Jump to content

IGN's Top 25 Reggae Albums


Recommended Posts

IGN has put together their 25 favorite reggae albums. Agree? Disagree? Any albums that should be added?

1. Desmond Dekker - The Original Reggae Hitsound Of Desmond Dekker and The Aces (Trojan, 1985)

2. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Mango, 1972)

3. Bob Marley - Catch A Fire (1973, Tuff Gong)

4. Toots & The Maytals - Funky Kingston (Mango, 1973)

5. Peter Tosh - Legalize It (Columbia, 1976)

6. Lee Scratch Perry - Super Ape (Island, 1976)

7. Super Cat - Don Dada (Columbia, 1992)

8. Skatalites - Foundation Ska (Heartbeat, 1996)

9. Horace Andy - Skylarking: The Best Of Horace Andy (Melankolic, 1997)

10. Shabba Ranks - As Raw As Ever (Epic Records, 1991)

11. King Tubby - Dangerous Dub (1981; re-released 1996 by Greensleeves)

12. Mutabaruka - Any Which Way…Freedom (Shanachie, 1989)

13. Buju Banton - Voice Of Jamaica (Mercury, 1993)

14. Sly & Robbie - Taxi (Mango, 1981)

15. Rita Marley - Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie, 1981)

16. Shinehead - Unity (Elektra, 1988)

17. Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse (Mango, 1992)

18. Shaggy - Boombastic (Virgin, 1995)

19. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey (Mango, 1975)

20. U-Roy - Dread In A Babylon (Frontline, 1975)

21. Cutty Ranks - The Stopper (Profile Records, 1991)

22. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers - Conscious Party (Virgin Records, 1989)

23. Daddy Freddy - Stress (Chrysalis Records, 1991)

24. Mad Professor Vs. Massive Attack (Gyroscope, 1995)

25. UB40 - Labour Of Love (Virgin Records, 1983)

Honorable Mentions

Lee Perry - Open The Gate

Lee Perry - Time Boom de Devil Dead

Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon

Heptones - Party Time

George Faith - To Be A Lover

Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla

Bob Marley - Burnin'

Bob Marley - Rastaman Vibration

Pato Banton - Never Give In

Sugar Minott - Black Roots

Lieutenant Stitchie - Rude Boy

Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile

Bim Sherman - Across The Red Sea

Big Youth - Screaming Target

U-Roy - Version Galore

Mikey Dread - Dread At The Controls

Jah Thomas - Dance On The Corner

Johnny Clarke - Rock With Me Baby

Harry J. All-Stars - Liquidator

Prince Far-I - Message From The King

King Tubby - King Tubby Presents The Dubmaster

Scientist - Heavy Weight Dub Champion

Culture - Two Sevens Clash

Tapper Zukie - Peace In The Ghetto

Tapper Zukie - MPLA

Dillinger - CB 200

Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon

Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves

Dennis Alcapone - Forever Version

Desmond Dekker - This Is Desmond Dekker

The Aggravators - Johnny In The Echo Chamber

Dave and Ansel Collins - Double Barrel

The Upsetters - Return Of Django

The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It

The English Beat - Special Beat Service

The Skatalites - Ball of Fire

Desmond Dekker - The Israelites

Bob Marley - Live

The Selector - Too Much Pressure

The Specials - The Specials

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Opinions on above list:

1. Agree, though not sure it should be #1

2. In terms of compilation of different artists, this soundtrack does represent excellent early 70s Reggae.

3. Catch a Fire is good but Burnin is clearly a more solid album

4. Agree

5. Agree

6. Agree, and Return of the Super Ape is also excellent.

7. Doesn't belong on top 25. Aside from title track, album is relatively weak (Ghetto Red Hot is ok).

8. I don't have a lot of Skatalites but they belong somewhere on this list.

9. Agree

10. For Shabba albums, this is not his best. I personally like Just Reality better

11. Don't have this album. Though there is plenty of excellent King Tubby out there.

12. Check It is a more powerful album, but I would hesitate to put any Mutabaruka on the top 25 as he is a very specific sub-genre; I would put LKJ on such a list prior to Muta regardless.

13. There is no way this album is better than Til Shiloh. There are some good songs on here, but not as good as Til Shiloh. Shouldn't be on the list.

