What Is Ska Punk?

Ska punk music is loud and upbeat.

Ska punk is a musical genre that blends the musical elements of ska and punk rock. The genre emerged in the 1980s and '90s with Third Wave ska. It incorporates ska's accentuated reggae offbeat and fast punk tempos.

Origins

Third Wave ska emerged in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1980s. It was heavily influenced by the 2 Tone revival of punk in the '70s, characterized by upbeat Jamaican ska rhythms mixed with the rougher sounds of punk guitars and lyrics. A decade later, bands such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Operation Ivy took this blend even further, to what is now called ska punk.

Characteristics

Ska punk rhythms are upbeat and swingy like ska, with fast drumming like punk rock. Guitar riffs are usually catchy but loud and gritty. Brass instruments, such as the saxophone, trumpet and trombone, are also very prominent in ska punk sound. The organ is also often present. Depending on whether the music is more ska or punk influenced, vocals, as well as instrumentation, tend to be either more developed like ska, or rougher and louder, like punk.

Famous Ties

Operation Ivy is said to be one of the pioneers of ska punk, or at least the first band to deliver the sound to the masses. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones had multiple platinum albums and was brought to the mainstream in the movie "Clueless." In the '90s, No Doubt and Sublime released pop-influenced ska punk albums.

References

• Rhapsody: Ska Punk
• Shoutmouth: The 25 Most Influential Punk Bands