The writer of this paper seeks to identify why sound systems are viewed as the foundation of the Jamaican music economy. The information is a hundred per cent authentic as it was extracted from both primary data sources(interviews etc.) and secondary data sources(literature, reports etc.)

Sound systems are essentially large, mobile discotheques playing at dances, house parties and nightclubs; were born out of economic necessity. Jamaicans had a passion for music, however, resulting from the poor economic conditions which existed, few among the poorer classes could afford any stereo system. Sound systems provided music for eager Jamaicans who were unable to afford personal music and access it at their desire. Temporary migration from Jamaica to southern U.S. in the late 1940s stemmed the demand for sound systems as returning migrants introduced R&B to Jamaica. Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dod, often said to have invented the sound system concept saw the demand and bought his equipment(Coxsone Downbeat) on his first trip, others quickly followed suite.

Sound systems unintentionally created a Jamaican music industry. American music began changing from R&B

Sugar Minott began singing for Coxsone Downbeat in the mid-1970s, he sang ‘live’ over the rhythm track being played on the sound system and these productions were the first to be called ‘dancehall music’. The reception of the Jamaican massive to dancehall was explosive! Dancehall no longer meant a place where dances were held instead the dominant music of the day…a new era had dawned in Jamaican music. The growth of dancehall music resulted in the burgeoning of sound systems, sound systems brought the music to the Jamaican massive and as the demand escalated, the sources began to increase.

In the words of Keith Walford, owner of Bass Odyssey Music Machine, ‘sound systems are currently taking dancehall to an universal audience and as a result earning precious foreign currency’. Presently, the international crossover of dancehall music has further increased the demand for sound systems to provide people with authentic Jamaican music. Jamaican music has been well received abroad, fans cassettes, CDs, records and attend clubs and arenas to experience dancehall sensations when sound systems deejays are performing ‘live’. The genuine way to listen to dancehall is through a sound system. Ideally this would be at an open air lawn in any Jamaican town or city, where it is eighty degrees at two AM and the bassline vibrates your bottle of Red Stripe. The deejay drives the crowd wild and every great ‘chune’ stimulates a noisy often boisterous reaction. The thought of this undeniable unfor

Some topics in this essay:
Black Americans, SOUND SYSTEM, Red Stripe, Jamaica Clement, Music Machine, Coxsone Downbeat, Features Jamaicans, Wayne Chen, Nonetheless Jamaican, Wherever Jamaicans, sound systems, jamaican music, sound system, dancehall music, music jamaican, music type, jamaican music industry, precious foreign, rock an’, unable afford, music eager, precious foreign currency’, rock an’ roll, earning precious foreign, jamaican music economy,