Various Artists – Sweet Inspiration Guilty Reggae Pleasures

Although reggae music was enormously popular in the United Kingdom following its international breakthrough in the late 1960s, many decision-makers in the British mainstream media were reluctant to cover this exciting new sound—whether in print or on the radio.

To counter this prejudice, Trojan Records took the bold step of adding sophisticated orchestration to recordings from Jamaica; the resulting “Commercial Reggae” sound was an instant hit with the country’s reggae fans.

Consequently, the company not only continued this approach but even expanded it by hiring producers to record the best reggae acts based in the UK. The result was a wealth of superbly produced recordings that could rival the best that British pop music had to offer in terms of quality.

This sound, which had a decisive influence on the development of Lovers Rock, eventually lost its prominence; yet after years of being considered “uncool,” “Commercial Reggae” is finally receiving widespread recognition again today for what it is: music that simply puts you in a good mood. This essential collection brings together many of the best examples of this sound, combining significant works with long-forgotten classics from the archives.