reggae

The best punk drummers of the 2000s, from Travis Barker to Meg White

As the new century’s first decade unwound, things evolved or deteriorated rapidly, depending on your perspective. The entire world was changing in every aspect. So of course, punk rock was gonna change with it. The fundamentalists would scream and moan about how these changes weren’t punk at all, that we needed to go back to […]

10 best '70s London punk bands, from Siouxsie And The Banshees to Sex Pistols

As long as there’s been a punk scene, its denizens have argued as to which city invented it — New York or London? Truth be told, it was neither because history’s first proper punk band was the Stooges from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Which would make Detroit punk’s proper birthplace. But if much of the sound […]

The 15 best punk albums of 2002, from Sleater-Kinney to the Used

The most notable aspect of punk rock in 2002 was the mainstream ascension of garage for the first time since the ‘60s. But all those albums by the Strokes, the White Stripes and the Hives that went mega this year were all recorded and released in 2002. Which explains their inclusion on this list, rather […]

20 songs that transformed punk, from "Raw Power" to "Rebel Girl"

There are a lot of people out there who know what punk rock is but have no idea how to explain it to a novice or an outsider. It would seem simple enough to define it as “three-chord teenage rebel music,” but what about all those songs that have four or more chords? Or all […]

Rancid were absolutely crucial to the fusion of ska, reggae and punk rock

Berkeley’s Rancid, history’s most commercially successful street punk band, also have deep-running ska/rock steady/reggae roots. After all, both singer/guitarist Tim Armstrong and bassist Matt Freeman got their start in 924 Gilman Street heroes Operation Ivy, who almost single-handedly invented ska-core. Don’t buy it? Listen to “Sound System” and you tell us. With such a pedigree, […]

How ska paved the way for punk... and took over the world along the way

“We’re the Interrupters! We’re from Los Angeles, California!” the young guitarist announces over a fanfare, as the camera pulls back and reveals a four-piece band, plus a singer, and a crush of throbbing humanity in a tiny space. “And this first song is a protest song, but it’s also a unity song. Because there’s no […]

These 10 bands showcase the Ramones’ undying influence on music

Boston, Massachusetts, Sept. 25, 2021: The 1965 Mosrite Ventures II electric guitar played by Johnny Ramone on every Ramones album from 1977 onward and at 1,985 of their live shows sold at auction for $937,500. Not bad, considering the punk guitar architect paid $200 for it, after his original one he bought for $50 in […]

Gang Of Four on what they learned from James Brown, COVID-19 and more

Welcome to the second installment of our exclusive two-part conversation with Leeds, U.K. post-punk icons Gang Of Four, represented by singer Jon King and drummer Hugo Burnham. We learned last time what the Marxist funkateers picked up from organizing political demonstrations and seeing early punk bands in the student refectory as Leeds University students. We […]

1998’s top 15 punk albums simultaneously changed and preserved the form

Top 15 punk albums of 1998? You’d be forgiven for thinking that there weren’t any in the year the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal dominated the news. A quick perusal of Billboard’s Hot 100 singles of the year sees domination by several R&B (Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey) or hip-hop (Puff Daddy, Master P, […]

Gang Of Four on their political roots, new box set '‘77-’81’ and more

When Leeds, U.K. post-punks Gang Of Four first appeared on American shores in 1980, they were simultaneously startling, exciting, fierce, warm, familiar and yet shockingly new. They were clearly unthinkable without punk, yet they didn’t play standard-issue Ramones–isms in a leather jacket. They were as angry and leftist in their politics as the Clash, but […]

Atiba Jefferson outlines his process behind the lens

Each month, AP Gallery takes a deep dive into visual culture. We explore music videos and photographs, as well as images that shape the world more broadly. Our discussions go backstage and on set, revealing the vision, the sudden inspiration or the snap decisions that helped to mold iconic images in music, skateboarding, sports and […]

How punk and reggae united and went "outernational" to rule the world

This past March 5, the French punk label Guerilla Asso quietly slipped a genius album into the marketplace: Rocket To Kingston, credited to Bobby Ramone. The melding of the isolated vocal tracks from nine of Bob Marley’s most deathless classics to edited Ramones backing tracks, it sounds like a joke on paper. The cover even […]

15 artists who draw influence from the Clash’s dynamic punk spirit

Some promo copywriter at the Clash’s American label, Epic Records, came up with the questionable slogan “19 songs by the only band that matters” for the sticker that appeared on the face of 1980’s U.S. release of London Calling. While singer/guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon didn’t […]

15 punk albums from 1993 that embraced contrarianism over prefab rebellion

Alternative rock still dominated popular music in 1993. This obviously begged the question of just how “alternative” something was if it was now on a major label and on the radio. Not necessarily a bad thing. After all, we’d never have to hear Whitesnake again. Bottom end and distortion returned to rock record-making in a […]

Anthony Green reacts to hilarious reggae-related Spotify mixup

A rather hilarious mixup has occurred with Anthony Green and Spotify is to thank. Due to some clerical mistakes, it seems that the Anthony Green from Saosin and Circa Survive that we know and love dropped a reggae EP.  Just kidding. But, a reggae artist also named Anthony Green’s new reggae EP I Got A Girl is […]

SoCal pop-reggae 4th & Orange announce signing with debut single

AP is proudly teaming up with upcoming pop-reggae outfit 4th & Orange in this exclusive premiere for the band’s debut single, “Girl Next Door.” Merging pop elements with reggae in the likes of Sublime, “Girl Next Door” introduces the band’s summery, poolside vibe along with their storytelling style that draws on relatable circumstances from real-life […]

The Aggrolites deliver reggae-ska grooves out of a box truck—watch

Talk about a cause for celebration: AP is premiering the new video from L.A.’s long-running reggae-ska unit, the Aggrolites. “Pound For Pound” serves as the lead-off song from their latest album, Reggae Now!, released by Pirates Press Records. The band’s organ-based grooves and steady-rockin’ beats are the kind of thing that defines everything great under […]

Dogs love reggae, jury still out on pop punk

You've probably jammed to your favorite band with your dog more than once, right? But have you ever thought about what your dog might want to listen to? A study done by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that dogs preferred reggae and soft rock. Read […]

Jimmy Cliff - Rebirth

Jimmy Cliff Rebirth Jimmy Cliff is not a likely candidate for the American Recordings-style, late-career comeback. Since his 1970s heyday—most notably with the game-changing soundtrack of The Harder They Come—the singer has maintained his status as one of reggae’s most dependable artists. But there’s been a slick sheen and bloodless professionalism with much of his […]