A Celebration of Caribbean Music and Its History

Caribbean music is the heartbeat of the region. It’s joy, resistance, celebration, and storytelling all put together into rhythm and song. From the upbeat tempo of soca to the soulfulness of reggae, there is so much to learn about the music of the Caribbean.

Growing up in London with Caribbean heritage, the music of the Caribbean surrounded me from family parties to my Grandad’s car radio when he drove me home from primary school. I have always enjoyed Caribbean music, but until now, have not known much about its history and significance.

The story of Caribbean music begins centuries ago, heavily influenced by migration and colonialism – the mixing of cultures. Enslaved Africans brought rich music traditions from Africa, which when blended with European instruments and Indigenous influences, created entirely new sounds.

There’s no single sound of the Caribbean. Although there are similarities, and shared sounds, every island and nation has its own musical style, and each one plays an important role in the region’s cultural identity.

Calypso music can be traced back to West African traditions. Kaisos (an early form of calypso music) were performed by a griot (also known as a chantwell), who told stories through music and song, often commentating on social issues. During colonial times, their lyrics would usually mock slave masters and would be performed at the festival of Canboulay.

Notable Calypsonians:

In response to this, people improvised and created non-traditional percussive instruments using scrap metal, dustbins, metal containers and bamboo stamping tubes. The ‘Tamboo Bamboo’ bands that were created because of this improvisation are thought as the precursor to modern steel bands.

The steel pan was first created in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s, when it was recognised that the convex dent at the base of metal drums could be tuned to distinct musical pitches and could be used to produce melodies. These first steel pans evolved into the instrument that we see today.

The steel pan is now a staple of Carnival celebrations and has become a symbol of the Caribbean and is the only musical instrument that was invented in the 20 ^th century.

Born from Calypso in 1970s Trinidad, Soca is another genre of Caribbean music which means the ‘(So)ul of (Ca)lypso'. It is a fusion of African, Caribbean, and South Asian music styles.

Whilst Calypso music offers social and political commentary on current affairs and everyday life, Soca is more focused on dance, energy, celebration, and a ‘feel good’ vibe. However, some Soca music still has an element of social commentary.

Soca was developed by Lord Shorty in the 1970s as the younger generation were losing interest in Calypso, favouring Jamaican Reggae, and Soul and Funk from the United States. It was originally spelled ‘Sokah’ reflecting the East Indian influence, however newspaper error meant it was printed as ‘Soca’, which has stuck to this day.

Since its inception in the 1970s, Soca has become one of the dominate genres in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region. As a genre it is one of the key sounds of Carnival with Soca artists producing new music during the Carnival season.

A style of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, Ska is a music style that influenced Rocksteady and Reggae. Ska is a fusion of the earlier styles of Mento and Calypso, and the American Jazz and Rhythm and Blues that were popular at the time via imported records and radio broadcasts from Miami and the US South. Ska music is upbeat and exciting – perfect for dancing. Bands usually include bass, drums, keyboard, guitar, trombone, saxaphone and trumpet. 

In the early 1960s, Ska was the leading music genre in Jamaica and became popular with other communities around the world, notably communities in Britain. The history of Ska can be divided into three periods: the original 1960s Jamaican scene, the 1970s English 2 Tone Ska revival and the 1980s-1990s popularity in the US.

Dancehall is a style of music that branched off from Reggae in the late 1970s in Kingston, Jamaica. Reggae music is more mellow, whereas dancehall turns up the volume, is faster paced and is more likely to be played at a dance club. Dancehall’s popularity has produced various dance moves like the "Bogle", "Dutty Wine" and "Pon Di River".

Some people consider Dancehall to be the most popular music in Jamaica, and it has influenced all different styles of music genres all over the world. 

Notable Dancehall Artists

Another style of music originating from Reggae is Lovers Rock. It is a style of Reggae music that is distinguished by its romantic sound and lyrics, it also has some influence from American music genres like soul and R&B. 

This style of Reggae was given its name in 1970s London by The Lover’s Rock label, founded by Dennis Harris. Differing from roots reggae, Lover’s Rock was dominated by female artists and male artists of the genre were able to show themselves in a softer light. 

Over in the French-speaking Caribbean, islands like Guadeloupe and Martinique brought us Zouk that emerged in the early 1980s. The word itself is from French Antillean Creole and means ‘to party’, but some people believe it is a creolised version of the Polish word ‘mazurka’, meaning ‘dance’. Zouk music is influenced by a variety of Caribbean musical styles and features synths and drum machines alongside Afro-Caribbean rhythms and percussion.

The band Kassav', founded in 1979, played an important role in popularising zouk.

Kompa is a modern méringue-based dance music that originated in Haiti in the mid-20th century. It evolved from méringue de salon, a Haitian dance music style inspired by European contra dance. Kompa was popularized by Nemours Jean-Baptiste and the band, Ensemble Aux Callebasses, later known as Ensemble Nemours Jean-Baptiste.

Traditional Kompa features brass instruments like the saxophone, trumpet, and trombone, the slower rhythms of méringue de salon, and the beats of tanbou, a barrel drum from Haiti. Modern kompa (compas nouvelle generation) replaces the traditional instruments with electronic equipment, like synthesisers and drum machines, as well as adding elements of hip-hop and reggae.

Notable Kompa Artists

Alan Cavé
Boukman Eksperyans
Michel Martelly
Nu-Look
Orchestre Tropicana d’Haiti

The Caribbean region brings its own rhythm to the festive season. From Trinidad’s parang (a traditional folk music genre) to reggae versions of holiday classics, Caribbean Christmas music is joyful and distinctly tropical.

This blog post is a result of my research and passion for the Caribbean. While I strive for accuracy, I’m only human, so if you spot any outdated or incorrect information, please email me at hello@tiharasmith.com. Your input will be much appreciated and help keep this content accurate and useful for everyone.