Reggae

Ska, dub, roots, rocksteady . . . reggae pulls together all the musical threads from one lynchpin Caribbean island: Jamaica. From political protest to good-time proclamations, reggae runs a lyrical gamut as wide as the Caribbean Sea. Mash it up skank style-ee to these Essentials, headed up by saint, prophet, seer and icon, Bob Marley (the classic, crowd-swaying 1975 live version of "No Woman, No Cry"), Jimmy Cliff ("The Harder They Come", the title track from the 1972 movie in which Cliff also starred) and Toots & the Maytals (with the incredible hybrid track "Funky Kingston", produced by Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell). For the roots of ragga, and a couple of A-list lovermen, head to Next Steps.

Once the sheriff was shot and the deputy emerged unscathed, reggae was a wanted musical form on stereos around the world, so take the next step and lock up these island renegades. Wayne Smith foreshadows the rise of ragga with his landmark Casio MT40-created "Under Me Sleng Teng" riddim (loosely based on Eddie Cochrane's rock 'n' roll classic "Somethin' Else"), while Mighty Diamonds fill our mix with sensi smoke on "Pass the Kouchie", Lee "Scratch" Perry sets a "Soul Fire", and Shabba Ranks vies with Yellow Man for top bragging rights with the opposite sex, based on the evidence contained in "Mr. Loverman" and "Mad Over Me". Discover some of reggae's best kept secrets in Deep Cuts.

Although reggae enjoys worldwide acclaim, some of its finest cuts may have slipped under your radar, so prepare for some incredible reggae discoveries. The three members of the Itals had worked together in the Westmorelites, and as solo acts, before joining forces in 1976 — debut single "Ina Disa Time" still hypnotises. Roots hero Pablo Moses retains the rare distinction of never having covered anyone else's material and you can hear him at his early-'80s best on "Proverbs Extractions", and King Tubby, dub-meister extraordinaire, grinds out "I Trim the Barber" with the Aggrovators — his pioneering studio work still echoes across the genre.

Reggae is without doubt one of the richest genres in all of popular music: as soon as you hear those guitars chopping on the backbeat (the bedrock rhythm they call "skank"), or the electronic flourishes of dub, you're instantly transported to Jamaica, and immersed in its political and spiritual history. The master-tracks of the reggae greats transform a feel-good island vibe into something that lives in the soul and captures the joy and the pain of being human. Through these Essentials you can explore the full range and depth of Jamaica's greatest export, via the Ethiopians (you're sure to recognise the oft-sampled bassline from "Train to Skaville"), the great Bob Marley, the melodica-wielding Augustus Pablo, and a host of the other crucial artists who have secured their spot in reggae's great tapestry.