Tropical / Reggae / Caribbean Pop

familyStarted 1956Peak 2014-2019Last big hit still active

Warm-weather pop built on island rhythms: reggae one-drops and skanking guitars, dancehall riddims, soca and calypso percussion, steel pan, marimba-style synth plucks, and offbeat bass. Relaxed major-key hooks, breezy mid-tempos, beach-and-sunshine imagery, and sun-kissed crossover production aimed at mainstream radio.

History

Caribbean sound entered Anglo pop via Belafonte's 1956 calypso craze, then reggae's global spread through the 1970s. Successive waves followed: reggae fusion and dancehall pop around 2000, summer beach-pop perennials, and a 2014-2018 explosion of tropical-house plucks that made island textures the default sound of mainstream summer hits.

Defining artists

Harry BelafonteSpotify YouTube
ShaggySpotify YouTube
KygoSpotify YouTube
MAGIC!Spotify YouTube
Kevin LyttleSpotify YouTube
OMISpotify YouTube

Essential listening

Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) — Harry BelafonteSpotify YouTube
It Wasn't Me — ShaggySpotify YouTube
Rude — MAGIC!Spotify YouTube
Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix) — OMISpotify YouTube
Turn Me On — Kevin LyttleSpotify YouTube

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Sources

Wikipedia: Reggae fusion
NPR: Long live soca! Celebrating 50 years
History.com: The Calypso Craze