Editing Ska (section)

===2 tone===
{{Main|Two-tone (music genre)}}
[[File:The Specials.JPG|thumb|The Specials]]
The [[Two-tone (music genre)|2 tone]] genre, which began in the late 1970s in the [[Coventry]] area of UK, was a fusion of Jamaican ska rhythms and melodies with [[punk rock]]'s more aggressive guitar chords and lyrics.<ref name="Moskowitz_06" /> Compared to 1960s ska, 2 tone music had faster tempos, fuller instrumentation, and a harder edge. The genre was named after [[2 Tone Records]], a record label founded by [[Jerry Dammers]] of [[the Specials]]. In many cases, the reworking of classic ska songs turned the originals into hits again in the United Kingdom. The Specials recorded "[[A Message to You Rudy]]" in 1979, featuring [[Rico Rodriguez (musician)|Rico Rodriguez]], who played trombone on both the original Dandy Livingstone recording and the Specials' version.

The 2 tone movement promoted racial unity at a time when racial tensions were high in England. There were many Specials songs that raised awareness of the issues of racism, fighting and friendship. Riots in English cities were a feature during the summer that the Specials song "[[Ghost Town (The Specials song)|Ghost Town]]" was a hit, although this work was in a slower, reggae beat. Most of the 2 tone bands had multiracial lineups, such as [[The Beat (British band)|the Beat]] (known as the English Beat in [[North America]] and Australia), [[the Specials]], and [[the Selecter]].<ref name="Britannica" /> Although only on the 2 tone label for one single, [[Madness (band)|Madness]] was one of the most effective bands at bringing the 2 tone genre into the mainstream, with hits such as "[[One Step Beyond (song)|One Step Beyond]]", "[[Night Boat to Cairo]]", and "[[Our House (Madness song)|Our House]]". The music of this era resonated with white working class youth and West Indian immigrants who experienced the struggles addressed in the lyrics.<ref name="Augustyn 2013" />