Rocksteady is a musical entity originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to Ska and a precursor to Reggae, Rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals, The Heptones and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton Ellis song "Rock Steady". Dances performed to Rocksteady are less energetic than the earlier Ska dances. The first international Rocksteady hit was "Hold Me Tight" released in (1968) by the American soul singer Johnny Nash. This hit reached number one in Canada.

Rocksteady uses some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), Jazz, Ska, African and Latin American drumming, and other genres. One of the most easily recognisable elements, as in Ska, are offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar and piano on the offbeats of the measure. Rocksteady is loved and cherish in the Jamaican community, globally as well. It is a part of the culture as much as any other genre originated from the island of music. 

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