Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. which has origins in the late 1970s and 1980s, though achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s.

The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting genres. The more punk-influenced style often features faster tempos, guitar distortion, onbeat punk rock-style interludes (usually the chorus), and punk-style vocals. The more ska-influenced style of ska punk features a more developed instrumentation and a cleaner vocal and musical sound. The common instrumentation includes electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, brass instruments (such as trombones or trumpets), saxophones, and sometimes an organ.

The genre was most notably first performed by Fishbone and Oingo Boingo (proto-ska punk), but Operation Ivy made it influential. Many bands were influenced by Operation Ivy and began paying the genre with their own twist. The more popular early ska punk bands consisted of Less Than Jake, Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Goldfinger.