The First Bob Marley Billboard in the U.S. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles

The first-ever billboard for Bob Marley and the Wailers, promoting Rastaman Vibration and their appearance at the Shrine Auditorium. Seen here on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Artwork designed by legendary Marley art director Neville Garrick.

This photograph captures the moment when Marley’s music moved from a Jamaican phenomenon to a global cultural force.

Why this billboard matters historically:

• One of the earliest large-scale outdoor promotions for Marley in the United States

• Placed on Sunset Boulevard, where it was seen by music industry figures, journalists, and fans moving between Hollywood clubs and studios

• It marked Marley’s breakthrough into the American mainstream, with Rastaman Vibration becoming the band’s first Top 10 album on the Billboard chart

This photograph captures the moment when Marley’s music moved from a Jamaican phenomenon to a global cultural force.