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Recommended reggae

The Profound Appeal of Dub: Recommended Masterpieces and a Popular Classic

If you know the music genre called dub, chances are you’re a serious music lover who frequents record shops.

While it’s a genre derived from reggae, it’s also a production method, and its world is incredibly deep and profound.

This article focuses on classic, essential albums recommended for beginners, while also highlighting releases that trace the roots from authentic Jamaican roots dub to UK dub, as well as works in post-punk and new wave that bear dub’s influence.

Even those who usually listen mainly to rock will find plenty to enjoy—so be sure to check it out!

Playlist

The Profound Appeal of Dub: Recommended Masterpieces and a Popular Classic
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastDread LionThe Upsetters
Dread LionThe Upsettersplay_arrow
Classic dub music album by The Upsetters
2eastNatty DubKing Tubby
Natty DubKing Tubbyplay_arrow
The masterpiece by King Tubby, the founder of dub music
3eastPeach (Dub)LINTON KWESI JOHNSON
Peach (Dub)LINTON KWESI JOHNSONplay_arrow
Dub album by Jamaican poet LKJ
4eastKing Tubby Meets Rockers UptownAgustus Pablo
King Tubby Meets Rockers UptownAgustus Pabloplay_arrow
The Popularity of Augustus Pablo's Dub Music
5eastThe Magnificent SevenThe Clash
The Magnificent SevenThe Clashplay_arrow
The Clash’s innovative triple album
6eastPick A DubKeith Hudson
Pick A DubKeith Hudsonplay_arrow
Introduction to Keith Hudson’s classic dub album
7eastAnimal SpaceNew Age Steppers
Animal SpaceNew Age Steppersplay_arrow
A fusion work of dub and new wave
8eastVanishing DubPrimal Scream
Vanishing DubPrimal Screamplay_arrow
A dub remix work by Primal Scream
9eastBlue LinesMassive Attack
Blue LinesMassive Attackplay_arrow
Massive Attack's debut work
10eastBlackboard Jungle Dub ( Ver. 1 )The Upsetters
Blackboard Jungle Dub ( Ver. 1 )The Upsettersplay_arrow
The Upsetters’ groundbreaking dub music work
11eastOff The Beaten TrackAfrican Head Charge
Off The Beaten TrackAfrican Head Chargeplay_arrow
The classic albums of African Head Charge are still loved today
12eastJah RockHerman Chin Loy
Jah RockHerman Chin Loyplay_arrow
An early dub album produced by Herman Chin Loy
13eastDance Of The VampiresScientist
Dance Of The VampiresScientistplay_arrow
A perverted dub work by a scientist
14eastElectrochargedennis bovell
Electrochargedennis bovellplay_arrow
Dennis Bovell's masterpiece dub album
15eastSwan LakePublic Image Ltd
Swan LakePublic Image Ltdplay_arrow
PiL’s classic album Metal Box.
16eastTout ce qu’ils veulentDUB INC
Tout ce qu'ils veulentDUB INCplay_arrow
Dub Inc, a French reggae band
17eastPerfect DubJah Shaka
Perfect DubJah Shakaplay_arrow
Introduction to Jashaka’s UK Dub Album
18eastDub To AfricaPrince Far I & The Arabs
Dub To AfricaPrince Far I & The Arabsplay_arrow
Prince Far I’s influential dub album
19eastKunte Kinte – Agrican WarriorMad Professor
Kunte Kinte - Agrican WarriorMad Professorplay_arrow
Mad Professor’s innovative dub album
20eastThe Boys From BrazilThe Pop Group
The Boys From BrazilThe Pop Groupplay_arrow
Dub-influenced works by the pop group
21eastFor A ReasonLifetones
For A ReasonLifetonesplay_arrow
