Words by Jesse Serwer—
Soca has only palanced its way into the mainstream on a handful of occasions since it first developed in Trinidad some 40 years ago. In light of Bunji Garlin’s recent success bringing unadulterated Carnival music to the fore with “Differentology”—as well as the 10th anniversary of Kevin Lyttle’s ascension into the upper echelons of the pop charts with “Turn Me On”—here’s a look at some of soca’s most notable crossover hits.
*This is not a countdown of the most popular soca songs across the Caribbean. The main guideline used in selecting these songs is: Do people who’ve never been to a soca party or a soca-producing country know them? Hence the absence of such pan-Caribbean classics as “Dollar Wine” and “Tiny Winey.”