The Upsetters
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
3
Rankings
2
Covers
3
Records
The Upsetters never picked up a Grammy or a plaque, but their real trophy case is the history of reggae and dub music. They are routinely cited as the architects of the first full dub album, and their rhythm section powered some of the most important records of the 1970s. NME ranked Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle at #89 on its list of the greatest albums of all time in 2013. Pitchfork placed Super Ape at #72 on its Top 100 Albums of the 1970s, and Spin put it at #63. Return of Django remains a touchstone, covered and sampled by artists across genres. For a band that never had a fixed lineup or a proper tour, that's a legacy most groups would envy.
Rankings & Lists
Greatest Albums of All Time
Top 100 Albums of the 1970s
100 Greatest Albums of the 1970s
Magazine Covers
Black Music
October 1969
The Upsetters: Lee Perry's Hit Factory
Melody Maker
November 1969
The Upsetters: Reggae's Secret Weapon
Records & Feats
First reggae instrumental to reach UK Top 5
Return of Django peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1969, the first reggae instrumental to crack the Top 5.
First full-length dub album
Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle (1973) is widely considered the first complete dub album, predating King Tubby's early work.
Rhythm section played on over 200 recordings
The Barrett brothers played on more than 200 recordings between 1969 and 1975, including all of Lee Perry's Black Ark output.