What is the most influential reggae album in history?

Certain reggae albums reshaped music far beyond the genre — Catch a Fire brought reggae to the world, Blackboard Jungle Dub influenced hip-hop, Exodus defined the 20th century. Vote for the most influential reggae album ever made.

1

Catch a Fire

The 1973 Island Records debut that set the international blueprint for how reggae would be packaged, distributed, and marketed to a global audience.

2

Exodus

Time magazine's greatest album of the 20th century and reggae's most impactful artistic achievement in both sound and global cultural message.

3

The Harder They Come

The 1972 soundtrack that first exported reggae to the world, making Jamaican music a global phenomenon and launching Jimmy Cliff internationally.

4

Legend

The 35-million-selling 1984 compilation that introduced more people to reggae than any other album in history, making Bob Marley a global icon.

5

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear's 1975 foundational album that influenced generations of roots artists worldwide with its spiritual consciousness and hypnotic rhythms.

6

King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

The 1976 album that codified the dub genre and influenced everything from electronic music to post-punk, ambient, and hip-hop production worldwide.

7

Two Sevens Clash

A 1977 album whose prophetic power literally shut down parts of Jamaica and influenced global punk, post-punk, and conscious music movements.

8

Blackboard Jungle Dub

The Upsetters' 1973 pioneering dub record whose studio manipulation techniques influenced hip-hop, electronic music, and post-punk production globally.

9

Super Ape

Lee Perry's 1976 studio masterwork whose innovative production techniques influenced producers worldwide, from punk to electronic to hip-hop.

10

Burnin'

The 1973 Wailers album that inspired Eric Clapton's hit cover of 'I Shot the Sheriff,' directly bringing reggae to mainstream rock audiences.

11

Funky Kingston

Toots & The Maytals' 1975 album by the artist who first coined the word 'reggae,' giving the entire genre its globally recognized name.

12

Equal Rights

Peter Tosh's uncompromising 1977 political masterpiece that inspired generations of protest music worldwide and proved reggae could directly confront power.