The death of instrumentals in pop music.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

I have long lamented the fact that there has been no sequel to "Sleepwalk" (The most popular steel guitar instrumental)

But after considering the state of popular music, it is doubtful than any instrumental tune will ever again be a hit!

Back in the big band era, the instrumental tunes were at just as popular as the songs sung by the boy and girl singers, who often were just a small part of the arrangement.

This gradually changed and the singers became stars, while the great musicians just played backup.

Of course music changed over the years and brass gave way to guitars and keys, but at least through the 1960's and 70's we still had some instrumental hits played on the radio.

Now just about the only place to hear instrumentals is on a jazz or oldies station.

Have people really changed that much in 40 years? Why is there no market for great music without lyrics?

Dom Crying or Very sad

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Howard Parker · From: Maryland

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

These days it seems the better formula to try would be to sing a chorus to introduce the tune and get the audience's attention, then kill them with really hot solos (traded among multiple instruments) and then sing one last chorus and out. Vince Gill comes to mind...
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Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

I remember in the 40's,50's and 60's instrumentals were a hugh part of a stations playlist. The last instrumental that I can remember that got airplay on the FM stations was Eric Johnson's Cliffs of Dover off his 1990 Ah Via Musicom album. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

The last instrumentals that I can remember being hits were:

Sleep Walk,
Detour,
Wheels,
Raunchy,
Sail Along Silvery Moon
And two Herb Alpert recordings.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

I believe Buckeroo was the last charted country instrumental.
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Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Tiny Dancer

Tubular Bells

Dueling Banjos

all were radio hits in the 70s.

I can't think of any from later decades.

The Ventures still tour.

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Last year the GRAMMYs eliminated about 20 some categorizes and many were instrumentals.
No more Best Pop Instrumental, Rock Instrumental, Country Instrumental, R&B Instrumental, Jazz Instrumental and a few others. About the only ones left are Best Pop Instrumental Album, best Jazz Instrumental Album, and a couple in Classical music.

Looking at Billboard stats, there were over 200 instrumental in the top 50 during the '50s, and almost 200 in the '60s. Since 1980 there have been less than 20 instrumentals make in into Billboards top 20, and most of those have been movie theme songs.

Also to take it further, a top 10 non-instrumental or songs with Lyrics in the '60s had an average of 176 words in it. A top 10 song today has an average of 436 words.
So not only have pop instrumentals disappeared, but now the songs with singing have even more singing on them.
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Marc Friedland · From: Fort Collins, CO

I believe “Classical Gas” was in the 70’s
Also from the 70’s Disco era was “The Hustle” & plenty of others I can’t recall the names of at this moment.
In the 80’s we had
Axel F – the soundtrack for Beverly Hills Cop
Chariots of Fire theme
Hills St Blues theme
Miami Vice theme #1 in 1985 (the last instrumental to top the charts)
I’ll look up the titles for the disco songs if you’d like me to.

I’m certainly not trying to convince anyone that disco music or movie themes are better than the surf sound instrumentals of the 60’s, or jazz, or country instrumentals or anything else – I just felt it was fair to mention some of them because I noticed no one else has.

-- Marc

BTW
Here is my interpretation of A Taste of Honey inspired by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass which can be found on my CD “Steel My Guitar Gently Weeps”.

https://soundcloud.com/#marc-friedland/a-taste-of-honey/sets

www.PedalSteelGuitarMusic.com

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Pop instrumentals continue to be successful. You're not paying attention. Here's a list of top instrumental songs from 1973 to 2005, for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumental_rock has more information and examples.
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Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Brad, That was a pretty short list covering 30 plus years! And yes some of them were hits, mostly movie and TV themes, but hardly mainstream top 40.

1959-62 3 years...(42 songs in top 20)
1962-66 4 years...(41 songs in top 20)
1966-73 7 years...(42 songs in top 20)
1973-05 32 years...(46 songs in top 20)
2005---? none?

All the replies seem to support my original premise, that instrumental popularity has been on the decline. And the public's musical preferences have changed so much that they may never be popular again.

