Reggae and dancehall originated in Jamaica and are important musical genres in the Caribbean. Reggae developed in the late 1960s from ska and rocksteady, characterised by its distinctive offbeat rhythm and deep bass lines. Dancehall emerged at the end of the 1970s as a faster, harder version of reggae, with a focus on dance and partying. A central element of dancehall culture are 7-inch vinyl singles, which were used by DJs and sound systems to bring new riddims and tracks straight to the dancefloor due to their fast and inexpensive production.
