The Slackers

The Slackers, formed in Manhattan in 1991, have built a long career on the sound of 1960s Jamaican music. Their records blend ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, soul, garage rock and jazz, with American and British influences surfacing around those roots. Emerging from New York's early-1990s ska scene, they became associated with the revival of traditional ska and rocksteady, setting themselves apart from the punk-leaning third-wave movement through roots reggae and soul-based arrangements.

Across more than three decades they have released numerous studio albums and toured North America, Europe, South America and Japan, largely on a do-it-yourself footing. Their second album, Redlight, released on 23 September 1997, drew notable critical attention: Billboard editor Carrie Bell placed it seventh on her Year in Music list for 1997, while its title track reached number 116 on the CMJ Radio Top 200 in November. Live sets built around a rotating repertoire of reportedly more than 200 songs remain central to their identity. Their 2022 album Don't Let The Sunlight Fool Ya topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. Members also appear in side projects such as Reggae Workers of the World and David Hillyard & The Rocksteady Seven.