The Selecter

The Selecter is a classic 2Tone / ska collective and one of the venerated pillars of the ska revivalist movement in England, alongside the bands The Specials and Madness. With a diverse line-up and a musical style that almost invented new wave a decade early, they broke onto the UK “Top of the Pops” scene with videos too far ahead of their time, playing ska as if it were punk rock with staccato lead vocals by Pauline Black.

Since then, The Selecter has rotated members considerably but are just as cutting edge today. After taking a ten-year hiatus because the 1980s weren’t ready for them, they’ve kicked out albums consistently from 1994 all the way to the present day. They still like a band from the future right now, mixing classic reggae styles with modern production for a timeless sound.