A riddim (short for “rhythm”) is the instrumental backing track in reggae, dancehall, and other Jamaican music. Think of it as the beat or groove—usually built from a drum and bassline—that multiple artists can voice over with their own lyrics and melodies.
This is one of the most unique things about reggae: one riddim, many tunes. A single riddim might carry dozens of songs by different artists, each bringing their own vibe.
Reggae Riddims: A Bit of History
The riddim culture started in the late ‘60s and ‘70s, when sound systems ruled Jamaica. Producers would create killer backing tracks, and DJs or singers would “version” them—creating new songs using the same instrumental. This made riddims a cornerstone of Jamaican music culture.
An article on Rolling Stone magazine dives into the history of Jamaican riddims:
The roots of riddims go back to the 1960s, when Leroy Sibbles, lead singer and songwriter for celebrated vocal trio the Heptones and house bass player at the iconic Studio One, created bass lines that became anchors for many of Jamaican music’s most recycled riddims. “Other producers would just copy our rhythms because they sounded good,” Sibbles says. “They’d pick a track, rerecord it, and get their artists to write and record on it.”
[…]
The concept proliferated with the explosion of digitized beats in 1985. Economics plays a role too: Producers’ chances of creating hit songs increases when multiple artists are recorded on the same beat, and it’s less expensive to recycle music that already exists than it is to hire musicians to come up with something new.
Some of the Most Iconic Reggae Riddims
Sleng Teng
The mother of digital dancehall. Released in 1985 by Wayne Smith (“Under Mi Sleng Teng”) at Jammy’s, it was one of the first reggae riddims made entirely on a digital keyboard. Game changer.
Stalag
Made by Winston Riley in 1973, the Stalag 17 riddim ( (named after the 1953 war film) has been versioned hundreds of times. It’s funky, heavy, and timeless. Think Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam”.
Real Rock
A Studio One classic: the original tune, by the Sound Dimension band, was released in 1968. According to Riddim ID, Coxsone Dodd said that he considered this riddim his crowning achievement. You’ve heard this one in countless tunes—rootsy and full of groove.
Answer Riddim
Built on the “Never Let Go” by Slim Smith in the late 1960s, this riddim was revived in the ‘80s and is still getting versioned today. Another Studio One classic.
Heavenless
Originally composed and recorded by Vin Gordon with his distinctive trombone at Studio One in 1968. It was released under his nickname ‘Don Drummond Junior’, and is often mistakenly credited to Don Drummond. It was used by countless DJs in the sound system era.
Full Up (or Pass The Kouchie)
Yet another Studio One riddim, the Full Up Riddim was originally released in 1968. It is also known as the Pass The Kouchie Riddim after the 1981 hit by The Mighty Diamonds over an Augustus Pablo version of the riddim.
Punanny
A raw, heavy digital riddim made famous by Admiral Bailey’s “Punanny” and created in 1986 by King Jammy, Steely and Clevie. It became a dancehall staple with countless artists jumping on it.
Bam Bam (or Murder She Wrote)
The Bam Bam riddim originated from the 1966 tune by The Maytals with Byron Lee & The Dragonaires. Decades later, Sly and Robbie made it stand out with its hypnotic guitar loop that laid the foundation for a wave of dancehall hits. It is sometimes called Murder She Wrote Riddim because it became very popular when that song by Chaka Demus & Pliers was released.
Joyride
A sleek, 90s dancehall riddim by Jamaican record producer Dave Kelly. Known for tunes like Tanya Stephens’ “Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet” and Lady Saw’s “Sycamore Tree”. Smooth and forever fresh.
Riddims are part of what makes reggae so special. They’re shared, versioned, remixed—bringing generations of artists together over the same groove.
What’s your favorite riddim?
Sources:
riddim-id.com
rollingstone.com