Bob Marley Photography

Best known for his repertoire of robust beats, Bob Marley also infused many of his sun-soaked songs with spiritual sentiments gleaned from the Rastafarian faith. The man who put reggae on the map isn’t just one of Jamaica’s most celebrated singer/songwriters, but continues to appeal to audiences from all walks of life.

Though he would release records throughout the 1960s and ’70s with the Wailers, 1977’s solo outing Exodus proved to be his ground-breaking blockbuster. Songs like “Waiting in Vain,” “Jamming,” “One Love/People Get Ready,” and “Three Little Birds” earned Exodus recognition from Time magazine as the “Album of the Century.”

With Marley’s star on the rise, he died tragically in 1981 at only 36 years old. Nonetheless, new generations keep rediscovering 1984’s Legend compilation (reggae’s all-time best seller), and posthumous accolades like 1994’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and 2001’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award have ensured his continued relevance. His legacy also lives on in his children, many of whom have followed in his artistic footsteps.