Rocksteady was the Jamaican music style that directly preceded reggae’s rise in the late 1960s.
Rocksteady developed from ska in Jamaica around 1966. Compared with ska, it generally used a slower tempo and placed greater emphasis on the bass line and vocal harmonies. The style’s name is associated with the Alton Ellis song “Rock Steady,” released in 1967.
By the end of the 1960s, Jamaican musicians and producers were creating recordings with a stronger bass presence, more varied rhythms, and expanded studio effects. These developments helped form early reggae, which soon became internationally recognized through artists including Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Ska is therefore an earlier Jamaican style rather than the immediate predecessor. Dub emerged later as a remix-oriented studio approach, while dancehall developed in the late 1970s and 1980s. Rocksteady’s short period of prominence nevertheless had a lasting influence on reggae’s rhythm section and vocal-group traditions.