take some Jamaican vibes add jazz a dash
of our MV and some attitude and this is
what you got welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’ll be counting down our
picks for the top 10 ska bands of all
time number 10 sublime
no discussion of third wave ska would be
complete without mentioning sublime the
Long Beach Scott Punk pioneers rose to
prominence in the early 90s with a genre
bending sound that merged influences
from reggae to hip hop the band’s
self-titled record was their most
successful but it was only released
after the 1996 overdose death of singer
and guitarist Brad Knoll meaning their
accomplishment was bittersweet
number nine the beach no other bands
captured two tones cause Jamaican
influence in twice the same way also
known as the English speak to avoid
confusion with a similarly named
American group they gained popularity in
the early 80s with memorable singles
like mirror in the bathroom with reggae
s clerical and musical themes frontman
Dave wake Leng and ranking Roger offered
hope to the United Kingdom during a
period of social unrest and high
unemployment can I take you to a
restaurant Scott glass tables you can
watch yourself while you are number
eight madness
boys
at the height of the two-tone revival
this catchy band from Camden Town
England burst onto the scene with the
bright guitars groovy bass lines and
vibrant horns that would be adopted by
many groups that followed their anger
and politically minded humour won over
many and influenced more and even today
madness is still going strong
number 7 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
I can’t remember third wave ska needed a
jolt to make it to the American
mainstream and that jolt is exactly what
the Mighty Mighty Bosstones provided
thanks to their 1997 record let’s face
it and the hit single the impression
that I get the genre exploded
but commercial success didn’t come easy
before they pioneered the Scot core
sub-genre the band had been releasing
albums and touring since the late 80s
number six the Wailers
it’s a near certainty that ska wouldn’t
exist in the same form today without the
legendary Wailers led by a young Bob
Marley songs rooted in political action
like get up stand up and simmered down
became mainstays of the genre as did the
characteristic strumming pattern on the
guitars upper strings countering a
thumping bass line even decades later
the Wailers music continues to define
the genre
number-5 toots and the Maytals
yet another pioneer of scause original
wave of popularity toots and the Maytals
were renowned for their strong vocal
harmonies led by frontman and guitarist
toots Hibbert the group’s popularity in
England helped pave the way for second
wave ska in the 70s and 80s when
underground British artists began
modifying their distinctly reggae sound
their song pressure drop introduced the
genre to fans outside Jamaica
number four Operation Ivy it’s
appropriate that they’re named after a
series of nuclear tests after all the
explosion of the Scott Punk genre owes
much to this California for peace the
bank existed for only two years and
released just one album only to break up
months later nevertheless punk bands
like Green Day and Scott groups like
sublime have cited op Ivy as a defining
influence and the sound they adopted
number three the toasters
as one of the first successful third
wave bands in America the toasters
offered a fresh take on first wave and
two-tone traditions borrowing the
Wailers guitar tone madnesses horn
section and the aesthetic of the
underground British movement the result
was a poppy rhythmic sound with clever
lyrics and delightfully catchy tunes a
recipe adopted by other bands like less
than Jake and the planet smashers number
two the specials
for two tone ska with punk-rock
aggression and political themes there’s
no one like The Specials these Brits
popularized some us cos defining
features from tonic suits to radical
social commentary but unlike many ska
groups success was not elusive the
specials generated seven hit singles
between 1979 and 1981 and later were
instrumental in publicizing Nelson
Mandela’s plight after splitting to
pursue political activism the group
reunited in the late 2000s to recreate
their decibel sounds number one the Scot
alights
scoff melds various genres and
traditions but its inception can be
traced to one band the Scott alights
were true originals
blending jazz rock and roll R&B and
Calypso influences to form something new
besides producing music and backing
other Jamaican acts the group mentored
young artists like the Wailers the
result was a pervasive sound that
traveled from Jamaica to leave an impact
on the rest of the globe that is heard
even today
with upbeat rhythms and distinctive
instrumentation it’s no wonder ska music
has enjoyed widespread popularity since
its invention in Jamaica a half-century
ago which of your favourite ska bands
have we missed for more top tens be sure
to subscribe to watchmojo.com
