Ska

Ska is Jamaica's upbeat post-independence popular music of the late 1950s and 1960s, driven by offbeat guitar chops, walking bass, and horn sections — the recorded sound of downtown Kingston's new studios and sound systems.

Why it matters: Ska launched Jamaica's global export of rhythm and launched careers at Studio One and Treasure Isle. Its bounce survives in 2 Tone abroad and in revival bands reconnecting with the island's first golden studio era.