Ska is an interesting concoction of R&B, soul, and Caribbean music. It is also the predecessor of reggae and rocksteady. Ska bands throughout the world continue to, and quite literally, keep their fans on their toes with this upbeat and pumped-up music.
Did You Know?
The legendary Jamaican ska artist, Prince Buster credited the American tenor saxophonist, Willis Jackson for the creation of ‘Ska music’ through his song ‘Later for the Gator’.
The legendary Jamaican ska artist, Prince Buster credited the American tenor saxophonist, Willis Jackson for the creation of ‘Ska music’ through his song ‘Later for the Gator’.
Having its origins firmly rooted in Jamaica, Ska emerged in 1958 and introduced a fun and upbeat concoction of Caribbean mento and calypso, American soul, rhythm, and blues sounds. Since its beginning, this genre of music has evolved in three waves, each changing the way ska sounded. Ska fans have a lot to thank legendary musicians such as Willis Jackson, Prince Buster, Jimmy Cliff, Eric “Monty” Morris, and Desmond Dekker for developing and sustaining this amazing genre of music.
Best Ska Music Bands of All Time
First Wave Ska Bands (1960s – Jamaica)
- The Silvertones
- The Melodians
- The Clarendonians
- Toots and the Maytals
- Bob Marley & the Wailers
- The Skatalites
- Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
- Higgs & Wilson
- The Blues Busters
- Clue J & His Blues Blasters
- The Paragons
- Symarip
Famous First Wave Ska Musicians (1960s)
- Tommy McCook
- Stranger Cole
- Roland Alphonso
- Owen Gray
- Laurel Aitken
- Lee “Scratch” Perry
- Lloyd Knibb
- Justin Hinds
- Jackie Edwards
- Jackie Opel
- Eric “Monty” Morris
- Derrick Morgan
- Don Drummond
- Carlos Malcolm
- Oswald “Baba” Brooks
- Alton Ellis
- Aubrey Adams
- Count Machuki
- Desmond Dekker
- Derrick Harriott
- Delroy Wilson
- Ernest Ranglin
- John Arlington “Dizzy” Moore
- Jimmy Cliff
- Jerome “Jah Jerry” Haynes
- Lord Tanamo
- Lynn Taitt
- Millie Small
- Prince Buster
- Rico Rodriguez
- Theophilus Beckford
- Val Bennett
Second Wave – 2 Tone Ska Revival Bands (1970s – England)
- Bad Manners
- The Beat
- The Specials
- The Selecter
- Madness
- The Bodysnatchers
Famous Second Wave Ska Musicians (1970s)
- Suggs
- Ranking Roger
- Pauline Black
- Mark Bedford
- Lynval Golding
- Judge Dread
- John Bradbury
- Everett Morton
- Dave Wakeling
- Chas Smash
- Andy Cox
- Buster Bloodvessel
- Chris Foreman
- Daniel Woodgate
- Horace Panter
- Jerry Dammers
- Lee Thompson
- Mike Barson
- Neville Staple
- Roddy Radiation
- Rhoda Dakar
- Terry Hall
Third Wave Ska and Ska Punk Bands (1980s – Present)
- Yum!Yum!ORANGE
- Walk off the Earth
- The Unlimiters
- The Urge
- Tijuana No!
- Talco
- The Scholars
- The Suicide Machines
- The Skunks
- The Rudimentals
- The Rudiments
- The Pietasters
- The O.C. Supertones
- The Know How
- The Johnstones
- The Impossibles
- The Gadjits
- The Flatliners
- The Donkey Show
- The Chinkees
- The Allstonians
- Suburban Rhythm
- Sublime
- Subb
- Spring Heeled Jack
- Sounds Like Chicken
- Slapstick
- Skavoovie and the Epitones
- Ska-P
- Starpool
- Sonic Boom Six
- Shaken 69
- Ruder Than You
- Rancid
- Random Hand
- Pressure Cooker
- Pilfers
- Panteón Rococó
- OreSkaBand
- Nuckle Brothers
- MU330
- Mouthwash
- Mephiskapheles
- Missing Andy
- Mad Caddies
- Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
- Long Shot Party
- Link 80
- Less Than Jake
- Kingston Rudieska
- Kemuri
- Johnny Socko
- Jeffries Fan Club
- Hub City Stompers
- Hepcat
- Gollbetty
- General Rudie
- Five Iron Frenzy
- Edna’s Goldfish
- Desorden Público
- Dance Hall Crashers
- Citizen Fish
- Choking Victim
- Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
- Buck-O-Nine
- Bim Skala Bim
- Blue Meanies
- Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
- B. Lee Band
- Area-7
- The Kingpins
- Skankin’ Pickle
- The Scofflaws
- The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- The Untouchables
- The Allniters
- No Nonsense
- Skarface
- The Busters
- The Potato 5
- The Burial
- The Hotknives
- Skaos
- Mark Foggo’s Skasters
- Strange Tenants
- The Porkers
- The Toasters
- Fishbone
- Operation Ivy
- No Doubt
- Stomp Records
- Against All Authority
- Animal Chin
- BAMF!
- Blag
- Big D and the Kids Table
- Bomb The Music Industry!
- Catch 22
- Capdown
- Chase Long Beach
- Common Rider
- Deal’s Gone Bad
- Distemper
- Farse
- Fuzigish
- Go Jimmy Go
- Goldfinger
- High School Football Heroes
- I Voted for Kodos
- J-Stars
- King Apparatus
- Kid British
- Lightyear
- Let’s Go Bowling
- Locomondo
- Los Kung-Fu Monkeys
- Los Hooligans
- Maldita Vecindad
- Mealticket
- Monkey
- Mr. Review
- Mustard Plug
- No Torso
- Orpheus
- Pepper
- Potshot
- Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra
- RedSka
- Reel Big Fish
- Rx Bandits
- Ska Cubano
- SOJA
- Streetlight Manifesto
- Slightly Stoopid
- Skinnerbox
- Slow Gherkin
- Spunge
- Stubborn All-Stars
- Save Ferris
- Suburban Legends
- Superhiks
- The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
- The Crazy 8s
- The Expendables
- The Forces of Evil
- The Hippos
- The Insyderz
- The King Blues
- The Locos
- The Orobians
- The Planet Smashers
- The Rough Kutz
- The Skints
- The Slackers
- The Supervillains
- Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
- Tip the Van
- The Upgrades
- The Uptones
- Voodoo Glow Skulls
- Westbound Train
- Zdob și Zdub
Enjoy the rich and diverse sounds of ska music, and add the songs from these bands to your playlist today!
