Ranking Roger
A Birmingham-born vocalist who turbocharged ska with punk energy and a rapid-fire Jamaican toasting style, becoming a defining voice of 2 Tone.
1963–2019 (age 56)·British singer·Birthday: February 21·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born Roger Charlery in Birmingham to Saint Lucian parents, Ranking Roger was a restless spirit who found his voice in the city's explosive late-70s music scene. He started as a punk drummer but his destiny changed when he met The Beat. His electrifying stage presence and unique vocal style—a fusion of Jamaican toasting and British punk attitude—became the band's kinetic core. Alongside Dave Wakeling, he propelled The Beat to massive success with hits like 'Mirror in the Bathroom' and 'Too Nice to Talk To,' making them pillars of the 2 Tone movement that blended ska, punk, and social commentary. After The Beat's initial split, he co-founded the pop-oriented General Public, achieving international success with 'Tenderness.' In later decades, he kept the spirit alive, fronting a reformed Beat and collaborating widely, his voice remaining a symbol of multicultural Britain's vibrant soundtrack until his death in 2019.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ranking was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ranking Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Ranking's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2019Died at 56
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- As co-vocalist of The Beat, he helped drive the band to multiple UK Top 10 hits, including 'Mirror in the Bathroom' and 'Can't Get Used to Losing You.'
- Co-founded the successful new wave band General Public, whose single 'Tenderness' became a major international hit.
- Authored a candid autobiography, 'I Just Can't Stop It,' detailing his life and career in 2019.
- Remained a touring and recording force for decades, leading various incarnations of The Beat and releasing solo work.
Did You Know?
He was initially a drummer in the punk band The Dum Dum Boys before joining The Beat.
His 'Ranking' title is a Jamaican sound system tradition for a master of ceremonies or toaster.
He collaborated with artists as diverse as Sting, The Clash's Mick Jones, and the UK ska band The Specials.
His son, Ranking Junior (Matthew Murphy), is also a musician and performed with him.
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