Jerry, I'm delighted to see this topic!

The wikipedia link that Q provided upthread provides an excellent historical and musical overview of Reggae music. One minor disagreement that I would make is the first sentence that says that "Reggae is... closely linked to the religion Rastafarianism". I think that best[only?] refers to Roots Rock Reggae [conscious Reggae] such as that composed and performed by the late great Bob Marley.

As that link summarizes so well, there are different types of reggae music. One book that I have on that music: "The Rough Guide To Reggae Music, The Definitive Guide to Jamaican Music from Ska Through Roots To Ragga":[Steve Barrow & Peter Dalton; London, Rough Guides, Ltd.2001] echoes wilipedia [or vice versa]in listing the following forms of Reggae music: Roots Reggae; Dub Reggae; Dancehall Reggae, Ragga. Needless to say, there are sub-categories for each of these. And for some time, at least in the United States, and as I gather from this book, elsewhere throughout the world, the Roots Reggae category appears to be the least popular of the genres, though Bob Marley music always are best sellers.

Reggae music has its own vocabulary-much of which comes from the Rastafarian religion & cultural/political movement. A glossary is included in the book that I referenced above. Some lovers of Reggae music and the study of word meanings might be interested in the definitions of a few words that are commonly used in Reggae songs:

Babylon- oppressive Western society, in general or the police in particular

Baldhead- Someone who is not a Rastafarian [also I have heard it used as a reference to members of the oppresive Western society]

Bangarang-Noise or disruptive commotion, often used by rival sound systems

Big up-to praise someone

Dancehall- where the music is played, not usually a hall [room] but some enclosed [outdoor] open space into which gigantic speakers and record playing equipment has been placed

Don- the big man in the area

Dread- abbreviated form of 'natty dread' but also used to describe anything serious -we're living in a 'dread time', say

Irie-fine or good, often used as a greeting

Massive- large or important

Natty dread- A Rastafarian with dreadlocs [also written as "dreadlocks" and in the USA & often shorten to "locks" {because the African texture of hair is allowed to naturally curl up or "lock" into a curl..from nappy? dreadful??; turning something preceived bad into something considered good??}]

Ras- Ethiopian [Amharic} for "prince" or "lord" ["Ras Tafari" was the title and personal name of Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia and {independent of himself} an extremely important figure in the Rastafarian religion

Raggamuffin- a young street wise ghetto dweller

Rude boy- a young ghetto crimi9nal or hooligan

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As you might expect of a book published in London, this book has a chapter on Reggae in Britain. It also has a chapter of Reggae in the USA, and African Reggae. Of course, Reggae is all over the world now.

Big up & much respect!!