The Beat

Beat were a British rock and ska group formed in Birmingham in March 1979. Emerging from the post-punk and new wave scene, they became prominent figures in the 2 Tone movement, a ska revival that dominated UK popular music in the early 1980s. The band's fusion of punk energy, reggae rhythms, and infectious melodies exemplified the genre's multicultural spirit and political edge. Active throughout the early 1980s, Beat helped define a distinctive sound that blended rock instrumentation with Caribbean influences, establishing themselves as key contributors to British new wave and indie rock during the period.