• Rocksteady Hits the Town - Various Artists

The mighty sound of rocksteady hit Jamaica around 1966, shone like a star and blasted out from the dancehalls for two years before reggae music took a different path and evolved into another of its chapters. But in this two year period up to around 1968, it ruled and produced some of Jamaica's finest sounds. During this period, the jerky ska rhythms of old slowed-down to a more sedate pace. Some say due to the extreme heat that hit the Island in that year, making the frenzied dance routines all that much harder during the all night Sound System sessions. Whatever the reasons, this period would see some of the power wrestled from the big three producers, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid, who up until now had ruled the waves, making room for the upcoming new wave of producers who also had something to say.

Such names were Joel Gibson (aka Joe Gibbs), Sonia Pottinger, Derrick Harriott and the most prolific of them all, Mr. Bunny Lee, would unleash some fine music in this fascinating if not short period in reggae's history. Here are compiled some of the biggest hits from the rocksteady era alongside some lesser-known cuts that deserve to be re-evaluated. A great period that is sometimes overlooked but contained some great tunes that also in their own way rocked the dancefloors not only in Jamaica but around the world.

1. Uniques - People Rocksteady
2. Roy Shirley - Dance Arena
3. Sensations - Long Time Me No See You Girl
4. Roy Shirley - Touch Them
5. Winston Samuels - Don't Believe Him
6. Lester Sterling - Super Special
7. Glen Adams - S-H-I (I'm Shocking)
8. Uniques - Girl Of My Dreams
9. Cynthia Richards - Johnny Darling
10. Roy Wilson - Dread Saras
11. Roy Shirley - Thank You
12. Caribbeans - Butterflies
13. Glen Adams - Grab A Girl
14. Ann Reid - Remember When

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Rocksteady Hits the Town - Various Artists

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  • £13.99