me Sexy (Greensleeves) 82
- Gregory Isaacs - Cool Ruler (Front Line) 78
- Rod Taylor - If Jah Should Come Now (Daddy Kool) 83
- Hugh Mundell w/ Lacksley Castell & Augustus Pablo - Jah Fire (Live and Love/Black Arrow) 80
- Black Uhuru - Chill Out (Mango) 82
- John Holt - Police In Helicopter (Greensleeves) 82
- Junior Murvin - Badman Possee (Dread At The Controls) 82
- Barry Brown - Far East (Hit Bound) 82
- Cornell Campbell - I Shall Not Remove 1975-80 (Blood & Fire) 80
- Tetrack - Let's Get Started (Greensleeves) 80
- Culture & Don Carlos - Roots & Culture (VP/17 North Parade) 82
- Delroy Wilson - Go Away Dream (Black Music) 82
- Hugh Mundell - Time And Place (Jet Star/Rockers) 80
- Zap Pow - Revolution (Trojan) 76
- Zap Pow (Island) 73
- The Morwells - Crab Race (Burning Sounds) 77
- Burning Spear - Man In The Hills (Mango) 76
- Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Kibir-Am-Lak (Greensleeves) 77
- Prince Far I - Heavy Manners (Joe Gibbs/TP) 77
- Scientist - Scientist Vs. Prince Jammy - Big Showdown at King Tubby's (Greensleeves) 80
- Black Uhuru - Red (Mango) 81
- The Mighty Diamonds - Changes (Music Works) 81
- Scientist - Scientist Encounters Pac-Man (Greensleeves) 82
- Culture - More Culture (Joe Gibbs/17 North Parade) 81
- Wayne Wade - Black Is Our Colour (Grove) 77
- Gregory Isaacs - Mr. Isaacs (Blood & Fire) 77
- Big Youth - Screaming Target (Trojan) 73
- Bunny Wailer - Protest (Island) 77
- Yabby You - Deliver Me From My Enemies (Blood & Fire) 77
- Dennis Brown - Deep Down (Observer) 74
- Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Dadawah - Peace & Love (Trojan) 74
- Keith Hudson - Entering The Dragon (Magnet) 74
- Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Kung Fu Meets The Dragon (DIP/Justice League) 75
- Pablo Moses - Revolutionary Dream (Shanachie) 75
- Augustus Pablo - Ital Dub (Clock Tower/Get On Down) 74
- Jah Lion - Colombia Colly (Mango/Island) 76
- Willi Williams - Messenger Man (Blood & Fire) 80
- The Royals - Ten Years After (Tamoki & Wambesi) 80
- Delroy Wilson - Go Away Dream (Black Music) 82
- Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla (Mango) 80
- John Holt - Up Park Camp (Channel One) 76
- Delroy Wilson - Sarge (Charmers/JAS) 76
- Burning Spear - Dry And Heavy (Mango) 77
- Sugar Minott - Live Loving (Studio One) 77
- Sugar Minott - Showcase (Studio One) 77
- The Abyssinians - Forward (Alligator) 82
- Yellowman - Mister Yellowman (Greensleeves) 82
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Live! (Tuff Gong) 75
- Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Rastafari (VP) 75
- Larry Marshall - I Admire You (Heartbeat) 75
- Dennis Brown - Open The Gate (Heartbeat) 77
- Burning Spear - Hail H.I.M. (Heartbeat) 80
- Barrington Levy - Robin Hood (Greensleeves) 80
- The Mighty Diamonds - Ice On Fire (Frontline) 77
- Third World (Island) 76
- Horace Andy - Natty Dread A Weh She Want (Trojan) 78
- The Heptones - On Top (Studio One) 68
- Jimmy Cliff - Hard Road To Travel (Island) 68
- Third World - Journey To Addis (Island) 78
- The Mighty Diamonds - Stand Up To Your Judgment (Channel One) 76
- Tommy McCook - Blazing Horns/Tenor In Roots (Blood & Fire) 77
- Rico - Man From Wareika Dub (Island) 77
- Junior Reid - Boom Shack A Lack (Greensleeves) 85
- Half Pint - Money Man Skank (Jammys) 84
- The Twinkle Brothers - Love (Front Line) 78
- Justin Hinds & the Dominoes - Just In Time (Island) 78
- The Congos - Congo Ashanti (CBS/Blood & Fire) 79
- Marcia Griffiths - Naturally (High Note) 78
- Prince Jazzbo - Natty Passing Thru/Ital Corner (Black Wax/Clocktower) 76
- Burning Spear - Garvey's Ghost (Mango) 76
- Lacksley Castell - Princess Lady (Negus Roots) 83
- Vin Gordon & the Upsetters - Musical Bones (DIP) 75
- The Twinkle Brothers - Rasta Pon Top (Twinkle) 75
- Bunny Rugs [Scott] & the Upsetters - To Love Somebody (Klik) 75
- Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Love Thy Neighbour (RAS) 79
- Lee Perry & Upsetters - Revolution Dub (Cactus UK/Trojan) 75
- Culture - International Herb (Virgin/Frontline) 79
- Fred Locks - Black Star Liner (Vulcan) 75
- Keith Hudson - Torch Of Freedom (Atra) 75
- Judy Mowatt - Black Woman (Island/Shanachie) 80
- The Twinkle Brothers - Countrymen (Front Line/Virgin) 80
- Ranking Joe - Round The World (Zion High) (Blood & Fire) 79
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Babylon by Bus (Tuff Gong/Island) 78
- Sugar Minott - Sugar Minott At Studio One (Soul Jazz) 79
- Lee Perry & The Upsetters - The Upsetter (Trojan) 69
- Dave Barker Meets The Upsetters - Prisoner Of Love (Trojan) 69
- The Mighty Diamonds - Planet Earth (Virgin) 78
- Captain Sinbad - The Seven Voyages Of Captain Sinbad (Greensleeves) 82
- Jimmy Cliff - Wild World (Island) 70
- Trinity - Shanty Town Determination 1976-78 (Blood & Fire) 78
- Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Double Seven (Trojan) 74
- Prince Far I & The Arabs - Cry Tough: Dub Encounter Chapter 1 (Hitrun/Pressure Sounds) 78
- Jimmy Cliff - Struggling Man (Island) 74
- Bob Marley & The Wailers - Confrontation (Tuff Gong/Island) 83
- Prince Far I - Pslams For I (Carib Gems) 75
- Gregory Isaacs - In Person (Trojan) 75
- The Heptones - Cool Rasta (Trojan) 75
- The Mighty Diamonds - Deeper Roots (Virgin) 79
- Bob Marley & The Wailers - Survival (Tuff Gong/Island) 79
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Kaya (Tuff Gong/Island) 78
- The Twinkle Brothers - Rasta Pon Top (Twinkle) 75
- The Gladiators - Sweet So Till (Front Line/Virgin) 79
- Prince Far I - Long Life (Virgin) 78
- Cedric Im Brooks & The Divine Light - From Mento To Reggae To Third World Music (Doctor Bird/17 North Parade) 73
- Jimmy Cliff - Another Cycle (Island) 71
- Lee Perry & the Upsetters - Africa's Blood (Trojan) 71
- Jimmy Cliff - Give Thanx (WB/Wounded Bird) 78
- Marcia Griffiths - Steppin' (High Note) 78
- Lee Perry & the Upsetters - Return Of The Super Ape (VP) 78
