Jamaica celebrates its 50th anniversary as an independent nation on August 6. The entertainment and lifestyle sectors have provided some of the country’s greatest achievements.

Here are 50 of them, as selected by the Jamaica Observer’s entertainment desk.

1962 — Seventeen year-old Bob Marley (aka Bobby Martell) records his first song, Judge Not, produced by Leslie Kong.

1962 — Chris Blackwell moves Island Records (founded three years earlier in Kingston) to London.

1962 — The National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) is founded by Rex Nettleford and Eddy Thomas.

1962 — Dr No, the first James Bond movie which was shot in Jamaica, is released.

1963 — Producer Clement Dodd opens Studio One for business.

1963 — Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation’s (JBC) television station launched.

1963 — Miss Jamaica, Carol Joan Crawford, is crowned Miss World.

1964 — The Skatalites, an all-star band including trombonist Don Drummond and saxophonists Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso, is formed.

1964 — Millie Small’s My Boy Lollipop tops British national chart and becomes the first million-selling song by a Jamaican.

1964 — The Jamaican government sends a group comprising Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and singers Eric ‘Monty’ Morris and Jimmy Cliff, to promote ska at the Worlds Fair in New York.

1966 — The Festival Competition is launched. Toots and the Maytals’ Bam Bam is the first winner.

1966 — Jamaica Labrish, a collection of poems by Louise Bennett, is released.

1966 — Take It Easy, the first rock steady song, is recorded at Federal Records.

1967 — Desmond Dekker’s 007 (Shanty Town) makes the British national chart.

1969 — Desmond Dekker’s Israelites makes the Top 10 pop charts in Britain and the United States.

1969 — Don Drummond dies at the Bellevue Asylum in Kingston.

1969 — Satta Masa Gana by the Abyssinians is recorded at Studio One.

1972 — A musical bandwagon including some of Jamaica’s top artistes, helps bring Michael Manley and the People’s National Party to power.

1972 — The movie, The Harder They Come, is released.

1972 — Channel One studio opens at Maxfield Avenue, St Andrew.

1973 — Island Records releases Catch a Fire and Burnin’ albums by The Wailers.

1975 — Burning Spear’s seminal Marcus Garvey album released by Island.

1976 — Miss Jamaica Cindy Breakespeare crowned Miss World.

1976 — Legalize It, the major label debut album from Peter Tosh, is released by Columbia Records.

1976 — Bob Marley and his wife Rita among four persons shot and injured at his Hope Road, St Andrew home.

1977 — Island releases Exodus, Marley’s fifth studio album for the label.

1977 — Two Sevens Clash, an apocalyptic song by roots group Culture, helps spark islandwide paranoia on July 7.

1977 — Uptown Top Ranking, by singjay duo Althea and Donna, tops the British national chart.

1978 — The One Love Peace Concert takes place at the National Stadium.

1978 — The first Reggae Sunsplash is held at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

1979 — The inaugural Tastee Talent Contest takes place.

1979 — Vincent and Randy Chin start VP Records in Queens, New York City.

1980 — Singer Jacob Miller killed in auto accident in St Andrew.

1980 — Marley performs in newly-independent Zimbabwe.

1981 — Bob Marley dies in Miami, Florida at age 36.

1983 — Marley statue by sculptor Christopher Gonzales rejected by government and singer’s family.

1984 — The Sleng Teng rhythm, produced by Lloyd ‘King Jammys’ James, is released.

1984 — Legend, a compilation of 14 of Bob Marley’s best known songs, is released by Island Records.

1985 — Black Uhuru’s Anthem wins first Reggae Grammy Award.

1987 — Peter Tosh murdered at his home in St Andrew. He was 42 years old.

1990 — Irie FM, Jamaica’s first all-reggae radio station, launched.

1992 — As Raw As Ever by Shabba Ranks becomes first dancehall set to win Grammy for Best Reggae Album.

1993 — Inaugural Reggae Sumfest launched at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay.

1993 — Miss Jamaica, Lisa Hanna, crowned Miss World.

1993 — All She Wrote by Chaka Demus and Pliers is released by Island. Becomes first album in pop history to produce six songs that made the British Top 20 chart.

1995 — Buju Banton’s ‘Til Shiloh album is released.

1999 — Dennis Brown, Crown Prince of Reggae, dies in St Andrew at age 42.

1999 — Time Magazine and the British Broadcasting Corporation name Marley’s One Love and Exodus, Song of the 20th Century and Album of the Millennium, respectively.

2000 — Hot Shot, deejay Shaggy’s fourth album, is released. Eventually sells 8.8 million units, making it the best-selling dancehall/reggae studio album ever.

2011 — Buju Banton sentenced to 10 years in prison on drug trafficking charges.