1970s

The Wailing Souls released their 1978 album 'Wild Suspense' internationally for Island Records which featured 'Feel the Spirit' and 'Bredda Gravalicious'.

In 1978, at the age of 16, Hugh Mundell recorded the album Africa Must Be Free By 1983, produced by Augustus Pablo- Mundell writing all the songs. It included two Black Ark-recorded titles: "Let's All Unite" and "Why Do Black Man Fuss & Fight", both supervised and mixed by Lee Perry. The album received five stars from Rolling Stone magazine and was included in Tom Moon's 2008 book, 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. He was a major influence on Junior Reid, who was three years younger- Mundell was the first to record Reid.

Photo Memory: Junior Murvin, Jacob Miller and Burning Spear ( Sunsplash 1979) http://www.jamaicansmusic.com/artists/profile/Junior_Murvin http://www.jamaicansmusic.com/artists/profile/Jacob_Miller http://www.jamaicansmusic.com/artists/profile/Burning_Spear

In 1979, Janet Kay's "Silly Games" (produced by Dennis Bovell) became a hit in not only the UK, but also in Europe. Kay has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, as the first British black female to have a reggae song at the top of the UK charts. In fact, "Silly Games" got to the Number 2 position in the UK Singles Chart.

Bob Marley's 1979 hit 'One Drop' was named after the musical term defined by the sound of a drum pattern that emphasized the bass drum dropping at the 3rd count of the 4/4 signature beat. This sound is generally said to define the sound of reggae.

Barry Brown's first hit single came with 1979's "Step It Up Youthman", which led to an album of the same name on Paradise Records.

Errol Dunkley experienced his biggest success, the breakthrough UK Singles Chart hit in 1979 with "OK Fred", a cover version of a John Holt-penned song, that reached number 11.

Out This Week (Album): Reggae Anthology: Barrington Levy "Sweet Reggae Music" (1979-84) Filled with certified classics from beginning to end, this 40-track double disc collection covers the early years of Barrington Levy's astonishing career in chronological order. View his profile here:https://www.jamaicansmusic.com/artists/profile/Barrington_Levy

UB40's first gig took place on 9 February 1979 at The Hare & Hounds Pub in Kings Heath, Birmingham for a friend's birthday party. (The plaque commemorating UB40's first performance)