BEST OF 2 TONE / VARIOUS

It has similar cover art to a previous compilation called The Best of 2 Tone but Rhino U.K.'s 2014 set The Best of 2 Tone runs a little longer than that other collection, featuring 18 tracks of the ska revival label at its peak. The expected hits are here -- plenty of the Specials, Madness, the Beat, and the Selecter -- along with just a couple of left-field choices to keep it interesting, but this isn't really designed to be a deep dive: it's an affordable way to get the very best of the label and, on that level, it's quite the success. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 07/29/2014