Top 10 Ska Bands

take some Jamaican vibes add jazz a dash

take some Jamaican vibes add jazz a dash of our MV and some attitude and this is

of our MV and some attitude and this is

of our MV and some attitude and this is what you got welcome to watchmojo.com

what you got welcome to watchmojo.com

what you got welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our

and today we’ll be counting down our

and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 ska bands of all

picks for the top 10 ska bands of all

picks for the top 10 ska bands of all time number 10 sublime

no discussion of third wave ska would be

no discussion of third wave ska would be complete without mentioning sublime the

complete without mentioning sublime the

complete without mentioning sublime the Long Beach Scott Punk pioneers rose to

Long Beach Scott Punk pioneers rose to

Long Beach Scott Punk pioneers rose to prominence in the early 90s with a genre

prominence in the early 90s with a genre

prominence in the early 90s with a genre bending sound that merged influences

bending sound that merged influences

bending sound that merged influences from reggae to hip hop the band’s

from reggae to hip hop the band’s

from reggae to hip hop the band’s self-titled record was their most

self-titled record was their most

self-titled record was their most successful but it was only released

successful but it was only released

successful but it was only released after the 1996 overdose death of singer

after the 1996 overdose death of singer

after the 1996 overdose death of singer and guitarist Brad Knoll meaning their

and guitarist Brad Knoll meaning their

and guitarist Brad Knoll meaning their accomplishment was bittersweet

number nine the beach no other bands

number nine the beach no other bands captured two tones cause Jamaican

captured two tones cause Jamaican

captured two tones cause Jamaican influence in twice the same way also

influence in twice the same way also

influence in twice the same way also known as the English speak to avoid

known as the English speak to avoid

known as the English speak to avoid confusion with a similarly named

confusion with a similarly named

confusion with a similarly named American group they gained popularity in

American group they gained popularity in

American group they gained popularity in the early 80s with memorable singles

the early 80s with memorable singles

the early 80s with memorable singles like mirror in the bathroom with reggae

like mirror in the bathroom with reggae

like mirror in the bathroom with reggae s clerical and musical themes frontman

s clerical and musical themes frontman

s clerical and musical themes frontman Dave wake Leng and ranking Roger offered

Dave wake Leng and ranking Roger offered

Dave wake Leng and ranking Roger offered hope to the United Kingdom during a

hope to the United Kingdom during a

hope to the United Kingdom during a period of social unrest and high

period of social unrest and high

period of social unrest and high unemployment can I take you to a

unemployment can I take you to a

unemployment can I take you to a restaurant Scott glass tables you can

restaurant Scott glass tables you can

restaurant Scott glass tables you can watch yourself while you are number

watch yourself while you are number

watch yourself while you are number eight madness

eight madness

eight madness boys

at the height of the two-tone revival

at the height of the two-tone revival this catchy band from Camden Town

this catchy band from Camden Town

this catchy band from Camden Town England burst onto the scene with the

England burst onto the scene with the

England burst onto the scene with the bright guitars groovy bass lines and

bright guitars groovy bass lines and

bright guitars groovy bass lines and vibrant horns that would be adopted by

vibrant horns that would be adopted by

vibrant horns that would be adopted by many groups that followed their anger

many groups that followed their anger

many groups that followed their anger and politically minded humour won over

and politically minded humour won over

and politically minded humour won over many and influenced more and even today

many and influenced more and even today

many and influenced more and even today madness is still going strong

I can’t remember third wave ska needed a

I can’t remember third wave ska needed a jolt to make it to the American

jolt to make it to the American

jolt to make it to the American mainstream and that jolt is exactly what

mainstream and that jolt is exactly what

mainstream and that jolt is exactly what the Mighty Mighty Bosstones provided

the Mighty Mighty Bosstones provided

the Mighty Mighty Bosstones provided thanks to their 1997 record let’s face

thanks to their 1997 record let’s face

thanks to their 1997 record let’s face it and the hit single the impression

it and the hit single the impression

it and the hit single the impression that I get the genre exploded

but commercial success didn’t come easy

but commercial success didn’t come easy before they pioneered the Scot core

before they pioneered the Scot core

before they pioneered the Scot core sub-genre the band had been releasing

sub-genre the band had been releasing

sub-genre the band had been releasing albums and touring since the late 80s

it’s a near certainty that ska wouldn’t

it’s a near certainty that ska wouldn’t exist in the same form today without the

exist in the same form today without the

exist in the same form today without the legendary Wailers led by a young Bob

legendary Wailers led by a young Bob

legendary Wailers led by a young Bob Marley songs rooted in political action

Marley songs rooted in political action

Marley songs rooted in political action like get up stand up and simmered down

like get up stand up and simmered down

like get up stand up and simmered down became mainstays of the genre as did the

became mainstays of the genre as did the

became mainstays of the genre as did the characteristic strumming pattern on the

characteristic strumming pattern on the

characteristic strumming pattern on the guitars upper strings countering a

guitars upper strings countering a

guitars upper strings countering a thumping bass line even decades later

thumping bass line even decades later

thumping bass line even decades later the Wailers music continues to define

the Wailers music continues to define

the Wailers music continues to define the genre

yet another pioneer of scause original

yet another pioneer of scause original wave of popularity toots and the Maytals

wave of popularity toots and the Maytals

