Dancehall-Pop
tagStarted 2002Peak 2012-2018Last big hit still activeFrom JamaicaSung in Jamaican Patois
Located in 5 routes
Pop riding a dancehall riddim: a swung, syncopated drum pattern, skanking offbeat chords, deep sub-bass and a patois-tinged or melodic hook that bounces rather than four-on-the-floor pounds. Warmer and more tropical than house-pop, with a loose hip-swaying groove and call-and-response toasting energy.
History
Crossed over when Jamaican dancehall toasters guested on pop hits in the 2000s, then peaked in the 2010s 'tropical' wave as Major Lazer, Drake and Rihanna built pop around riddim grooves. Sia's 'Cheap Thrills' with Sean Paul and the Justin Bieber/Major Lazer smash 'Cold Water' brought the bounce to global No. 1s.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancehall
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheap_Thrills_(song)
- https://www.billboard.com/music/sean-paul/