Reggae vinyl pre-orders are mostly reissues: roots, dub and dancehall albums from the 1970s and 1980s that were long out of print or only available as original Jamaican pressings. New albums from current artists round out the list. These records are often pressed in limited runs and are not always repressed. Ordering before release helps you avoid missing them and lets you compare offers from partner stores.
The current lineup reads like a map of Jamaican music: the rocksteady of Alton Ellis and Delroy Wilson, roots from the Wailing Souls, Freddie McGregor and Junior Murvin, Augustus Pablo's melodica, and early '80s dancehall from Barrington Levy, Johnny Osbourne, Half Pint, Eek-A-Mouse and Michigan & Smiley. Alborosie represents today's scene.
Several labels are dedicated to reissuing Jamaica's musical heritage. VP Records and Greensleeves put out both new music and the dancehall catalog, Trojan reissues its classics, Pressure Sounds digs up rare productions, and Soul Jazz Records has released many Studio One anthologies. As for formats, reggae keeps a strong 7-inch and 12-inch culture, often with the dub version on the B-side.
Original Jamaican pressings have real collector appeal, but their manufacturing quality varies widely: recycled vinyl, surface noise, off-center labels. Serious reissues, remastered from the tapes, usually sound cleaner and cost far less. For a classic such as Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves," produced by Lee Perry, a reissue is the simplest choice for listening.
Dub deserves extra care. Albums produced or mixed by King Tubby, Prince Jammy or Lee Perry circulate in many editions, official and otherwise. Check the label and licensing details: an official reissue means a proper source and royalties paid to the rights holders. The producer or mixing engineer is usually credited on the back of the jacket.
The same reggae reissue can be priced differently from one store to another. On Vinyles.com, each product page lists the pre-order offers available from partner stores, so you can compare the exact edition and then order from the store you choose. Release dates are estimates: delays of a few weeks are common in vinyl and do not mean the release is canceled.
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Desmond Dekker
Reggae/RaggaRoots Reggae
