Top 300 Jamaican songs 1960 – 1990: covering Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and Dancehall

The Editors of Jamaican Life & Travel have compiled a list of what they consider as the top 300 vintage Jamaican songs over the period 1960 to 1990. The songs cover the genres of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and Dancehall. Our choices are based on the popularity of the songs over the years. Listen to the songs, contained within the folders below, and give us your feedback, in the comments section. If any of your favourites have been omitted, please let us know.

• CLOSE(D)
• SKA
• ROCKSTEADY
• REGGAE
• DANCEHALL

• My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
• Sweet William - Millie Small
• Oh Henry - Millie Small
• Jamaica Ska - Keith Lyn & Ken Lazarus with Byron Lee & Dragonaires
• Behold - Blues Busters
• Soon You'll Be Gone - Blues Busters
• Wings of a Dove - Blues Busters
• Simmer Down - The Wailers
• I'm Gonna Put it On - The Wailers
• Little did you know - The Techniques with Slim Smith
• I Don't Know - Blues Busters
• Lady with the red dress on - Gaylads
• No Good Girl - The Gaylads
• Hard Man Fe Dead - Prince Buster
• Black Head Chinaman - Prince Buster
• Forward March - Derrick Morgan
• Blazing Fire - Derrick Morgan
• Everything Crash - The Ethiopians
• Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds and The Dominoes
• You Won't See Me - Clarendonians
• Train to Skaville - The Ethiopians
• Tougher Than Tough - Derrick Morgan
• The Ugly One - King Stitt
• Ten Commandments of Man - Prince Buster
• Sammy Dead Medley - Prince Buster
• Oh Carolina - Folkes Brothers with Count Ossie
• Pain in my belly - The Maytals
• Long Shot Kick the Bucket - Pioneers
• Jailhouse - Wailers
• Rudie Gone a Jail - Clarendonians
• Rude Boy - Wailers
• Let Him Go - Wailers
• I'm the toughest - Peter Tosh
• Burial - Wailers
• Judge Dread - Prince Buster
• The Appeal - Prince Buster
• Can't Hide The Feeling - Gaylads
• Dancing Shoes - Wailers
• Honour your mother and father - Desmond Dekker and the Aces
• It's You - Maytals
• Scare Him - Maytals
• Botheration - Justin Hinds and The Dominoes
• I've Got To Go Back Home - Bob Andy
• Never Grow Old - The Maytals
• Sweet and Dandy - Maytals
• Ruff and Tuff - Stranger Cole
• Sammy Dead - Eric Monty Morris
• Oil in my lamp - Eric Monty Morris
• The Duke and the Sir - Delroy Wilson
• When I Call Your Name - Stranger Cole & Patsy
• Singer Man - The Kingstonians
• Fire Corner - King Stitt
• The Liquidator - Harry J. Allstars

