Bob Marley’s first released single, recorded in Jamaica in 1962, was “Judge Not.”
Marley recorded the song when he was still a teenager, before the Wailers became internationally known. The session was produced by Leslie Kong, a leading Jamaican producer who helped young singers enter the recording industry. “Judge Not” combined a moral warning with the early Jamaican sound that preceded reggae’s global breakthrough.
The record was issued under the name Bobby Martell, an early stage name used by Marley. It did not become a major international success, but it is historically important because it documents the beginning of his recording career. Marley’s later work with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer would move toward ska, rocksteady, and eventually reggae.
The single is sometimes confused with “Simmer Down,” the Wailers’ first major Jamaican hit. “Simmer Down” came later, in 1964, and was recorded for Studio One. “Judge Not” remains the key answer when the question concerns Marley’s first released single.