Wailers

Wailers may refer to several musical groups, most notably a Jamaican reggae group and a separate American rock band from the Pacific Northwest. The name has also appeared in various local and regional lineups over the years, but these two are the best known.

The Wailers (Jamaican reggae group) were formed in Kingston in the early 1960s by Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston), and Peter Tosh. They began as a vocal trio during the ska and rocksteady eras and became one of reggae’s most influential acts. Early records helped establish their international profile, with singles such as Simmer Down (1964) and One Love (People Get Ready) (1965) contributing to the genre’s spread. After Tosh and Bunny Wailer left in the mid-1970s, Marley continued the project as Bob Marley and the Wailers, achieving worldwide fame with albums including Catch a Fire and Burnin’ (both 1973) and Exodus (1977). The group's music combined social commentary with melodic rhythms and played a significant role in popularizing reggae beyond Jamaica. Marley’s death in 1981 marked the end of the most prominent era of the Wailers, though their work remains influential in reggae and popular music.

The Wailers (American band) were a Pacific Northwest rock group active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They were part of the regional instrumental rock scene and known for energetic performances and a string of local singles. This group is unrelated to the Jamaican Wailers beyond sharing the name, reflecting the varied use of the term in mid-20th-century American popular music.