Reissue of a rare Lifetones album
22eastTen Feet tallJoe Gibbs All Stars
Ten Feet tallJoe Gibbs All Starsplay_arrow
Jamaican reggae producer
23eastTake 5 DubKing Tubby
Take 5 DubKing Tubbyplay_arrow
A masterpiece of dub music by King Tubby
24eastRoast Fish & Corn BreadLee Perry
Roast Fish & Corn BreadLee Perryplay_arrow
Lee Perry, the creator of dub.
25eastEgoWILLY WILLIAM
EgoWILLY WILLIAMplay_arrow
French DJ Willy William
26eastI Love MarijuanaLinval Thompson
I Love MarijuanaLinval Thompsonplay_arrow
A 1978 work by a reggae musician
27eastFlag DubKing Tubby
Flag DubKing Tubbyplay_arrow
King Tubby contributed to the development of dub.
28eastDub ChargeAswad
Dub ChargeAswadplay_arrow
Aswad, a reggae band from London
29eastHigh Than the SunPrimal Scream
High Than the SunPrimal Screamplay_arrow
Rock that originated in Glasgow.
30eastKilimanjaroIration Steppas Meet Dennis Rootical
KilimanjaroIration Steppas Meet Dennis Rooticalplay_arrow
Europe's largest dub sound system
31eastRUNAWAY GIRLU Roy
RUNAWAY GIRLU Royplay_arrow
U-Roy, a pioneer of reggae toasting
32eastSmiling DubJah Shaka
Smiling DubJah Shakaplay_arrow
Jah Shaka is a British reggae musician.
33eastGive Thanks & PraiseJohnny Clark
Give Thanks & PraiseJohnny Clarkplay_arrow
Jamaican reggae singer
34eastZion’s BloodLee Perry and The Upsetters
Zion's BloodLee Perry and The Upsettersplay_arrow
Introducing Lee Perry’s masterpiece, “Zion’s Blood”
35eastEyes In The Back Of My HeadThe Skints feat. Rival
Eyes In The Back Of My HeadThe Skints feat. Rivalplay_arrow
Skints is a reggae fusion band.
36eastRocky Shores from a Birds EyeDESTROY BABYLON
Rocky Shores from a Birds EyeDESTROY BABYLON
A Boston band blends multiple genres
37eastHard Times & DubPablo Gad
Hard Times & DubPablo Gadplay_arrow
Pablo Gad, a roots reggae singer from the UK
38eastThe Untitled Song340ml
The Untitled Song340mlplay_arrow
African music group 340ml
39eastBlackboard Jungle Dub ( Ver. 1 )Lee Perry and The Upsetters
Blackboard Jungle Dub ( Ver. 1 )Lee Perry and The Upsettersplay_arrow
Lee Perry’s early dub masterpiece
40eastSong Of LifeLeftfield
Song Of LifeLeftfieldplay_arrow
A British techno unit. Reunited.
41eastRoots and CultureMikey Dread
Roots and CultureMikey Dreadplay_arrow
Mikey Dread is a Jamaican reggae artist
42eastDub Masterdennis bovell
Dub Masterdennis bovellplay_arrow
Dennis Bovell's reggae activities
43eastDub LarkingHorace Andy
Dub LarkingHorace Andyplay_arrow
Horace Andy is a Jamaican reggae singer.
44eastExtra-Ordinary DubErrol Thompson
Extra-Ordinary DubErrol Thompsonplay_arrow
Dub music works by a Jamaican producer.
45eastDub VoodooMad Professor & Lee Perry
Dub VoodooMad Professor & Lee Perryplay_arrow
Works by a dub music producer
46eastOne Step ForwardMax Romeo
One Step ForwardMax Romeoplay_arrow
Max Romeo’s reggae music and visit to Japan
47eastDutchiesShapeshifter
DutchiesShapeshifterplay_arrow
Shapeshifter New Zealand Orchestra
48eastGenius of LoveTom Tom Club
Genius of LoveTom Tom Clubplay_arrow
New wave unit originating from New York
49eastWalkey Walk Tall10 Foot Ganja Plant
Walkey Walk Tall10 Foot Ganja Plantplay_arrow
A reggae group from Boston
50eastMan That I LoveAri Up & Vic Ruggiero
Man That I LoveAri Up & Vic Ruggieroplay_arrow
