Here Are Some of the Important Elements of Reggae Music Reggae is a genre of popular music that originated out of Jamaica in the 1960s and made famous by artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Jimmy Cliff. It grew out of traditional Jamaican musical styles such as ska and was heavily connected with Rastafarianism – a religious movement that took root in Jamaica in the 1930s. Since then, reggae has been a musical voice for Jamaicans to tell the world about their history, culture, and struggles in a political system that had enslaved and marginalized many Jamaicans. However, the rhythm, melody, and tune of reggae are so catchy, making most music lovers from every corner today to fall in love with this genre. You can buy Rege Lark albums if you want to listen to some beautiful reggae songs. In this article, we will take a look at some of the core elements of reggae. Vocal Style Since this genre originated from Jamaica, the Jamaican accent is evident in most reggae songs. Lyrically, most reggae music comes from a deep sense of animosity and the need for survival, and also to be fighters.
Tempo & Meter Most of the reggae songs are written using the 4/4 meter with a heavy emphasis on the backbeat. The average tempo of a reggae tune ranges between 80 – 110 BPM and slightly slower than the general commercial pop song, attributing to how reggae has a strong groove that would only make sense with slower tempos.
Instrumentation Reggae uses similar instrumentation as pop tunes found in the States. The instruments that create the foundation of a typical reggae song would be drums, electric bass, electric guitar, and keyboard. However, over the years, other instruments such as horns, brass, and Afro-Cuban percussion have been included in reggae to spice things up.