Third Wave Ska

Third Wave Ska emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the US, when bands took a good look at the original 1960s Jamaican sound and decided it needed a jolt of punk energy and a horn section. Characterised by upbeat tempos, catchy melodies, and enough brass to form a small army, it quickly became the soundtrack for skanking teenagers everywhere who fancied themselves more refined than the mosh pit. If nothing else, you can credit it with making plaid a fashion statement and bringing a new breed of tie-wearing hipsters into the spotlight, all while dancing like no one’s watching but everyone definitely is.