THE LAST 50 years of soca music have brought the world many hits, since Ras Shorty I created the genre in the early 1970s.
Whether it was a song that made you chip on the road behind a music truck, wave a rag in the air or simply nod your head in appreciation for a sweet melody, many people from Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and the world have felt the power of soca music.
From Black Stalin to Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin to Destra Garcia, David Rudder to Alison Hinds, Mighty Shadow to Kevin Lyttle, there has been no shortage of big songs throughout the years.
On November 22, Scorch Radio took on the Herculean task of playing what it deemed the top 101 soca songs in history to kick off the 101-day countdown to TT Carnival 2025.The country was buzzing as people tuned in to hear the songs selected. One soca star also gave his thoughts on the countdown.
Top Ten
In the end, the top ten selections were:
Hot Hot Hot – Arrow (1988)
SuperBlue – Get Something and Wave (1991), Signal to Lara (1995), Bacchanal Time (1993)
Differentology – Bunji Garlin (2014)
Tempted to Touch – Rupee (2002)
Togetherness – Alison Hinds and Square One (2007)
Famalay – Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous (2021)
Palance – JW and Blaze (2010)
Jump – Rupee (2001)
Turn Me On – Kevin Lyttle (2003)
And coming in at position one was:
It's Carnival – Machel Montano and Destra (2003)
The Caribbean was well represented, as TT, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Montserrat all had artistes in the top ten.
Who chose them?
[caption id="attachment_1123126" align="alignnone" width="852"] Destroy Garcia - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
The Scorch Radio team, led by CEO Kwesi "Hypa Hoppa" Hopkinson, gathered a team of 40 people with experience in music and entertainment. Some of them based locally and others from overseas.
Those making contributions were DJs Private Ryan, Travis World and DJ Adam; entertainment journalist Laura Dowrich-Phillips; music writer, reviewer and concert producer Nigel Campbell; photojournalist David Wears; and international DJs Back to Basics and DJ Spice. Members of the Stink and Dutty Committee, a group that host parties and Carnival fetes, gave input. Hopkinson, one of the founders of DJ group Radioactive in the 1990s, was also involved in the selection.
What criteria were used to pick the songs?
The selection committee chose the songs based on ten categories:
Cultural impact: Songs that have become anthems during Carnival season or that represent iconic moments in soca history often earn higher spots. Tracks that resonate deeply within Caribbean culture and remain popular over the years play a significant role.
Versatility: Some soca songs fit perfectly at both local events and international Caribbean music festivals, which speaks to their universal appeal and ability to set the tone in various settings.
Influence on genre: Songs that have influenced the sound or production style of soca for futures artistes or generatio
