Bob Marley

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Wailers built their foundation on the early collaboration between Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer. Their journey into international prominence began when Johnny Nash covered "Stir It Up" in 1972, securing a UK hit for Nash before the group was widely known abroad as headliners themselves. The momentum accelerated with the 1973 worldwide release of Catch a Fire, which sold well and introduced their sound to a global audience. This was immediately followed by Burnin', an album containing "I Shot the Sheriff". The song's reach expanded significantly in 1974 when Eric Clapton released his cover version, turning it into another international hit. By 1975, Marley led Bob Marley and the Wailers, featuring the Wailers Band and the I Threes, to achieve a major hit with "No Woman, No Cry" from the Live! album.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Marley's rise is defined by specific milestones in the 1970s. It started with the group's early recordings alongside Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. The turning point for international recognition came in 1972 via Johnny Nash's cover of "Stir It Up". Just a year later, Catch a Fire hit the world stage in 1973, selling well globally. Burnin' followed, introducing "I Shot the Sheriff", which Eric Clapton transformed into a massive hit in 1974. The narrative shifted again in 1975 when Marley, now fronting Bob Marley and the Wailers with the I Threes, secured his first own hit outside Jamaica with "No Woman, No Cry" from the Live! album. This era cemented a string of subsequent international sellers including Rastaman Vibration, Exodus, Kaya, Survival, and Uprising.

Reader's Guide

For those exploring Marley's discography, the Roots Reggae Library provides an essential overview of music released prior to their Island Records contract. This resource lists all known Wailers songs from that era, filling out six ska albums and 11 rocksteady albums. The transition to global stardom is marked by key dates: Johnny Nash's "Stir It Up" hit in 1972, the worldwide release of Catch a Fire in 1973, and the Eric Clapton cover success in 1974. In 1975, Marley achieved his first solo international hit with "No Woman, No Cry". His later catalog includes major sellers like Rastaman Vibration, Exodus, Kaya, Survival, and Uprising, which was the last album released during his lifetime. Sales data for Bob Marley and the Wailers between 1991 and 2007 shows over 21 million records sold, though these statistics only began to be collected ten years after his death.

Did You Know?

• Johnny Nash's cover of "Stir It Up" gave Nash a hit outside Jamaica in 1972, though it charted in the UK only in 1973 and was not a major hit there.
• Eric Clapton's cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" became a hit in 1974, just one year after the original appeared on Burnin'.
• Neither the original version of "I Shot the Sheriff" nor "Get Up, Stand Up" charted in the UK in 1973; Marley's first own international hit was "No Woman, No Cry" in 1975.
• Bob Marley and the Wailers have sold over 75 million records worldwide, according to widely cited official sales figures.
• Official sales statistics for the group were not collected until ten years after Marley's death.

Origins and Chart Success

In 1972, Johnny Nash covered "Stir It Up", giving the Wailers their first hit outside Jamaica as a UK hit. In 1974, Eric Clapton's cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" from Burnin' became a hit.

Visual History and Modern Reinterpretations

The song's visual legacy began in London at the Keskidee Arts Centre, where a music video was filmed featuring a then-seven-year-old Naomi Campbell. This footage marked her very first public appearance before she became an international supermodel, adding a unique historical layer to the track's media footprint. Decades later, the song found new life through electronic reinterpretation. In June 2016, Dutch collaborators Lvndscape and Bolier produced a remix that resonated with modern audiences, reaching number sixteen on the UK singles chart.

Cross-Genre Covers and Critical Acclaim

"Is This Love" has inspired a diverse array of artists to reinterpret its melody across various styles.