The English Beat

The Specials may have been the great ska revival innovators, but the English Beat had the best overall set of pop songs. While the Beat progressed from topnotch ska band to sophisticated retro pop group, their singles shared killer radio instincts. On this greatest-hits set, tunes such as "Twist and Crawl," "Save It For Later," "Mirror in the Bathroom," "Too Nice to Talk To" and "I Confess" are programmed without regard for recording date. The fact that the band always avoided 1980s stereotypes (lone robot drums, synths, electro-funk) has only increased its long-lasting appeal.