Is Reggae Music The World's Most Influential Music?

Contributed
by: S. Rowe

While the past years have seen a very sharp decline in the sales figures for Reggae Music; which could be safely attributed to a few unsettling factors. Factors such as; 

*The visa cancellations of some of Reggae Music's main flag bearers.
*Protest at major concerts by gay rights groups.
*Poor marketing and promotion.
*Free and easy access to download Reggae musicians and producers' new productions.
*Or simply, the economic situations across the world.


Despite all those issues facing Reggae Music in the past years, there is no doubt that the genre has still ballooned and spread more across the globe, even more than in earlier days. 

Reggae music started in the tiny island of Jamaica in the Caribbean then slowly crept into the hearts and souls of fans mainly in the US and Europe in its earlier days. Now, in recent years, there is a fast growing insatiable appetite for reggae music almost in every single country in the world. In countries like Australia, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Argentina andPortugal; there is not only a growing demand for the genre but also more and more these countries are creating their own Reggae musicians and are relying less on the more established Reggae musicians who are from Jamaica.

Reggae music, more than any other genre has always been known as the music which speaks to injustice, peace, joy and righteousness (what is right) so it is no surprise that people are now more drawn to a genre that speaks directly to them and for them. And thanks to Youtube, social media and the internet, the music is easily accessible to people in any corner of the world. In its earlier days, Reggae musicians have to seek acceptance from mainstream radio, tv and labels to get their music out to the world. Now, access to some of the latest Reggae music is only at the click of a mouse.

To truly understand and appreciate the influence that Reggae has, one must first look at where it is coming from to where it is now. It comes from a very small island called Jamaica at a time when people weren't too excited about a few 'dreadlocks' singing about equal rights, justice and their beliefs. Now, this very type music and it's musicians are deemed with respect, love and acceptance wherever in the world they go. Without major financial capital and backing to influence tv, radio andrecord labels it has managed to rise and stand against Pop, Hip Hop and R&B in terms of world appeal, sales and awards.

From new Reggae bands popping up everyday all over the world and people who are anxious to befriend the newest reggae star on facebook and twitter to a baby who can only be calmed with the sound of Bob Marley's music; it is evident that Reggae's influence is growing and is here to stay.