What Jamaican city is considered the birthplace of reggae?

The Jamaican city considered the birthplace of reggae is Kingston.

Kingston became the central laboratory for Jamaican popular music during the 1960s. The city’s recording studios, sound-system operators, radio culture and densely connected musician community helped ska and rocksteady develop into reggae. While reggae emerged from wider Jamaican musical traditions, Kingston is the city most strongly associated with its formation and early spread.

Reggae grew from ska and rocksteady, combining Jamaican rhythms with influences from American rhythm and blues, soul and funk. By the late 1960s, musicians and producers in Kingston were experimenting with a heavier bass presence, distinctive offbeat guitar or keyboard accents, and more spacious arrangements. Producers such as Lee “Scratch” Perry and musicians including Jackie Mittoo played important roles in this transition.

A common mistake is treating reggae as though it began in Montego Bay or another tourist centre. Those places have important Jamaican music scenes, but Kingston is the accepted historical answer because it was the main recording and creative hub during reggae’s emergence.