The Hippos were an American rock band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California and disbanded in 2000. During the band's lifetime they released 3 full-length albums. Their early work is best classified as part of the third wave of ska music or as ska-punk, though in the later years of their career the band transitioned to a more pop rock sound utilizing synthesizers.

The Hippos were a third wave ska-punk band from Southern California. Unlike other typical bands of the genre, The Hippos employed heavy use of a Moog synthesizer. The Hippos’ first full album release was Forget the World, released in 1996. Interestingly, many of the songs on Forget The World were written when Ariel Rechstaid, the band’s primary songwriter, was only 15 years old. This album employed traditional ska-punk songwriting, including upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. Add