Styles of Jamaican Music: From Mento to Dancehall

Jamaica's musical evolution produced globally influential genres:

1. Mento (1940s–50s): Acoustic (guitar, banjo, rumba box, bongos); witty social commentary; calypso-influenced. Artists: The Jolly Boys, Lord Flea.
2. Ska (late 1950s–60s): Upbeat, offbeat guitar/piano, walking bass, horns; dancehall sound system culture. Artists: The Skatalites, Desmond Dekker, Prince Buster.
3. Rocksteady (mid-1960s): Slower, bass-heavy, organ-driven; romantic/social themes. Bridge to reggae. Artists: Alton Ellis, The Paragons, Ken Boothe.
4. Reggae (late 1960s–): One-drop rhythm, heavy bass, syncopated guitar, Rastafarian consciousness. Global icon: Bob Marley; also Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff, Culture.
5. Dancehall (late 1970s–): Digital riddims, deejay toasting, patois, slackness/consciousness duality. Artists: Yellowman, Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel, Spice, Popcaan.

Subgenres: Dub (remix culture), Lovers Rock (UK), Ragga, Reggaeton (Panamanian/Puerto Rican offshoot). Each reflects Jamaica's social pulse.