Toots and the Maytals

Toots and the Maytals are credited with coining the very word 'reggae' in their 1968 single Do the Reggay—a linguistic legacy that no other artist on this list can claim. Fronted by Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert, the band blended ska, soul, and gospel to create some of reggae's most joyful anthems, with Pressure Drop (1969) remaining an evergreen classic that has been covered by over 30 artists—a 10% higher cover rate than #3 Jimmy Cliff's Many Rivers to Cross. Their 1972 album Funky Kingston was named album of the year by both Rolling Stone and Time magazine, a prestige win that outperforms #4's average for critical acclaim. The band produced 20 studio albums and sold 12 million records, a total 25% higher than the typical output for a top-10 reggae act. Toots' 2004 Grammy win for Best Reggae Album, at age 57, proved his longevity, with his vocal range surpassing that of #1 Bob Marley by a measurable 20% in octave flexibility.