Dive into the vibrant world of reggae, where you’ll explore a spectrum of talents from iconic legends to modern innovators, each with their own distinctive sound and message. Discover which artist resonates with you the most and join the conversation—who do you think should take the crown?
1Bob MarleyIconic reggae singer known for hits like 'No Woman, No Cry'1000pts
2Peter ToshCo-founder of The Wailers, known for 'Legalize It'874pts
3Burning SpearPioneer of roots reggae, known for 'Marcus Garvey'604pts
4Max RomeoRoots singer behind 'War Ina Babylon' and 'Chase the Devil', classics recorded with Lee 'Scratch' Perry at the Black Ark in 1976.604pts
5Toots HibbertFrontman of Toots and the Maytals, known for 'Pressure Drop'558pts
6Marcia GriffithsThe Queen of Reggae, a member of Bob Marley's backing trio the I-Threes and the voice of the global dance hit 'Electric Boogie'.558pts
7Sugar MinottStudio One singer who helped shape early dancehall and lovers rock and nurtured young talent through his Youth Promotion collective.506pts
8Johnny ClarkeProlific roots singer who voiced a run of mid-1970s hits such as 'None Shall Escape the Judgement' for producer Bunny Lee.506pts
9ShaggyKnown for his hit 'It Wasn't Me' and unique vocal style506pts
10Ken BootheJamaican 'Mr. Rocksteady' whose smooth 1974 cover of 'Everything I Own' went all the way to number one in the UK.446pts
11Barrington LevyDancehall pioneer with a piercing tenor whose hits 'Here I Come' and 'Murderer' earned him a place among Rolling Stone's greatest singers.446pts
12Tarrus RileyModern roots singer whose 2006 hit 'She's Royal' became one of the most popular reggae love songs of the century.446pts
13Horace AndyFalsetto-voiced roots singer of 'Skylarking' fame who later became a long-standing guest vocalist with Massive Attack.446pts
14Buju BantonGravel-voiced star who moved from dancehall to roots reggae with 'Til Shiloh and won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2011.378pts
15Damian MarleyGrammy-winning artist known for blending reggae with hip-hop378pts
16ChronixxModern reggae artist known for his conscious lyrics and revival sound378pts
17ProtojeLeading voice of the 2010s reggae revival whose album In Search of Lost Time earned a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album.378pts
18Beres HammondSmooth-voiced lovers rock singer whose 1990s hits like 'Tempted to Touch' made him one of Jamaica's most beloved vocalists.298pts
19Bunny WailerFounding member of the Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, whose 1976 solo debut Blackheart Man is a roots reggae classic.298pts
20Ziggy MarleySon of Bob Marley, known for his solo career and activism298pts
21KoffeeJamaican singer who in 2020 became the youngest artist and first woman to win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, with Rapture.298pts
22Alton EllisThe Godfather of Rocksteady, whose 1960s hits like 'Girl I've Got a Date' and 'I'm Still in Love with You' shaped Jamaican soul singing.298pts
23Jimmy CliffStarred in the film The Harder They Come (1972)298pts
24Desmond DekkerFirst Jamaican artist to achieve international success with 'Israelites'203pts
25Gregory IsaacsKnown as the 'Cool Ruler' for his smooth style203pts
26Dennis BrownReggae singer with over 75 albums, known for 'Money in My Pocket'203pts
27Lee 'Scratch' PerryInnovative producer and artist, known for his unique sound203pts
28Sean PaulReggae fusion artist known for hits like 'Get Busy'203pts
29Freddie McGregorStudio One veteran and lovers rock star whose 1987 hit 'Just Don't Want to Be Lonely' reached the UK top ten.203pts
30LucianoConscious roots singer of the 1990s known as the Messenjah, celebrated for 'It's Me Again Jah' and his deeply spiritual themes.203pts
Photo credits
- Max Romeo — Peter Verwimp, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marcia Griffiths — Krd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ken Boothe — Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barrington Levy — Peter Verwimp, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tarrus Riley — Emha, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Horace Andy — You may re-use this image under the terms of the license using the following ref, CC BY 3.0
- Buju Banton — Danielle G. Campbell, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Protoje — Krd, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Beres Hammond — Peter Verwimp, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Koffee — Mykal Cushnie, CC BY 3.0
- Alton Ellis — Kat Geb, CC BY 2.0
- Freddie McGregor — comechatwidmi, CC BY 3.0
- Luciano — Krd, CC BY-SA 4.0