14. Not a huge fan of Sly & Robby albums so I'd put this in honorable mention

15. I wouldn't put this in top 25. Its an ok album but not top 25 of all time.

16. A decent album but no way is it top 25.

17. Neutral on this one as I've never been a Gregory fan

18. I really like this album but wouldn't put it in top 25.

19. Absolutely. No brainer. Possibly #1. Phenomenal album

20. Anything by U-Roy should be in top 25

21. I like The Stopper a lot, and I used to listen to it constantly. While I doubt it should be in top 25, I'd give it a pass

22. No way is it top 25.

23. This should be in bottom 25.

24. Never heard it. I'm neutral. In general I like but don't love Mad Professor.

25. Decent album, not top 25

Of the HMs:

Lee Perry - Open The Gate

Lee Perry - Time Boom de Devil Dead

Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon--- I'd put this in top 25

Heptones - Party Time

George Faith - To Be A Lover

Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla

Bob Marley - Burnin'--- should be top 25

Bob Marley - Rastaman Vibration

Pato Banton - Never Give In---- I like this album a lot, but its quite dated.

Sugar Minott - Black Roots

Lieutenant Stitchie - Rude Boy

Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile ---- excellent album

Bim Sherman - Across The Red Sea

Big Youth - Screaming Target --- also excellent album. This along with Dreadlocks Dread should be top 25 easily. Dreadlocks Dread perhaps top 10.

U-Roy - Version Galore--- absolutely. Top 25 is reasonable.

Mikey Dread - Dread At The Controls --- agree. Excellent album.

Jah Thomas - Dance On The Corner ---- yes

Johnny Clarke - Rock With Me Baby --- yes

Harry J. All-Stars - Liquidator ---- excellent

Prince Far-I - Message From The King ---- I love Prince Far-I. There is no way Daddy Freddy could ever put out an album that ranks above anything that PFI does.

King Tubby - King Tubby Presents The Dubmaster

Scientist - Heavy Weight Dub Champion ---- Lots of excellent stuff by Scientist.

Culture - Two Sevens Clash ---- Yes, probably should be in top 25.

Tapper Zukie - Peace In The Ghetto --- This is excellent, as is MPLA

Tapper Zukie - MPLA

Dillinger - CB 200 --- Agree.

Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon ---- Listed twice.

Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves ---- Excellent album.

Dennis Alcapone - Forever Version ---- Agree. This is a very good album

Desmond Dekker - This Is Desmond Dekker

The Aggravators - Johnny In The Echo Chamber ---- Never heard

Dave and Ansel Collins - Double Barrel

The Upsetters - Return Of Django ----- Agree, excellent album

The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It

The English Beat - Special Beat Service

The Skatalites - Ball of Fire

Desmond Dekker - The Israelites

Bob Marley - Live

The Selector - Too Much Pressure

The Specials - The Specials

Any list of best Reggae albums that omits Heart of The Congos is missing a huge album. Perhaps #1 versus Marcus Garvey. Jackie Mittoo, Slyford Walker, and Cornell Campbell are also huge omissions. I agree, Blackheart Man is a consideration of HM album at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your assessment and suggestions. Your list is well worth studying and checking out. Welcome to Beatking, House of Ku. :thumbsup:

The Congos

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Our picks

    • Wait, Burning Man is going online-only? What does that even look like?
      You could have been forgiven for missing the announcement that actual physical Burning Man has been canceled for this year, if not next. Firstly, the nonprofit Burning Man organization, known affectionately to insiders as the Borg, posted it after 5 p.m. PT Friday. That, even in the COVID-19 era, is the traditional time to push out news when you don't want much media attention. 
      But secondly, you may have missed its cancellation because the Borg is being careful not to use the C-word. The announcement was neutrally titled "The Burning Man Multiverse in 2020." Even as it offers refunds to early ticket buyers, considers layoffs and other belt-tightening measures, and can't even commit to a physical event in 2021, the Borg is making lemonade by focusing on an online-only version of Black Rock City this coming August.    Read more...
      More about Burning Man, Tech, Web Culture, and Live EventsView the full article
      • 0 replies
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
×
×
  • Create New...