Compiled by Steve Barrows, this 4cd boxset is perfect introduction from ska to dancehall, from '60 to early '90 (and was my first jamaican purchase!), except that now is out of print, but i have still seen copies in shops, so if you are lucky:
The Story of Jamaican Music: Tougher Than Tough [Box set] (island records)
Disc: 1
1. Oh Carolina - The Folkes Brothers
2. Boogie in My Bones - Laurel Aitken
3. Midnight Track - Owen Gray
4. Easy Snappin' - Theophilus Beckford
5. Housewives Choice - Derrick Morgan, Patsy Todd
6. Forward March - Derrick Morgan
7. Miss Jamaica - Jimmy Cliff
8. My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
9. Six and Seven Books of Moses - The Maytals, The Maytals
10. Simmer Down - The Wailers
11. Man in the Street - Don Drummond
12. Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds & Dominoes
13. Guns of Navarone - The Skatalites
14. Al Capone - Prince Buster
15. Hard Man Fe Dead - Prince Buster
16. Tougher Than Tough - Derrick Morgan
17. Girl I've Got a Date - Alton Ellis
18. Happy Go Lucky Girl - The Paragons
19. Dancing Mood - Delroy Wilson
20. Train Is Coming - Ken Boothe
21. Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis
22. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans
23. 007 (Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker
24. I've Got to Go Back Home - Bob Andy, Bob Andy
25. Queen Majesty - The Techniques
26. Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson
27. Don't Stay Away - Phyllis Dillon
Disc: 2
1. Israelites - Desmond Dekker
2. 54-46 That's My Number - The Maytals, The Maytals
3. Reggae Hit the Town - The Ethiopians
4. Wet Dream - Max Romeo
5. My Conversation - The Uniques
6. Bangarang - Stranger Cole, Stranger Cole, Lester Sterling
7. Return of Django - The Upsetters
8. Liquidator - Harry J All-Stars
9. Rivers of Babylon - The Melodians
10. Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff
11. Young Gifted and Black - Bob & Marcia
12. Wake the Town - U-Roy
13. How Long - Pat Kelly
14. Double Barrel - Ansel Collins, Dave Collins, Dave & Ansel Collins
15. Blood & Fire - Winston Niney Holness
16. Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson
17. Better Must Come - Delroy Wilson
18. Money in My Pocket - Dennis Brown
19. Stick by Me - John Holt
20. Teach the Children - Dennis Alcapone
21. $.90 Skank - Big Youth
22. Everything I Own - Ken Boothe
23. Westbound Train - Dennis Brown
24. Move Out of Babylon - Johnny Clarke
25. Curly Locks - Junior Byles
Disc: 3
1. Country Boy - The Heptones
2. Welding - I-Roy
3. Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear
4. Right Time - The Mighty Diamonds
5. Natty Sing Hit Songs - Roman Stewart
6. Ballistic Affair - Leroy Smart
7. Tenement Yard - Jacob Miller
8. War Ina Babylon - Max Romeo
9. Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin
10. Two Sevens Clash - Culture
11. I'm Still Waiting - Delroy Wilson
12. No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley
13. Uptown Top Ranking - Althia and Donna
14. Number One - Gregory Isaacs
15. Bredda Gravalicious - Wailing Souls
16. River Jordan - Sugar Minott
17. Armagideon Time - Willie Williams
18. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Black Uhuru
19. Fort Augustus - Junior Delgado
20. Joggin' - Freddie McGregor
21. Sitting and Watching - Dennis Brown
Disc: 4
1. Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs
2. Mad over Me - Yellowman
3. Diseases - Michigan & Smiley
4. Water Pumping - Johnny Osbourne
5. Pass the Tu-Sheng-Peng - Frankie Paul
6. Here I Come (Broader Than Broadway) - Barrington Levy
7. Ring the Alarm - Tenor Saw
8. Under Me Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
9. Tempo - Anthony Redrose
10. Boops - Super Cat, Supercat
11. Greetings - Half Pint
12. Punanny - Admiral Bailey
13. Hol' a Fresh - Red Dragon
14. Rumours - Gregory Isaacs
15. Cover Me - Ninjaman, Stewart, Sylvester "Sly Stone" & Sal, Tinga Stewart
16. Legal Rights - Lady G, Papa San
17. Wicked Inna Bed - Shabba Ranks
18. Bandolero - Pinchers
19. Yuh Dead Now - Tiger
20. Bogle - Buju Banton
21. Murder She Wrote - Chaka Demus & Pliers
22. Oh Carolina - Shaggy
Then the Steve Barrows book is essential.
Seconded "heart of the congos", all dinamite and studio one from soul jazz, and too many releases from blood and fire, pressure sound and trojan to list now. Many of the themed various artists compilations recently issued by Trojan are great introduction, go to their website and look around. Good luck................................ i hope you are rich!!!