Dom
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Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Here is the complete list of every single instrumental (as defined by Billboard as a song with less than 25% vocals) that has made it into Billboards Top 20 pop hits from 1950 till today:

2/4/1950 Anton Karas - "The Third Man Theme"
2/25/1950 Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians - "The Third Man Theme"
2/25/1950 Mickey Katz & His Orchestra - "(Put Another Nickel In) Music! Music! Music!"
4/8/1950 Bill Snyder & His Orchestra - "Bewitched"
4/15/1950 Ralph Flanagan & His Orchestra - "Joshua"
5/6/1950 Jan August & Jerry Murad's Harmonicats - "Bewitched"
6/10/1950 Paul Weston & His Orchestra - "La Vie En Rose"
6/10/1950 Les Paul - "Nola"
8/12/1950 The Lynn Hope Quintet - "Tenderly"
9/9/1950 Jerry Byrd & His Steel Guitar and Jerry Murad's Harmonicats - "Harbor Lights"
9/16/1950 Ken Griffin at The Organ - "Harbor Lights"
9/23/1950 Ralph Flanagan & His Orchestra - "Harbor Lights"
12/2/1950 Les Paul - "Little Rock Getaway"
3/17/1951 Leroy Anderson & His 'Pops' Concert Orchestra - "The Syncopated Clock"
3/17/1951 Florian Zabach - "The Hot Canary"
6/23/1951 Les Paul - "Josephine"
8/4/1951 Les Paul - "Whispering"
8/18/1951 Del Wood - "Down Yonder"
8/19/1951 Ralph Flanagan & His Orchestra - "The Blues from 'An American in Paris'"
10/6/1951 Eddie Smith & The Chief - "Down Yonder"
10/6/1951 Joe 'Fingers' Carr - "Down Yonder"
10/20/1951 Tab Smith, His Fabulous Alto & Orchestra - "Because of You"
11/3/1951 Mantovani & His Orchestra - "Charmaine"
12/1/1951 Les Paul - "Jingle Bells"
12/15/1951 Leroy Anderson & His 'Pops' Concert Orchestra - "Blue Tango"
1/19/1952 Billy May & His Orchestra - "Charmaine"
2/23/1952 Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra - "Blue Tango"
2/24/1952 Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians - "Blue Tango"
3/1/1952 Les Baxter & His Orchestra - "Blue Tango"
4/12/1952 Percy Faith & His Orchestra - "Delicado"
5/3/1952 Les Paul - "The Carioca"
5/31/1952 Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra - "Vanessa"
8/8/1952 The Sauter-Finegan Orchestra - "Doodletown Fifers"
8/16/1952 Les Paul - "Meet Mister Callaghan"
8/23/1952 The Harry Grove Trio - "Meet Mr. Callaghan"
10/18/1952 Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra - "Blue Violins"
10/25/1952 Les Paul - "Lady of Spain"
12/27/1952 Ralph Marterie & His Orchestra - "Pretend"
1/3/1953 Ralph Flanagan & His Orchestra - "Hot Toddy"
1/17/1953 Johnny Maddox & The Rhythmasters - "In the Mood"
3/7/1953 Ralph Marterie & His Orchestra - "Caravan"
3/21/1953 Les Baxter & His Orchestra - "April in Portugal"
3/28/1953 Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "Ruby"
4/18/1953 Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "April in Portugal"
5/2/1953 Freddy Martin & His Orchestra - "April in Portugal (The Whisp'ring Serenade)"
5/2/1953 Mantovani & His Orchestra - "The Moulin Rouge Theme (Where Is Your Heart)"
5/9/1953 Les Baxter & His Orchestra - "Ruby"
5/16/1953 Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra - "Limelight (Terry's Theme)"
5/23/1953 Victor Young & His Orchestra - "Ruby"
6/6/1953 Percy Faith & His Orchestra - "Return to Paradise (Parts 1 & 2)"
6/13/1953 Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "Terry's Theme from "Limelight""
6/20/1953 Pee Wee Hunt & His Orchestra - "Oh!"
7/4/1953 Harry James & His Orchestra - "Ruby"
8/1/1953 Monty Kelly & His Orchestra - "Tropicana"
8/15/1953 Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - "Dragnet"
8/15/1953 Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra - "Ebb Tide"
9/12/1953 Jerry Murad with Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "The Story of Three Loves"
9/19/1953 Henri Rene with Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra - "The Velvet Glove"