Collaboration between Ari Up and Vic Ruggiero
51eastBald Head Bridge &DubCulture & Ranking Joe
Bald Head Bridge &DubCulture & Ranking Joeplay_arrow
Jamaican reggae band, formed in 1976
52eastILLEGAL DUBDUB TRIO
ILLEGAL DUBDUB TRIOplay_arrow
A New York band that fuses dub and rock
53eastWillow Tree DubDuke Reid
Willow Tree DubDuke Reidplay_arrow
Jamaican music producer, contributed to the development of reggae
54eastJAVA JAVA JAVA JAVA (Instrumentals ,Dubwise & Versions) – E.T. SpecialIMPACT ALLSTARS
JAVA JAVA JAVA JAVA (Instrumentals ,Dubwise & Versions) - E.T. SpecialIMPACT ALLSTARSplay_arrow
The double album masterpiece JAVA JAVA
55eastGuiding DubIMPACT ALLSTARS
Guiding DubIMPACT ALLSTARSplay_arrow
A classic album representing the dawn of reggae dub
56eastBetrayalJah Wobble
BetrayalJah Wobbleplay_arrow
Jah Wobble’s debut work
57eastSpa Dub (The Roots Of Dubstep)Mad Professor
Spa Dub (The Roots Of Dubstep)Mad Professorplay_arrow
Mad Professor is a music producer from Guyana.
58eastLook At Where We Are (Major Lazer Remix) /Hot ChipMajor Lazer, Hot Chip
Look At Where We Are (Major Lazer Remix) /Hot ChipMajor Lazer, Hot Chipplay_arrow
Electronic group led by Diplo
59eastOnwardsRhombus
OnwardsRhombusplay_arrow
A dub track by the New Zealand band Rhombus
60eastPrince’s WrathScientist
Prince's WrathScientistplay_arrow
The Jamaican producer’s 1982 album
61eastPlum IslandThe Orb
Plum IslandThe Orbplay_arrow
A techno musician from London
62eastSoulful IThe Upsetter
Soulful IThe Upsetterplay_arrow
Reggae album produced by Lee Perry
63eastI Can’t Help Falling In Love With YouUB40
I Can’t Help Falling In Love With YouUB40play_arrow
UB40 is a British reggae band.
64eastARE YOU READYVIBRONICS featuring MACKA B
ARE YOU READYVIBRONICS featuring MACKA Bplay_arrow
A 2015 new song by a British reggae group
65eastNever Get Burn & dubTwinkle Brothes
Never Get Burn & dubTwinkle Brothesplay_arrow
The Twinkle Brothers are a popular group from Jamaica.
66eastLove& UnityABA SHANTI-I
Love& UnityABA SHANTI-Iplay_arrow
Reggae DJ originating from London
67eastWork SongBill Laswell
Work SongBill Laswellplay_arrow
Bill Laswell cross-genre fusion music
68eastHoldin OnFlume
Holdin OnFlumeplay_arrow
Flume, an Australian DJ and musician
69eastFor The Love of ItSalmonella Dub
For The Love of ItSalmonella Dubplay_arrow
Sakumonera Dub, a band originating from New Zealand
70eastAfrican BloodSingers & Players
African BloodSingers & Playersplay_arrow
A reggae and dub music supergroup
71eastGarden Of LoveWinston McAnuff & Fixi
Garden Of LoveWinston McAnuff & Fixiplay_arrow
Jamaican reggae singer
72eastDarker Shade Of RedAugustus Pablo
Darker Shade Of RedAugustus Pabloplay_arrow
roots reggae producer
73eastAll Wi Doin’ Is DefendinPoet And The Roots
All Wi Doin' Is DefendinPoet And The Rootsplay_arrow
A reggae band expresses poetry through dub music
74eastHard & TuffDub Syndicate
Hard & TuffDub Syndicateplay_arrow
Dub Syndicate's dub music
75eastClint EastwoodGorillaz
Clint EastwoodGorillazplay_arrow
Gorillaz is a British virtual band
76eastCreatorSantigold
CreatorSantigoldplay_arrow
Santigold American singer and producer
77eastMaster Blaster (Jami’n)Stevie Wonder
Master Blaster (Jami’n)Stevie Wonderplay_arrow
Stevie Wonder is a major Motown musician.