A historic chapter in reggae music will finally be heard by the world. Tuff Gong/Island/UMe will release Bob Marley & The Wailers’ previously unreleased concert album, Roots, Rock, Reggae: Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, on August 14, 2026. The powerful new live collection captures Marley and his legendary band during their 1976 residency at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, a defining moment that helped elevate reggae from a global movement into a worldwide cultural force.
The album will be available in multiple formats, including 180-gram 2LP vinyl, limited-edition 2LP color vinyl, 2CD, digital download, streaming platforms, and Atmos where available. A new live recording of “Roots, Rock, Reggae” is available now, giving fans an early taste of the energy, spirit, and intensity of the upcoming release.
Fifty years ago, Bob Marley & The Wailers arrived in London for a four-night run at the Hammersmith Odeon from June 15–18, 1976, launching the second leg of the Rastaman Vibration tour. At the time, the booking was considered bold. The venue required a much larger ticket count than the group’s usual shows, but Marley and The Wailers sold it out and delivered performances that became part of music history.
This new live album presents 18 tracks newly mixed from the original multi-track recordings. The collection captures the best performances from shows recorded between June 16 and June 18, 1976. Until now, the full concert experience had remained largely unavailable, with only incomplete bootleg recordings circulating among collectors.
The release arrives with special packaging designed for longtime Marley fans and new listeners alike. The album includes photography from the residency, custom labels, printed sleeves, and a new essay by longtime Marley associate Don Letts, known as “The Rebel Dread.” His reflections help place the concert in context as a moment where music, culture, resistance, and unity came together inside one theater.
The tracklist features several essential Marley classics, including “Trenchtown Rock,” “Burnin’ and Lootin’,” “Them Belly Full,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman, No Cry,” “Positive Vibration,” “War,” “No More Trouble,” and a powerful 12-minute version of “Get Up, Stand Up.” The album also includes the rare “Bend Down Low,” performed during the final night of the Hammersmith run, along with an extended version of “Crazy Baldhead.”
For Bob Marley & The Wailers, 1976 was a breakthrough year. The group had already gained momentum after Eric Clapton’s version of “I Shot the Sheriff” introduced Marley’s songwriting to wider audiences. The release of Natty Dread in 1974 and the live version of “No Woman, No Cry” further expanded Marley’s international presence. Soon after the Hammersmith residency, Rastaman Vibration became Marley’s first U.S. Top 10 album.
Key highlights of the release include:
- Previously unreleased Bob Marley & The Wailers live concert recordings
- Captured during the 1976 Hammersmith Odeon residency in London
- Available August 14, 2026, through Tuff Gong/Island/UMe
- Released on 2LP, limited color vinyl, 2CD, digital, streaming, and Atmos
- Includes 18 live tracks newly mixed from original multi-track recordings
- Features classics including “No Woman, No Cry,” “War,” and “Get Up, Stand Up”
More than a concert album, Roots, Rock, Reggae: Live at the Hammersmith Odeon preserves a moment when Bob Marley stood at the edge of worldwide superstardom and delivered with undeniable purpose. The performances reflect the fire, faith, rhythm, and revolutionary spirit that made Marley one of the most influential artists of all time.
Fans can listen, pre-order, and pre-save the album through official Bob Marley platforms.
Website: https://www.bobmarley.com/