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• Artibella - Ken Boothe
• Baby Why - The Cables
• Better Must Come - Delroy Wilson
• Cool Operator - Delroy Wilson
• Black Cinderella - Errol Dunkley
• You Gonna Need Me - Errol Dunkley
• Book of Rules - Heptones
• Equal Rights - Heptones
• Equal Rights - Dennis Brown ft. Big Youth
• Come on Little Girl - Melodians
• Travelling Man - The Techniques
• Talk About Love - Pat Kelly
• Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson
• Don't Look Back - Keith and Tex
• Stop That Train - Keith and Tex
• Cool Breeze - Big Youth
• Can I Change My Mind - Alton Ellis
• I'm Still in Love With You Girl - Alton Ellis
• Three-Piece Suit - Trinity
• Rocksteady - Alton Ellis
• Get on the ball - Roy Shirley
• Rock With Me Baby - Johnny Clarke
• Move Out Of Babylon - Johnny Clarke
• Last Train To Expo 67 - Melodians
• Hold Them - Roy Shirley
• Wear You to the Ball - U Roy
• On the Beach - The Paragons
• The Tide is High - The Paragons
• If I Were A Carpenter - John Holt
• Little Nut Tree - The Melodians
• Love is not a gamble - The Techniques
• Let Me Go Girl - Slim Smith
• Rougher Yet - Slim Smith
• My Conversation - Slim Smith and The Uniques
• Curly Locks - Junior Byles
• Fade Away - Junior Byles
• You Have Caught Me - The Melodians
• Why Did You Leave - Heptones
• Need a Fat Girl - Heptones
• Only Sixteen - Heptones
• Sea Of Love - Heptones
• Johnny Too Bad - Slickers
• Nanny Goat - Larry Marshall
• Without Love - Leroy Smart
• Nice Time - Wailers
• Stir It Up - Wailers
• I'm Still Waiting - Wailers
• I'm Not a King - Delroy Wilson
• Rain From the Sky - Delroy Wilson
• I'm Still Waiting - Delroy Wilson
• Pressure and Slide - Tennors
• Sounds and Pressure - Hopeton Lewis
• Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis
• You Don't Care - The Techniques
• Picture On The Wall - Freddy McKay
• Desperate Lover - Bob Andy
• Who Done It - Jackie Mittoo
• Wake The Town - U Roy
• S90 Skank - Big Youth
• I Pray Thee - Big Youth
• Satta Massagana - Abyssinians
• Thunderstorm - Bongo Herman
• The First Cut - Norma Fraser
• No No No - Dawn Penn
• Queen Majesty - Uniques
• Queen of the Minstrels - Cornel Campbell & The Eternals
• Girl of my Dreams - Cornell Campbell
• Watch This Sound - Slim Smith
• Sunday Coming - Alton Ellis
• Skylarking - Horace Andy
• Oh Mr. DC - Sugar Minott

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• Israelite - Desmond Dekker
• 54-46 Was My Number - The Maytals
• Pressure Drop - Toots and the Maytals
• Double Barrel - Dave Ansell Collins
• Greetings - Half Pint
• Level The Vibes - Half Pint
• Winsome Too Rude - Half Pint
• One Love - Bob Marley
• The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff
• You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff
• Ballroom Floor - Bunny Wailer
• Dance Rock - Bunny Wailer
• This Train - Wailers with Bunny Wailer on lead vocal
• 96 Degrees in the Shade - Third World
• Try Jah Love - Third World
• All Night Till Daylight - Jacob Miller
• Here I Come - Dennis Brown
• Money in my pocket - Dennis Brown
• Stick By Me - John Holt
• Baltimore - Tamlins
• Ting A Ling - Tamlins
• Big Ship - Freddie McGregor
• Jah Jah Give Us Life to Live - Wailing Souls
• Jah Jah see dem a come - Culture
• Two Sevens Clash - Culture
• Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear
• Rivers of Babylon - The Melodians
• Steppin' Out a Babylon - Marcia Griffiths
• None Shall Escape The Judgement - Johnny Clarke
• Black Star Liner - Fred Locks
• Tenement Yard - Jacob Miller
• Ballistic Affair - Leroy Smart
• One Blood - Junior Reid
• Telephone Love - JC Lodge
• Breakfast In Bed - Lorna Bennett
• Moonlight Lover - Joya Landis
• Cottage In Negril - Tyrone Taylor
• Have a Little Faith - Nicky Thomas
• Girlie Girlie - Sophia George
• Perfidia - Phyllis Dillon
• Love Me Forever - Carlton And The Shoes
• One Draw - Rita Marley
• I'm a Don - Pinchers
• Agony - Pinchers
• Guess who is coming to dinner - Black Uhuru
• Walk and don't look back - Peter Tosh ft. Mick Jagger
• Don't Turn Around - Aswad
• Bodyguard - Steel Pulse
• Whip Them Jah - Dennis Brown
• Revolution - Dennis Brown
• War Inna Babylon - Max Romeo
• Serious Time - Admiral Tibet
• War - Bob Marley
• Get Up Stand Up - Wailers
• Equal Rights - Peter Tosh
• Legalize It - Peter Tosh
• Here Comes The Hotstepper - Ini Kamoze
• Reggae General - Ini Kamoze
• Here I Come - Barrington Levy
• Rumours - Gregory Isaacs
• Love Is Overdue - Gregory Isaacs
• Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs
• Tune In - Gregory Isaacs
• Natural Mystic - Bob Marley
• Is This Love - Bob Marley
• I Shall Sing - Marcia Griffiths
• My Jamaican Girl - The Gaylads
• Mawga Dawg - Wailers ft Peter Tosh
• Money Girl - Culture
• Hard Drugs - Gregory Isaacs
• Just Say Who - Horace Andy
• Skylarking - Horace Andy
• Loving Pauper - Ruddy Thomas ft. Trinity
• Pass the Kutchie - Mighty Diamonds
• Many Rivers To Cross - Jimmy Cliff
• Too Experienced - Bob Andy
• Police and Thieves - Junior Murvin
• Princess Black - Edi Fitzroy
• Puppet on a string - Ken Boothe
• Ring the Alarm - Tenor Saw
• Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
• Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley
• Westbound Train - Dennis Brown
• Cassandra - Dennis Brown
• Electric Boogie - Marcia Griffiths
• Uptown Top Ranking - Althea and Donna
• Zion Gate - Culture & Prince Mohammed
• Ram Goat Liver - Pluto Shervington
• Buddy Bye - Johnny Osbourne
• Dreamland - Bunny Wailer
• You Cant Be Happy - Clarendonians
• What kind of world - The Cables
• I Need A Roof - Mighty Diamonds
• Black My Story - Melody Makers
• Tomorrow People - Melody Makers
• Conscious Party - Melody Makers
• Wait in Vain - Bob Marley
• One Step Ahead - Beres Hammond
• No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
• Redemption Song - Bob Marley

