Reggae Explosion: The Story of Jamaican Music

Reggae -- a potent blend of Caribbean folk, American rock 'n' soul, Rastafarianism, and politics -- is more than just a style of music: it's a cultural movement. With more than 400 illustrations, many from the world's most comprehensive reggae archive (based on Chris Blackwell's Islandlife collection), Reggae Explosion charts the course of the rhythmic revolution that began on the tiny island of Jamaica and took over the world.

In their exhaustively researched text, reggae authorities Chris Salewicz and Adrian Boot tell the stories behind the distinct sound and capture the contrasts that typify its birthplace: the poverty, societal strife, deep spiritualism, and energy of Jamaica. Culled from the world's most comprehensive collection of reggae memorabilia, hundreds of images -- including album and poster art, portraits of such greats as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, and concert stills -- document the past 50 years of ska and dub, dance-hall, even drum 'n' bass.