History of reggae. Reggae is a genre that grew out of several other musical styles, including both traditional and contemporary jamaican music, like ska and mento, as well as American r&b. Reggae evolved from these other genres, and really emerged as a unique form in the late 1960's.
REggae influence. Reggae was a precursor not just to the modern Jamaican style of Dub, but to American Ska (think No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish), Jambands (Donna the Buffalo, The String Cheese Incident) and British reggae-based bands (UB40). Also often ignored is that reggae is the predecessor to Hip-Hop and Rap music, and a very clear line can be drawn between the two.
reggae in the uk. The UK was a primary destination for Caribbean people looking to emigrate as early as the 1950s. Because of this, caribbean music in the uk, including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several sub-genres and fusions.