The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. The band played a blend of traditional ska and rocksteady with hardcore punk and third wave ska. They were one of the most popular bands of the late-1980s and early-1990s third wave of ska, along with No Doubt and Sublime.
The Bosstones are credited with helping to revive mainstream interest in ska music during the 1990s. The band had released seven studio albums, three compilations and a live album by the time they announced their hiatus in December 2003. Since the break-up, lead singer Dicky Barrett has led a new incarnation of the band, known as Dicky Barrett & The Reminders. Bassist Joe Gittleman has also played with several other bands since the Bosstones' split.
The reasons for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones' break-up have never been fully explained, but it is generally believed that creative differences were at least partially to blame. It has been rumored that frontman Dicky Barrett was planning to leave the band before they went on hiatus, although this has never been confirmed. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that the Bosstones were no longer enjoying making music together by the time they decided to call it quits.