On May 11, 1981, Bob Marley passed away. Forty-five years later, his influence extends far beyond reggae. A major musical figure, a symbol of sharing and freedom, the Jamaican artist continues to inspire several generations through his music, but also through a certain approach to culture, relationships and everyday life.
Bob Marley’s impact can hardly be summed up in a few iconic albums or songs. With titles such as Get Up Stand Up, Is This Love, No Woman No Cry and Buffalo Soldier, the Jamaican artist has made a major contribution to the spread of reggae throughout the world. Born in Jamaica in the late 1960s, reggae has its roots in ska and rocksteady, while developing an instantly recognizable musical identity driven by syncopated rhythms, omnipresent bass lines and a deeply organic approach to music. Much more than just a musical genre, reggae quickly became a true cultural and social vector.
Through his songs, Bob Marley gave an international scope to this music intimately connected to the history and social realities of Jamaica. His lyrics are as much about social injustice as they are about freedom, unity and spirituality. With him, the Rastafari movement also found a voice capable of reaching a worldwide audience, well beyond the borders of his native island.
But Bob Marley’s influence extends far beyond the sphere of music. His image remains associated with values of sharing, peace and cultural openness that continue to transcend generations. More than just a figure of reggae, he embodies a certain way of experiencing music that’s freer, warmer and deeply linked to sharing.
House of Marley: a brand built around this heritage
Today, this philosophy is reflected in House of Marley, an audio brand created in direct collaboration with the Marley family. Founded on the values championed by Bob Marley – sharing, respect, openness and a deep connection to music – the brand has, since its inception, developed a cohesive identity that blends audio products, warm design and a more responsible approach. Far from simply licensing the image of the Jamaican artist, House of Marley seeks to extend a certain philosophy of life through everyday objects designed to accompany music listening in all its forms.
This identity is also reflected in the names of many of the brand’s products, directly inspired by songs or references associated with Bob Marley’s life. The Stir It Up turntables, Get Together speakers, Positive Vibration headphones and Zion earbuds are just a few examples of the permanent link between products and identity. The brand is now available on Son-Vidéo.com, with over a dozen turntables, Bluetooth speakers, headphones and earbuds. We’ve also published an article dedicated to their turntable selection on the blog.
An eco-responsible approach at the heart of the project
The brand takes a more responsible approach, inspired by one of Bob Marley’s central messages: music can inspire change, and everyone has a role to play in preserving the planet. From the outset, House of Marley has favored the use of renewable and recycled materials in the design of its products: Bamboo, REWIND fabrics made from recycled materials and recycled plastics.
House of Marley adopts a warm, natural aesthetic that translates into instantly recognizable products blending light woods, textiles and matte black finishes, sometimes accompanied by touches of color inspired by reggae culture.
8 new headphones and earbuds to discover
As for Bluetooth headphones, the Positive Vibration range takes its name from the famous Bob Marley track released in 1976 on Bob Marley & The Wailers’ album Rastaman Vibration. The House of Marley Positive Vibration Frequency adopts a circum-aural design with 40 mm transducers, multipoint Bluetooth connection and a battery life of up to 34 hours. It comes in a black finish, but also in a Rasta color mixing red, yellow and green.
More compact and more affordable, the House of Marley Positive Vibration Riddim have a supra-aural design for everyday on-the-go listening, while the House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel ANC complete the range with active noise cancelling for traveling and noisier environments.
When it comes to true wireless earbuds, the House of Marley Little Bird is the most affordable model in our selection, with a compact size designed for simple, unobtrusive everyday use.
The House of Marley Smile Jamaica take their name from Bob Marley’s historic Smile Jamaica concert in 1976, and feature a compact in-ear design with an easy-to-carry charging case.
More comprehensive, the House of Marley Trenchtown ANC, a nod to the Jamaican neighborhood closely linked to the history of reggae and Bob Marley, add active noise cancelling for nomadic listening in noisy environments.
The brand also offers a number of open models designed for a more natural listening experience while remaining attentive to one’s surroundings. The House of Marley Zion models feature a compact format for everyday use and take their name from Zion, a spiritual symbol very much present in Rastafari culture.
For their part, the House of Marley Liberate Open Ear feature an open design that rests around the ear to enhance listening comfort while maintaining good perception of your surroundings.
In a spirit that is, in the end, quite similar to the visual and cultural world associated with Bob Marley, American manufacturer Grado also offers a particularly unconventional model with the Grado The Hemp Headphone Limited Edition. Made from hemp and maple, these headphones even feature a hemp leaf on the ear cups, an aesthetic and cultural nod that House of Marley could well have come up with.
Forty-five years after Bob Marley’s death, his legacy continues to live on in other ways: through music, of course, but also through objects designed to accompany everyday moments of listening and sharing.
