UB40

Named after official unemployment-benefit paperwork, UB40 came straight out of Birmingham under the wing of their staunch early supporter, the Pretenders' singer/guitarist Chrissie Hynde. No one had blended reggae, captivating vocals, and multi-cultural pop quite so smoothly as these lads.

UB40 picked up a loyal following in their early days, partly because they took lyrical risks by picking up political hot potatoes. "Burden of Shame," from Signing Off, addresses the wrongs of apartheid and was dropped by record company Graduate from South African versions of the album — so UB40 swiftly dropped Graduate.

Dub reggae is basically reggae without the words. UB40 followed their Jamaican homage album Present Arms with Present Arms in Dub, whose title track proves the band's mastery of dub styling, with all its funky echoes and feedback. More reggae roots can be found on "The Earth Dies Screaming".

UB40 have plenty to say about the tougher side of British and global life (they cover Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit", about racially motivated lynching), but they're also one of the best good-time party bands in the world. Just a few quick spins of their monster covers — Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love", Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine", and Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" — and everybody's grooving and grinding like there's no tomorrow. I-ree.