30 years ago today...

Bob Marley lost his battle with the Big C. Has one band influenced an entire genre of music as much as Bob Marley and the Wailers influenced reggae?

 

Beethoven.

 

I'd say the Beatles had a bit of influence on rock 'n' roll.

 

Name (without google) five other reggae bands or performers. And you cannot use Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer or Ziggy Marley because they are all connected to Bob.

 

Don Drummond
Jimmy Cliff
Desmond Dekker
Toots Hibbert
Roland Alphonso

Where's my gold star?

 

Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys freaking named their genre. That's influence.

 

Also, it's pretty hard to overstate the influence of Roy Acuff on country music, both as an artist and as a behind-the-scenes businessman. His music publishing company signed Hank Williams, Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers.

 

The better question: has one man influenced more white, doughy frat boys to smoke marijuana in the last 20 years?

 

Toots and the Maytals
Desmond Dekker (and the Aces)
Jimmy Cliff
Culture
Lee "The Upsetter" Perry
BONUS: Sly and Robbie

I would argue that Marley's influence was greater outside of reggae than within it, because a lot of what he had done was influenced by many of the acts listed above. Don't get me wrong -- Marley was great. But he wasn't alone in spreading reggae worldwide. The two albums that brought it to international consciousness were both in 1973: the Wailers' "Burnin'" (while all three original members were there), and the soundtrack to "The Harder They Come." (The movie itself was quite the cult item.)

Listening to today's reggae, I hear much more of a dance hall influence a la Buju Banton than the roots rock of Marley. However, wherever hacky-sack is played, there is Marley.

EDIT: Desmond Dekker actually had the first reggae hit, with "Israelites" in 1969.

 

...and to Bob's point, I'd argue that Sly and Robbie are still incredibly relevant and influential today - everything from Reggaeton to indie rock.

 

I think Bob Marley did more than just influence Reggae. His music influenced bands like The Police and The Clash and Ska music in general.

By opening up more Jamaican influence you could even argue that he had a hand in influencing rap music through the "toasting" tradition.

I suppose you could thank him (or not) in an indirect way for Shabba Ranks as well

Marley's catalogue holds up incredible well.

 

I think it's a good question.

Robert Johnson maybe?

Woody Guthrie?