The 10 best Canadian reggae songs
From the 1970s to today, these are the essential reggae tunes made in Canada
Reggae music has been made on Canadian soil since the 1970s, and in 1985 the wider industry took notice with the introduction of the best reggae/calypso recording of the year at the Juno Awards. 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of that award, first won all those years ago by Liberty Silver and Otis Gayle for their duet "Heaven Must Have Sent You."
Canadian reggae culture was kickstarted by the first wave of Jamaican immigrants to Canada in the '60s and '70s, many of whom settled around what is now referred to as Little Jamaica, in the northwest end of Toronto. Record shops and basement studios quickly popped up, and a new variation of reggae music was born.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reggae award category at the Junos (one that was recently at risk of no longer existing), CBC Music producers took a trip down memory lane and looked at more than 50 years of Canadian reggae. We developed a long list of the best tracks, then voted on the most essential ones.
Read on below to discover the top 10.
10. 'Easy Now,' Kairo McLean
In 2022, Kairo McLean made Juno Award history by becoming the youngest winner of reggae recording of the year. The song that nabbed him the accolade was "Easy Now," a track he wrote at the tender age of 12. With a vocal delivery well beyond his years, McLean is in command. Over an easy-going rhythm he dives into what would be a typical preoccupation for any preteen: middle-school bullies. But, true to the anti-authority roots of reggae, he sets his eyes on a bigger bully in the second verse: "Cool it down, Mr. Politician Man/ I'm wondering what you got in your plan/ are you working for the people or the corporation?"
9. 'Deh Anthem,' Trinity Chris
St. John's, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver all receive shout-outs on Trinity Chris's spirited track "Deh Anthem," which is "an anthem for Canadians, representing every nation." "Toronto, ready to go and pop bottles" and "Montreal plays ball with hot models" are a few of the fizzing, catchy lines that stand out right off the top, setting the track up as a cross-country multicultural celebration. His robust, hyper-speed delivery over bumping basslines and freewheeling ad-libs give the song its personality, as Trinity Chris showcases Canada's fun and flirtatious sides. Mixing patriotism with playfulness, Trinity Chris embraces bouncing, club-primed rhythms that entice bodies to gyrate, as seen in the colourful music video.
8. 'Bahdgyal Bubble,' Michie Mee
Many Canadians know Michie Mee for her contributions to hip-hop, notably her 1991 track "Jamaican Funk." In 2012, the MC released "Bahdgyal Bubble," an exhilarating dancehall track. Dancehall is reggae's brash and boastful cousin, and it's often a little (or a lot) raunchy. Michie Mee's barking confidence on the mic makes her a perfect fit for the genre, as she raps and sings about her sexual prowess and demands respect from any naysayers, all while giving the girls something to whine to.
7. 'Reggae Time,' Blessed
Reggae music keeps me alive
The heathen keep fighting
They can't deny it
Stand for equal rights
I have no fear the music will survive.
Blessed's endlessly catchy 2006 song "Reggae Time" is brimming with joy. The song is an ode to the genre's history and the enduring message of its founders. Blessed was born in Seaforth Town, Jamaica, before his family immigrated to Canada in the 1980s. He was only 12 at the time, but it's clear throughout "Reggae Time" and his other songs that the culture never left him. Over a classic old-school reggae beat, he sings about moral quandaries, uplifting optimism and celebrating the roots of the genre. In the first scene of the music video, shot outside Toronto's Sunnyside Pavilion, Blessed bops around in 1970s garb, perhaps a nod to reggae's early days. The Juno-winning single remains an anthem of triumph and resilience almost 20 years later.
6. 'Soul Rebel,' Ammoye
Empowerment is at the core of Ammoye's sweeping anthem "Soul Rebel," which aims to uplift the warriors, kings and queens who are "born of light" and "made of stars." Her voice radiates soul, and each lyric is a mantra to cast self-doubt aside and replace it with love. Glowing with optimism, Ammoye honours the power within herself — "I'm a mover, a dancer, lightworker, love maker" — so that she can shine her light on others. Despite her song sharing its name with a Bob Marley and the Wailers track, Ammoye's sound is strikingly different: Marley's song is a slow-churning groove that's bolstered by horns, while Ammoye's is lively and buoyed by her fierce delivery. "There's a rebel living inside of you and me," she sings, her vocals ringing out like a bell.
