REGGAE | Jamaica 60 Independence - Re-igniting a Nation for Greatness

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, IRIE presents TIDAL’s 60 Years of Jamaican Independence to celebrate Jamaica’s legacy and cultural influences!

TIDAL

TIDAL has unveiled a collection of specially curated content showcasing Jamaican culture, including: guest-curated playlists from icon and musical legend Jimmy Cliff and Olympian Usain Bolt with exclusive commentary, decade evolution of reggae/dancehall music from the 1960s to present day, essentials from Caribbean icons like Toots and the Maytals, Spice, The Melodians, and more!

“As Jamaica celebrates 60 years of independence this year, it’s a great time to recognize the tremendous cultural influence of this relatively small island over the world, from inspiring artists of diverse cultures to influencing the beats and rhythms of chart-topping global hits. As the reggae & dancehall curator at TIDAL, it’s important to me that we celebrate all aspects of these sounds every day—and on this momentous occasion we had to do something special. I’m excited for reggae fans and music lovers to experience our Jamaican Independence Day hub and immerse themselves in this rich culture.”

– Reshma B, TIDAL’s reggae/dancehall editor

Photo credit:

Vision Addict

Jimmy Cliff: Curated by JA 60

17 Tracks
Created by TIDAL
“To all my fans, friends and music lovers have a very happy Jamaica Independence Day and I hope you all become independent indeed so you can learn your own language whichever it might be, I am learning my own African language right now to be truly independent.”
— Jimmy Cliff
LISTEN

Photo credit:

Courtesy of Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt: Curated By JA 60

47 Tracks
Created by TIDAL
“My peeps I want to wish you a happy Independence Day, hope you have a wonderful day keep your head up. This is my playlist, these are songs from over the years that have really impacted my life and that’s something that I really enjoy some are fun some are really meaningful but my playlist is the baddest playlist —know that, alright?”
— Usain Bolt
LISTEN

Photo credit:

Down The Barrell Photography

Toots and the Maytals Essentials

19 Tracks

Created by TIDAL

Formed in the 1960s, Toots & The Maytals were one of the biggest groups to emerge from Jamaica, responsible for popularizing reggae and introducing it to a global audience. In fact, the group’s song “Do the Reggay” was the first popular recording to use the word “reggae,” connecting it to the developing genre. This playlist gathers some of their finest cuts.

LISTEN

Photo credit:

Courtesy of United Masters Press

Spice Essentials JA 60

24 Tracks
Created by TIDAL
Grace Hamilton aka Spice celebrates her birthday on Jamaican Independence Day. The Queen Of The Dancehall was born and raised in Portmore and rose from humble beginnings to become a worldwide star. These are some of her greatest songs released over the course of her career.
LISTEN

Photo credit:

Rovi

The Melodians Essentials

34 Tracks
Created by TIDAL
One of the great vocal trio’s of Jamaica’s Rocksteady era, the Melodians were founded in the early 60’s by Brent Dowe, Tony Brevett and Trevor McNaughton. Recording with legendary producers like Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid and Prince Buster the group blazed a trail of classic songs including the massive ‘Rivers of Babylon’ which is featured on the movie soundtrack of the cult classic ‘The Harder They Come’.
LISTEN

TIDAL PRESENTS

The Harder They Come

120 MIN

Wishing to become a successful Reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers.

2022, August 2022, Reggae

REGGAE | Jamaica 60 Independence – Re-igniting A Nation For Greatness