How Has Caribbean Music Influenced Other Cultures| 13 May, 2021
Everyone enjoys music in some form or other. Whether it is classical music to help to relax or heavy bass music in a nightclub to get the adrenaline going on a night out, music can influence mood and can affect the atmosphere of anywhere you go into. With so many different styles in the world, each one tells a different story. But what about Latin American and the Caribbean?
What is one of the first things that you think of when you think about Caribbean music? Is it the steel drums that inspire a sense of relaxation, or the Reggae stylings made popular by the likes of Bob Marley, Wyclef Jean, and Peter Tosh? These sounds are synonymous with the Caribbean islands, and just hearing them can transport you mentally to an island paradise. What you might not realise is the influence that some of this music has had on other cultures worldwide. Reggae is the immediate standout style that permeated the national consciousness in the UK, helping to form the skinhead movement. With Ska also making it across the Atlantic, Jamaican music had a significant role in influencing the popular styles in both the USA and UK in the 70s and 80s, inspiring the likes of Madness and the Specials in the process. With many of these styles, they can help to create a carnival-like atmosphere, which gets used in cricket matches across the islands along with other sporting and cultural events.
Where are the other influences?
This might come as a surprise, but reggae has a much greater reach than it is given credit for as it has also had an impact on the development of the Hip-hop scene in the USA, with the likes of the Notorious BIG and Grand Master Flash were both in the Caribbean and have had considerable success in the US music charts. With Soca, Steelpan, and even Calypso having significant popularity in the Caribbean, music is a key part of the lives of many people on the islands. Even Salsa from Cuba has also influenced the outside world, with classes taking place across the globe and popular dance shows utilising salsa in their competitions.
It not just in the wider world the Caribbean music has spread, as it has made its way to online slots and casinos, with many companies utilizing the exciting and interesting pacing of this music to drawn in players. This is no different with Ruby Fortune Slots as they use different Caribbean musical styles depending on what atmosphere they want to generate for their games.
It is clear that Caribbean music has had a significant impact around the world, and without it, there are some bands who would never have made it as they were directly influenced by Ska and Reggae. Without this, the likes of Madness may not have existed, and the world would be a much worse place for it. It’s amazing how often the thing you least expect has the biggest impact.
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