of our MV and some attitude and this is
what you got welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’ll be counting down our
picks for the top 10 ska bands of all
time number 10 sublime
no discussion of third wave ska would be
complete without mentioning sublime the
Long Beach Scott Punk pioneers rose to
prominence in the early 90s with a genre
bending sound that merged influences
from reggae to hip hop the band’s
self-titled record was their most
successful but it was only released
after the 1996 overdose death of singer
and guitarist Brad Knoll meaning their
accomplishment was bittersweet
number nine the beach no other bands
captured two tones cause Jamaican
influence in twice the same way also
known as the English speak to avoid
confusion with a similarly named
American group they gained popularity in
the early 80s with memorable singles
like mirror in the bathroom with reggae
s clerical and musical themes frontman
Dave wake Leng and ranking Roger offered
hope to the United Kingdom during a
period of social unrest and high
unemployment can I take you to a
restaurant Scott glass tables you can
watch yourself while you are number
eight madness
boys
at the height of the two-tone revival
this catchy band from Camden Town
England burst onto the scene with the
bright guitars groovy bass lines and
vibrant horns that would be adopted by
many groups that followed their anger
and politically minded humour won over
many and influenced more and even today
madness is still going strong
number 7 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
I can’t remember third wave ska needed a
jolt to make it to the American
mainstream and that jolt is exactly what
the Mighty Mighty Bosstones provided
thanks to their 1997 record let’s face
it and the hit single the impression
that I get the genre exploded
but commercial success didn’t come easy
before they pioneered the Scot core
sub-genre the band had been releasing
albums and touring since the late 80s
number six the Wailers
it’s a near certainty that ska wouldn’t
exist in the same form today without the
legendary Wailers led by a young Bob
Marley songs rooted in political action
like get up stand up and simmered down
became mainstays of the genre as did the
characteristic strumming pattern on the
guitars upper strings countering a
thumping bass line even decades later
the Wailers music continues to define
the genre
number-5 toots and the Maytals
yet another pioneer of scause original
wave of popularity toots and the Maytals
were renowned for their strong vocal
harmonies led by frontman and guitarist
toots Hibbert the group’s popularity in
England helped pave the way for second
wave ska in the 70s and 80s when
underground British artists began
modifying their distinctly reggae sound
their song pressure drop introduced the
genre to fans outside Jamaica
number four Operation Ivy it’s
appropriate that they’re named after a
series of nuclear tests after all the
explosion of the Scott Punk genre owes
much to this California for peace the
bank existed for only two years and
released just one album only to break up
months later nevertheless punk bands
like Green Day and Scott groups like
sublime have cited op Ivy as a defining
influence and the sound they adopted
number three the toasters
as one of the first successful third
wave bands in America the toasters
offered a fresh take on first wave and
two-tone traditions borrowing the
Wailers guitar tone madnesses horn
section and the aesthetic of the
underground British movement the result
was a poppy rhythmic sound with clever
lyrics and delightfully catchy tunes a
recipe adopted by other bands like less
than Jake and the planet smashers number
two the specials
for two tone ska with punk-rock
aggression and political themes there’s
no one like The Specials these Brits
popularized some us cos defining
features from tonic suits to radical
social commentary but unlike many ska
groups success was not elusive the
specials generated seven hit singles
between 1979 and 1981 and later were
instrumental in publicizing Nelson
Mandela’s plight after splitting to
pursue political activism the group
reunited in the late 2000s to recreate
their decibel sounds number one the Scot
alights
scoff melds various genres and
traditions but its inception can be
traced to one band the Scott alights
were true originals
blending jazz rock and roll R&B and
Calypso influences to form something new
besides producing music and backing
other Jamaican acts the group mentored
young artists like the Wailers the
result was a pervasive sound that
traveled from Jamaica to leave an impact
on the rest of the globe that is heard
even today
with upbeat rhythms and distinctive
instrumentation it’s no wonder ska music
has enjoyed widespread popularity since
its invention in Jamaica a half-century
ago which of your favourite ska bands
have we missed for more top tens be sure
to subscribe to watchmojo.com
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