Overview
Ska emerged in Jamaica in the late 1950s, blending Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It laid the groundwork for reggae and was integral to the Jamaican music scene. The genre exploded in popularity during the 1960s, especially with bands like [[the-skatellites|The Skatalites]] and artists such as [[toots-and-the-maytals|Toots and the Maytals]]. Ska has since experienced several revivals, most notably in the 1980s with the two-tone movement in the UK, which fused traditional ska with punk influences, featuring bands like [[madness|Madness]] and [[the-specials|The Specials]].