
Classic Soul Radio 100 Must Have Reggae Recordings
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 its 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.
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.)

100 Reggae Recordings You Should Have In Your Collection
Here is our compilation of the top 100 Reggae songs of all time. This list is in no particular order. Which ones do you have? Which have we missed or left out? Comment below. Hope you like and enjoy the selection! Click on the
icon beside each song to listen to a preview of the song, or to purchase the song from the iTunes store. Remember, each time you make a purchase through our web site, you help support Classic Soul Radio, a registered not-for-profit organization. We thank you for your patronage and support!
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No Woman, No Cry – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Israelites – Desmond Dekker & the Aces

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Stir It Up – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Pressure Drop – Toots & the Maytals

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The Harder They Come – Jimmy Cliff

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One Love – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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54-46 That’s My Number – Toots & the Maytals

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Satta Massagana – The Abyssinians

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Funky Kingston – Toots & the Maytals

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Montego Bay – Freddie Notes & The Rudies

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Many Rivers To Cross – Jimmy Cliff

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Marcus Garvey – Burning Spear

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Legalize It – Peter Tosh

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Redemption Song – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Here I Come – Dennis Brown

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Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Rudy Got Soul – Desmond Dekker & The Aces

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The Tide Is High – The Paragons

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Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Everything I Own – Ken Boothe

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Night Nurse – Gregory Isaacs

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You Don’t Care – The Techniques

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Vietnam – Jimmy Cliff

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Rivers Of Babylon – The Melodians

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Police & Thieves – Junior Murvin

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Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Red Red Wine – UB40

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Cherry Oh Baby – Eric Donaldson

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(I Am) The Upsetter – Lee “Scratch” Perry

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Sitting & Watching – Dennis Brown

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Jammin’ – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Wear You To The Ball – U-Roy & The Paragons

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Two Sevens Clash – Culture

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I Shot The Sheriff – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Any day Now- Willie Williams

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007 Shanty Town – Desmond Dekker & The Aces

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A Love I Can Feel – John Holt

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Revolution – Dennis Brown

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Queen Majesty – The Techniques

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Natty Rebel – U-Roy

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Loving Pauper – Dobby Dobson

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Natural Mystic – Bob Marley

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Equal Rights – Peter Tosh

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Rocksteady – Alton Ellis & The Flames

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Do The Reggay – Toots & the Maytals

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Don’t Stay Away – Phyllis Dillon

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Baby Why – The Cables

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One Blood – Junior Reid

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Iron Lion Zion – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Book Of The Rules – The Heptones

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Telephone Love – JC Lodge

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Blackheart Man – Bunny Wailer

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Nanny Goat – Larry & Alvin Marshall

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Waste – Bob Andy

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Tenement Yard – Jacob Miller

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Ba Ba Boom – The Jamaicans

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I’m Still In Love With You – Alton Ellis

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Pass The Kutchie – The Mighty Diamonds

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Wonderful World, Beautiful People – Jimmy Cliff

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Mama Africa – Peter Tosh

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Fade Away – Jr. Byles

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How Could I Leave – Dennis Brown

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Soon Forward – Gregory Isaacs

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Trenchtown Rock – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Westbound Train – Dennis Brown

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Cool Rasta – The Heptones

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My Conversation – Slim Smith & The Uniques

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You Can Get It If You Really Want – Jimmy Cliff

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Now That We Found Love – Third World

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Talk About Love – Pat Kelly

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I Need A Roof – The Mighty Diamonds

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1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade) – Third World

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Declaration of Rights – The Abyssinians

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War Inna Babylon – Max Romeo

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Big Ship – Freddie McGregor

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Waiting In Vain – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Guess Who’s Comming To Dinner – Black Uhuru

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I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash

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What One Dance Can Do – Beres Hammond

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Crying Over You – Ken Boothe

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Someone Loves You – JC Lodge

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Sonny’s Lettah – Linton Kwesi Johnson

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What Kind Of World – The Cables

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Rain From The Sky – Delroy Wilson

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Everything Crash – The Ethiopians

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Love Me Forever – Carlton & The Shoes

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Johnny Too Bad – The Slickers

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Love Is My Religion – Ziggy Marley

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Monkey Man – Toots & the Maytals

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War – Bob Marley & the Wailers

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Can I Change My Mind – Alton Ellis

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Duppy Gunman – Ernie Smith

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Zungguzungguguzungguzeng – Yellowman

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Black Cinderella – Errol Dunkley

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Have Mercy – The Mighty Diamonds

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Tumblin Down – Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

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My Boy Lollipop – Millie Small

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Hold Me Tight – Johnny Nash

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Angel – Shaggy & Rayvon

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Dreadlocks In Moonlight – Lee “Scratch” Perry

