Jamaican popular music changed rapidly during the 1960s. Ska’s fast offbeat rhythm slowed into rocksteady, which then evolved toward the deeper bass and more spacious arrangements of early reggae.
Ska
Ska combined Caribbean rhythm with American R&B and jazz, creating a bright, fast dance sound closely tied to Jamaican independence-era culture.
Rocksteady and the shift in groove
By the mid-1960s, the tempo slowed and bass became more prominent. Vocal groups flourished, and the new groove prepared the transition into reggae.
Early reggae
By the decade’s end, reggae was becoming a distinct style that would soon gain global influence through artists such as Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley.
Why it matters
Jamaica’s 1960s evolution created one of the most influential rhythmic traditions in global popular music and later shaped punk, dub, dancehall and electronic production.