wave of popularity toots and the Maytals were renowned for their strong vocal

were renowned for their strong vocal

were renowned for their strong vocal harmonies led by frontman and guitarist

harmonies led by frontman and guitarist

harmonies led by frontman and guitarist toots Hibbert the group’s popularity in

toots Hibbert the group’s popularity in

toots Hibbert the group’s popularity in England helped pave the way for second

England helped pave the way for second

England helped pave the way for second wave ska in the 70s and 80s when

wave ska in the 70s and 80s when

wave ska in the 70s and 80s when underground British artists began

underground British artists began

underground British artists began modifying their distinctly reggae sound

modifying their distinctly reggae sound

modifying their distinctly reggae sound their song pressure drop introduced the

their song pressure drop introduced the

their song pressure drop introduced the genre to fans outside Jamaica

number four Operation Ivy it’s

number four Operation Ivy it’s appropriate that they’re named after a

appropriate that they’re named after a

appropriate that they’re named after a series of nuclear tests after all the

series of nuclear tests after all the

series of nuclear tests after all the explosion of the Scott Punk genre owes

explosion of the Scott Punk genre owes

explosion of the Scott Punk genre owes much to this California for peace the

much to this California for peace the

much to this California for peace the bank existed for only two years and

bank existed for only two years and

bank existed for only two years and released just one album only to break up

released just one album only to break up

released just one album only to break up months later nevertheless punk bands

months later nevertheless punk bands

months later nevertheless punk bands like Green Day and Scott groups like

like Green Day and Scott groups like

like Green Day and Scott groups like sublime have cited op Ivy as a defining

sublime have cited op Ivy as a defining

sublime have cited op Ivy as a defining influence and the sound they adopted

as one of the first successful third

as one of the first successful third wave bands in America the toasters

wave bands in America the toasters

wave bands in America the toasters offered a fresh take on first wave and

offered a fresh take on first wave and

offered a fresh take on first wave and two-tone traditions borrowing the

two-tone traditions borrowing the

two-tone traditions borrowing the Wailers guitar tone madnesses horn

Wailers guitar tone madnesses horn

Wailers guitar tone madnesses horn section and the aesthetic of the

section and the aesthetic of the

section and the aesthetic of the underground British movement the result

underground British movement the result

underground British movement the result was a poppy rhythmic sound with clever

was a poppy rhythmic sound with clever

was a poppy rhythmic sound with clever lyrics and delightfully catchy tunes a

lyrics and delightfully catchy tunes a

lyrics and delightfully catchy tunes a recipe adopted by other bands like less

recipe adopted by other bands like less

recipe adopted by other bands like less than Jake and the planet smashers number

than Jake and the planet smashers number

than Jake and the planet smashers number two the specials

for two tone ska with punk-rock

for two tone ska with punk-rock aggression and political themes there’s

aggression and political themes there’s

aggression and political themes there’s no one like The Specials these Brits

no one like The Specials these Brits

no one like The Specials these Brits popularized some us cos defining

popularized some us cos defining

popularized some us cos defining features from tonic suits to radical

features from tonic suits to radical

features from tonic suits to radical social commentary but unlike many ska

social commentary but unlike many ska

social commentary but unlike many ska groups success was not elusive the

groups success was not elusive the

groups success was not elusive the specials generated seven hit singles

specials generated seven hit singles

specials generated seven hit singles between 1979 and 1981 and later were

between 1979 and 1981 and later were

between 1979 and 1981 and later were instrumental in publicizing Nelson

instrumental in publicizing Nelson

instrumental in publicizing Nelson Mandela’s plight after splitting to

Mandela’s plight after splitting to

Mandela’s plight after splitting to pursue political activism the group

pursue political activism the group

pursue political activism the group reunited in the late 2000s to recreate

reunited in the late 2000s to recreate

reunited in the late 2000s to recreate their decibel sounds number one the Scot

their decibel sounds number one the Scot

their decibel sounds number one the Scot alights

scoff melds various genres and

scoff melds various genres and traditions but its inception can be

traditions but its inception can be

traditions but its inception can be traced to one band the Scott alights

traced to one band the Scott alights

traced to one band the Scott alights were true originals

were true originals

were true originals blending jazz rock and roll R&B and

blending jazz rock and roll R&B and

blending jazz rock and roll R&B and Calypso influences to form something new

besides producing music and backing

besides producing music and backing other Jamaican acts the group mentored

other Jamaican acts the group mentored

other Jamaican acts the group mentored young artists like the Wailers the

young artists like the Wailers the

young artists like the Wailers the result was a pervasive sound that

result was a pervasive sound that

result was a pervasive sound that traveled from Jamaica to leave an impact

traveled from Jamaica to leave an impact

traveled from Jamaica to leave an impact on the rest of the globe that is heard

on the rest of the globe that is heard

on the rest of the globe that is heard even today

with upbeat rhythms and distinctive

with upbeat rhythms and distinctive instrumentation it’s no wonder ska music

instrumentation it’s no wonder ska music

instrumentation it’s no wonder ska music has enjoyed widespread popularity since

has enjoyed widespread popularity since

has enjoyed widespread popularity since its invention in Jamaica a half-century

its invention in Jamaica a half-century

its invention in Jamaica a half-century ago which of your favourite ska bands

ago which of your favourite ska bands

ago which of your favourite ska bands have we missed for more top tens be sure

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