Dancehall reggae represents the crucial evolutionary bridge between traditional reggae's roots-conscious foundation and dancehall's raw, digitalized energy that emerged from Kingston's sound system culture in the late 1970s and early 1980s. While pure dancehall stripped away live instrumentation in favor of stark drum machine riddims and aggressive DJ toasting, dancehall reggae maintains the warmth of organic reggae production—basslines that still bubble with analog soul, occasional horn stabs, and melodic singing—while embracing dancehall's faster tempos, syncopated rhythms, and confrontational lyrical swagger. This hybrid sound thrives in the space between dub's spacious experimentation and ragga-reggae's uncompromising digital assault, offering both the spiritual depth of roots reggae and the kinetic immediacy of the dancehall floor.
The genre's artists navigate a delicate balance: delivering conscious messages about struggle and redemption while commanding crowds with infectious, body-moving riddims. Vocalists here often blend singing with deejay chanting, switching seamlessly between melodic hooks and rapid-fire toasting over productions that honor reggae's one-drop heritage while pushing forward with contemporary punch. The result is music equally at home in meditation and celebration, addressing Rastafarian philosophy and street realities without sacrificing danceability.
Dancehall reggae captures Jamaican music's most dynamic crossroads—where tradition meets innovation, where spirituality meets the streets, and where the sermon becomes the party anthem. Essential listening for anyone seeking reggae's evolutionary heart.
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List updated:
| #94 | ByJohnny Osbourne | Released:1969 | |||
| #91 | ByDennis Alcapone | Released:1970-12 | |||
| #9 | ByJacob Miller | Released:1975-01-01 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #49 | ByThe Abyssinians | Released:1976-01-01 | |||
| #25 | ByU Roy | Released:1976 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #86 | ByThird World | Released:1977-01-01 | |||
| #11 | ByBlack Uhuru | Released:1977 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #62 | ByIsrael Vibration | Released:1978-01-01 | |||
| #77 | ByLinval Thompson | Released:1978-01-01 | |||
| #81 | ByLinton Kwesi Johnson | Released:1978-01-01 | |||
| #75 | ByGregory Isaacs | Released:1978 | |||
| #73 | ByMikey Dread | Released:1981 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #19 | ByEek-a-Mouse | Released:1982-01-01 | |||
| #50 | BySly Dunbar | Released:1982-01-01 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #26 | ByFreddie McGregor | Released:1982-05-05 | |||
| #36 | BySister Nancy | Released:1982 | |||
| #85 | ByIjahman Levi | Released:1982 | |||
| #17 | ByYellowman | Released:1983-06-01 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #51 | ByAswad | Released:1983-11 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #89 | ByBurning Spear | Released:1987 | |||
| #47 | ByBunny Wailer | Released:1988 | reggaedancehall reggae | ||
| #38 | ByWailing Souls | Released:1990 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #63 | ByCocoa Tea | Released:1991-04-18 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #32 | ByCutty Ranks | Released:1991-05-23 | dancehalldancehall reggae | ||
| #23 | ByTwinkle Brothers | Released:1991 | reggaedancehall reggae | ||
| #71 | ByCutty Ranks | Released:1991 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #43 | BySuper Cat | Released:1992-05-12 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #70 | ByMad Cobra | Released:1992-08-25 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #100 | ByMacka B | Released:1992-11-02 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #44 | ByDon Carlos | Released:1992 | |||
| #3 | ByChaka Demus & Pliers | Released:1993 | |||
| #45 | ByBounty Killer | Released:1993 | |||
| #84 | ByCapleton | Released:1994 | |||
| #87 | ByIsrael Vibration | Released:1995-02-24 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #31 | ByBuju Banton | Released:1995-07-18 | |||
| #58 | ByMichael Rose | Released:1996-01-30 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #80 | ByEek-a-Mouse | Released:1996-04-16 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #46 | ByWailing Souls | Released:1996-04-30 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #96 | ByPeter Tosh | Released:1996 | |||
| #35 | ByHalf Pint | Released:1997-08-21 | |||