5. 'Reggae Party,' Kirk Diamond feat. Finn and Kairo McLean
Kirk Diamond's "Reggae Party" has an undeniable groove — if you're not dancing full out, it will at least inspire a two-step. But, like Bob Marley (an artist Diamond lists as an influence), the music always comes with a message. As the powers that be wage wars and sow division, Diamond imagines somewhere for the people to come together and heal: "I know a place that can unite us all/ I call it the dancehall." Diamond won his second Juno Award for reggae recording of the year thanks to "Reggae Party," alongside his collaborators Finn and McLean. There's a passing of the baton when McLean takes the second verse, expounding upon what the "reggae party" can achieve: "It's lunacy/ the crimes against humanity/ hate has one big plan to tear us down/ but we will stand."
4. 'Siren,' Exco Levi
Exco Levi won the Juno in 2015 for reggae recording of the year for "Siren," a summery tale about a man's crime-riddled exploits. Over pulsating rhythms, storytelling becomes paramount, with Levi setting the song up like a saga: "It take a village to raise a child, wondering when did he get so vile." It's a catchy dive into his imaginary protagonist's tumble off the rails that sketches out the police's hot pursuit. "The cops is comin' to get ya," he sings as both a warning and a fact. There's an energizing rumble of bass that emphasizes the storytelling by thumping along like a racing heartbeat. Over blaring alarms, "Siren" thrills and keeps listeners in its grip until the very end.
3. 'Wishbone,' Jackie Mittoo
Jackie Mittoo is widely regarded as the godfather of Canadian reggae. Already a well-established songwriter and keyboardist in Kingston, Jamaica, he brought his rocksteady rhythms north when he immigrated to Toronto in 1971. "Wishbone," the 1972 title track on his first record made on Canadian soil, lays the foundation for reggae music to come. Although it's an instrumental track with no lyrics, the evolution of the sound from ska to rocksteady can be heard through its high-energy drums and horns. The one-drop, where the first drum beat is dropped to give a lilting effect, is the heart of reggae rhythms, and "Wishbone" is a prime example of its execution. "Without Jackie Mittoo, there is no golden age of Canadian reggae. You put it in the oven for a decade or so, and out comes Messenjah, the Satellites, 20th Century Rebels," music historian Jason Wilson told CBC in a 2018 episode of Land of Opportunities.
2. 'Reggae Lane,' Jay Douglas
Toronto's Reggae Lane in Little Jamaica is where the reggae scene in Canada began to take shape, and the community's rich history serves as the inspiration for Jay Douglas's horn-filled autobiographical song. "Reggae Lane" depicts Little Jamaica's tight-knit, vibrant culture: "One love is all around in Reggae Lane," Douglas sings, giving warm praise to the neighbourhood where he grew up. "This was where all the artists rehearsed here for shows, [Bob] Marley, Dennis Brown, all these great artists," Douglas told CityNews in 2023. "They all came here to congregate for the food, record stores…. Everybody came to Eglinton and Oakwood, now it's little Jamaica with Reggae lane." The backup singers' joyous voices soar together, raising Douglas's rippling, soulful vocals up and up.
1. 'Nana's Medley,' Nana McLean
As Nana McLean's crystalline vocals ring out on "Nana's Medley," it becomes clear why she's been dubbed the queen of Canadian reggae. One of the most prolific reggae artists during the '70s, '80s and '90s, McLean's music stands the test of time. On "Nana's Medley" she borrows the "A Love I Can Feel" riddim and makes it her own. (It's very common in reggae and dancehall for different artists to reuse the same beats and production.) The 1996 song appeared on McLean's self-titled album, which went on to win her sole Juno award in 1997. The endearing love song is sung in a '50s doo-wop style, giving it a sweet and pure tone. McLean is head over heels and she doesn't care who knows: "You're my love, you're my angel, you're the boy of my dreams/ I'd like to thank you for waiting patiently."
