9. Sublime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaLI1pRL11Y The best of the Third Wave American ska bands, Sublime's loss can also act as a stand-in for the broader loss of popular ska. Noting what makes this genre so great reveals much of what is lacking in rock these days. Why doesn't anybody play that uptempo anymore? Why have horns disappeared; are there no more trumpet and trombone players in the world? Does nobody know how to have fun anymore? Sublime's enduring legacy masks just how flash-in-the-pan their popularity was. After two lively but raw albums, they finally hit it big with their self-titled third effort, a terrific record featuring most of their biggest hits. Unfortunately, just as they were hitting their stride, frontman Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose, missing membership in the 27 Club by just a few months. Sublime was just as punk as some of their contemporaries, but their biggest hits - "What I Got" and "Santeria" especially - reflect the general irreverence and relaxed tone that the Long Beach-beached based band nevertheless achieved. Sublime lived as much of a rock'n'roll lifestyle as anybody, but their songs about sex and drugs were always among their chillest. Talented songwriters, Sublime's ska perfectly straddled the line between the thrash of punk and the diverting leisure of reggae, and they are deeply missed.