Inspired by ska punk pioneers like Operation Ivy and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish released their first independent album, 1995's Everything Sucks, just as third-wave ska bands like No Doubt and Goldfinger were hitting the pop charts. In 1996, they scored a crossover hit—"Sell Out"—with their second album. The band's later releases included everything from synth-pop to straight-ahead rock, but they kept the spirit of heroes like The Specials alive with a party-starting sound that has earned them an enthusiastic audience of ska fans around the world.