Sound System Culture began in the ghettos of Jamaica and was used as a tool to attract crowds of people to listen to music and buy food, drink and other items. Bigger crowds meant more potential income so sound systems became very competitive and this encouraged faster improvements to the speakers and associated equipment such as dub sirens. Sometimes two or more sound systems would arrange a ‘sound clash’ where each sound system would compete to be the best sound system in the arena with heavier bass and exclusive ‘dubplates’ which are songs which belong to one or very few ‘selectors’.

Throughout the 60’s and 70’s, migration of Jamaicans to other countries spread the culture, and the music also evolved with it. Whilst reggae is considered to be the general music played on sound systems, sub-genres influenced by reggae can also be heard such as roots, dub, steppers, dancehall, rub-a-dub and even dubstep. In Europe, other genres have evolved out of dub also, such as Dub Techno and Vapor Dub. ‘Roots’ is a subgenre of reggae promoting black liberation and Rastafari who were early adopters of sound system culture and used it as a tool to promote good and peaceful messages. Roots sound systems will often abstain from competitiveness with other sound systems.