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• Bam Bam - Sister Nancy
• Jamaica Jamaica - Brigadier Jerry
• Wheely Wheely - Early B
• Mini Bus - General Trees
• Gone a Negril - General Trees
• Woman Deh Yah - Professor Nuts
• Diseases - Michigan & Smiley
• Nice up the dance - General Smilie & Papa Michigan
• Leggo Mi Hand - Josey Wales
• Yuh Nuh Wrong Fe Send Come Call Me - Josey Wales
• Hol a fresh - Red Dragon
• We Run Things - Flourgon
• Young girl wear your size - Lieutenant Stitchie
• Natty Dread - Lieutenant Stitchie
• Two Year Old - Admiral Bailey
• Dem Think Me Did Done - Admiral Bailey
• No Wanga Gut - Tiger
• Murder She Wrote - Chaka Demus and Pliers
• Boops - Super Cat
• Mud Up - Super Cat
• Vineyard Party - Super Cat
• Ghetto Red Hot - Supercat
• Hortical Don - Ninjaman
• Murder Dem - Ninjaman
• Border Clash - Ninjaman
• Twice My Age - Shabba Ranks ft. Crystal
• House Call - Shabba Ranks ft Maxi Priest
• Mr. Loverman - Shabba Ranks ft. Chevelle Franklin
• Trailer Load a Girls - Shabba Ranks
• Caan Done - Shabba Ranks
• Wickedest Slam - Beenie Man
• Tek Him - Mad Cobra
• Under Me Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
• Anything for you - Snow ft. Nadine Sutherland et al
• Action - Terror Fabulous ft. Nadine Sutherland
• Love Me Browning - Buju Banton
• Love Black Woman - Buju Banton
• Woman Nuh Fret - Buju Banton
• Batty Rider - Buju Banton
• Just one of those days -
• Solid As A Rock - Sizzla
• Mi God Mi KIng - Papa Levi
• Look into my eyes - Bounti Killa
• Tour - Capleton
• Jah Jah City - Capleton
• Massa God World A Run - Buju Banton
• Not an easy road - Buju Banton
• Untold Stories - Buju Banton
• Murderer - Buju Banton
• Driver - Buju Banton

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