Concentrating primarily on third-wave ska and ska-punk, with a bit of punk and emocore thrown in, {|Year of the Rat|} is a budget-priced label sampler designed to encourage consumers to acquaint themselves with the artist roster of Fueled by Ramen Records. Some of those artists include {|Animal Chin|}, Jersey, {|Jimmy Eat World|}, the Supaflies, {|Ann Beretta|}, the Impossibles, and Cooter.