Third wave ska

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Third wave ska is a musical genre derived from the fusion of Jamaican ska with various American and British styles of music, such as 2 Tone, rock music, punk rock, hardcore and jazz.

Originating in the United States in the late 1980s and gaining popularity in the early 1990s, the music often features horns and a heavily-accented offbeat, a characteristic that was also prevalent in the second wave of ska. Ska punk and ska-core are sub-genres that comprise the majority of third-wave ska music, although several third wave ska bands play in a traditional 1960s style. Popular third-wave ska artists have included The Toasters, No Doubt, Mad Caddies, Sublime, Streetlight Manifesto, and Less Than Jake.

During the height of its popularity, some third wave ska bands enjoyed major commercial success, including regular radio play and outstanding album sales. The genre's commercial success peaked in 1996 and 1997 with bands like Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and No Doubt being played on mainstream radio and music video TV shows. The mainstream success eventually faded, with several of the bands, such as The Suicide Machines, and The Aquabats moving away from the ska sound, to embrace other styles such as pop punk.

Though the music has become a worldwide phenomenon, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut have become hotspots for third wave ska.