In a world where many types of music are played on the radio, however, ska remains in the fringes of society.
Junior Crystal Peaden says, “Ska is not a very popular genre or very big on the radio but I listen to it often. It needs to be discovered by people and become bigger.”
When the 1980s came, the second wave of ska came on the scene with bands like The Specials and The Toasters. Second wave differs from the first because the drum and bass used are similar to those used in R&B.
Today’s ska is the third wave, adding more punk rock elements like bass slapping. Sometimes ska punk is referred to as “skunk.”
Junior Mario Schneider says, “I’ve never heard of Ska. It’s not on MySpace so I don’t know about it.”
On MySpace Music, the genre actually has about 2,000 bands, revealing that ska is slowly coming back.
The overall feel of the music is happy with high energy. The blend of palmmuting and alto saxophone complement each other in a clash of harmony. Even if the songs have sad meanings, they’re usually depicted in a positive way. Overall, it can cheer you up when you’re in a bad mood.
Today’s mainstream music all sounds the same. Ska breaks the mold, offering something new and unique, while providing positive messages.
When you discover different music, you open your mind to the history and influence they have. Slowly but surely ska is looking to rise to the top. Maybe sometime in the next year ska will be shown on MTV with millions of people enjoying it.