Meaning
A smooth, romantic style of reggae focused on love and relationships, built on soft, soulful melodies and a gentle, rocking rhythm made for slow dancing close. Lovers rock flourished among the Jamaican diaspora in 1970s and 80s Britain, giving young couples their own sweet, tender reggae, and it remains the mellow, romantic side of the music, set apart from the militant roots and the raw dancehall. Warm and heartfelt, it is the reggae of courtship and the slow dance, cherished for its sweetness and its soul.
Examples
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Put on some lovers rock fi di slow dance.
Put on some lovers rock for the slow dance.
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Lovers rock sweet fi di romantic vibe.
Lovers rock is lovely for a romantic mood.
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Dem ole lovers rock tune still hit hard.
Those old lovers rock songs still hit hard.
Origin
Named for its romantic 'lovers' themes; the genre took shape in the British-Jamaican community in the 1970s.
How it’s used
The romantic, slow-dance subgenre of reggae. Compare 'roots' (conscious reggae) and 'dancehall'.