Dance parties first emerged in Jamaica in the decade following World War II. That's when the deeply underdeveloped British colony started to grow economically. One big boost came from US tourism - Americans came in droves to visit resorts. The idea of recreating something as American as possible would make it very easy for tourists to sort of sneak into it.
Jamaica is famous around the world for its music, including genres like ska, dub, and reggae. It’s tempting to think that the powerful amplifiers and giant speakers at the dance parties were designed to perfectly capture Jamaica’s indigenous sounds. But it’s actually the other way around. Those speakers and amps came first. And the electricians, mechanics and engineers who built and adapted that technology would then play a decisive role in the creation of Jamaica’s modern music. They helped pioneer approaches to making and performing music that would spawn whole other scenes from the Bronx to the UK.
Wickedest Sound