| #5 | BySizzla | Released:1997-10-21 | |||
| #15 | ByBeenie Man | Released:1997-12-08 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #78 | ByRed Rat | Released:1997-12-16 | dancehalldancehall reggae | ||
| #83 | ByJunior Reid | Released:1998-05-26 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #98 | ByBuju Banton | Released:1998-08-18 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #99 | ByMikey Dread | Released:1998 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #16 | ByTanto Metro & Devonte | Released:1999-06-05 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #88 | ByDry & Heavy | Released:1999-10-11 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #56 | ByCocoa Tea | Released:1999 | dancehall reggaedancehall | ||
| #67 | ByHalf Pint | Released:2000-03-28 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #66 | ByZion Train | Released:2000-10-13 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #61 | ByUB40 | Released:2000-10-23 | |||
| #95 | ByCapleton | Released:2000 | |||
| #82 | ByAnthony B | Released:2001 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #55 | ByCapleton | Released:2002-02-26 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #64 | ByJunior Kelly | Released:2002-06-11 | |||
| #41 | ByMisty In Roots | Released:2002-07-15 | roots reggaedancehall reggae | ||
| #28 | ByGroundation | Released:2003-01-21 | |||
| #68 | ByBilly Boyo | Released:2003-02 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #53 | ByAnthony B | Released:2003-05-20 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #27 | ByIrie Révoltés | Released:2003-12-01 | |||
| #74 | ByJah Mason | Released:2003 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #97 | ByRanking Joe | Released:2003 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #65 | ByBeenie Man | Released:2004-07-13 | |||
| #8 | ByMr. Vegas | Released:2004-07-20 | dancehall reggaedancehall | ||
| #2 | ByBarrington Levy | Released:2004 | reggaedancehall reggae | ||
| #22 | ByCapleton | Released:2004 | reggaedancehall reggae | ||
| #18 | ByBeres Hammond | Released:2004 | dancehall reggaedancehall | ||
| #34 | ByNatty King | Released:2005-04-26 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #30 | BySizzla | Released:2005-07-11 | dancehall reggaeroots reggae | ||
| #24 | ByShaggy | Released:2005-09-02 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #14 | ByFantan Mojah | Released:2005-11-14 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #52 | BySoldiers of Jah Army | Released:2006-01-03 | |||
| #21 | ByTurbulence | Released:2006-04-18 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #39 | ByNucleus Roots | Released:2006-05-02 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #20 | ByRichie Spice | Released:2006-06-06 | |||
| #29 | ByDon Carlos | Released:2006-08-21 | |||
| #59 | ByLutan Fyah | Released:2006-11-07 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #48 | ByEek-a-Mouse | Released:2006 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #6 | ByAnthony B | Released:2007-02-20 | |||
| #10 | ByRichie Spice | Released:2007-02-20 | |||
| #40 | ByNatural Black | Released:2007-04-30 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #54 | ByTurbulence | Released:2007-05-23 | dancehalldancehall reggae | ||
| #4 | ByCollie Buddz | Released:2007-06-29 | |||
| #76 | ByJah Cure | Released:2007-07-31 | |||
| #13 | ByChezidek | Released:2007-09-21 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #60 | ByAlpha Blondy | Released:2007-10-29 | |||
| #37 | ByChuck Fender | Released:2007 | |||
| #57 | ByMorgan Heritage | Released:2008-04-15 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #42 | ByZiggi | Released:2008-11-20 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #69 | ByMavado | Released:2009-03-03 | |||
| #72 | ByAnthony B | Released:2009 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #90 | ByVoicemail | Released:2009 | dancehalldancehall reggae | ||
| #1 | ByFar East Movement | Released:2010-10-09 | |||
| #93 | ByJah Mason | Released:2011-01-24 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #92 | ByLyricson | Released:2011-11-15 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #79 | ByJunior Kelly | Released:2017-10-12 | dancehall reggae | ||
| #12 | ByAlborosie | Released:2023-05-26 | dancehall reggaereggae | ||
| #7 | ByJunior Murvin | Released:2025-07-25 | |||
| #33 | ByMr. Vegas | Released:2025-11-28 |