10/24/1953 Johnny Maddox & The Rhythmasters - "Dipsy Doodle"
10/31/1953 William Kapell - "Rachmaninoff: The 18th Variation (From the Rhapsody On a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43)"
11/14/1953 Leo Diamond - "Off Shore"
12/19/1953 Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "Off Shore"
1/2/1954 Richard Hayman & His Orchestra - "Sadie Thompson's Song (Blue Pacific Blues)"
4/24/1954 Jackie Lee & His Orchestra - "Isle of Capri"
7/17/1954 Leroy Holmes & His Orchestra - "The High and the Mighty"
7/24/1954 Victor Young & His Orchestra - "The High and the Mighty"
8/14/1954 Ralph Marterie & His Orchestra - "Skokiaan"
9/4/1954 The Norman Petty Trio - "Mood Indigo"
9/11/1954 Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - "Skokiaan"
11/13/1954 Les Paul - "Mandolino"
11/27/1954 | #2 (1 wk.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "Melody of Love"
12/25/1954 | #8 (1 wk.) - David Carroll & His Orchestra: "Melody of Love"
1/22/1955 | #2 (7 wks.) - Johnny Maddox & The Rhythmasters: "The Crazy Otto (Medley)"
1/29/1955 | #19 (1 wk.) - Lenny Dee: "Plantation Boogie"
2/19/1955 | #19 (1 wk.) - Crazy Otto: "Glad Rag Doll"
2/19/1955 | #1 (10 wks.) - Perez Prado & His Orchestra: "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White"
3/26/1955 | #1 (1 wk.) - Les Baxter & His Orchestra: "Medic"
3/26/1955 | #1 (2 wks.) - Les Baxter & His Orchestra and Chorus: "Unchained Melody"
6/4/1955 | #14 (1 wk.) - The Ferko String Band: "Alabama Jubilee"
7/2/1955 | #18 (1 wk.) - Eddie Barclay & His Orchestra: "The Bandit (O'Cangaceiro)"
8/6/1955 | #1 (4 wks.) - Roger Williams: "Autumn Leaves"
11/26/1955 | #1 (4 wks.) - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra: "Lisbon Antigua"
1/7/1956 | #8 (2 wks.) - The Dick Hyman Trio: "Moritat (Theme from 'The Three Penny Opera')"
1/21/1956 | #11 (2 wks.) - Richard Hayman & Jan August: "Theme from 'The Three Penny Opera' (Moritat)"
1/21/1956 | #19 (1 wk.) - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra: "Lisbon Antigua (in Old Lisbon)"
1/28/1956 | #1 (6 wks.) - Les Baxter with His Chorus & Orchestra: "The Poor People of Paris (Jean's Song)"
2/4/1956 | #17 (1 wk.) - Lawrence Welk & His Sparkling Sextet: "Moritat (Theme from 'The Three Penny Opera')"
2/18/1956 | #19 (1 wk.) - Russ Morgan & His Orchestra: "The Poor People of Paris"
3/3/1956 | #16 (1 wk.) - Elmer Bernstein & His Orchestra: "Main Title from 'The Man with the Golden Arm'"
3/3/1956 | #14 (1 wk.) - Richard Maltby & His Orchestra: "Themes from 'The Man with the Golden Arm'"
3/3/1956 | #17 (1 wk.) - Lawrence Welk & His Champagne Music: "The Poor People of Paris"
3/10/1956 | #20 (1 wk.) - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra: "Port Au Prince"
3/31/1956 | #4 (1 wk.) - George Cates & His Orchestra: "Moonglow and Theme from 'Picnic'"
3/31/1956 | #1 (3 wks.) - Morris Stoloff & His Orchestra: "Moonglow and Theme from 'Picnic'"
4/14/1956 | #6 (3 wks.) - Don Robertson: "The Happy Whistler"
5/5/1956 | #19 (1 wk.) - Joe 'Fingers' Carr: "Portuguese Washerwoman"
6/9/1956 | #2 (2 wks.) - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Heywood: "Canadian Sunset"
6/16/1956 | #11 (1 wk.) - Eddie Heywood: "Soft Summer Breeze"
7/21/1956 | #8 (2 wks.) - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra: "The Theme from 'Song for a Summer Night' (Parts 1 & 2)"
8/4/1956 | #2 (3 wks.) - Bill Doggett: "Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2)"
8/18/1956 | #12 (1 wk.) - Helmut Zacharias & His Magic Violin: "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again"
8/25/1956 | #18 (1 wk.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again"
10/27/1956 | #17 (1 wk.) - Sil Austin: "Slow Walk"
2/16/1957 | #15 (1 wk.) - Roger Williams: "Almost Paradise"
4/15/1957 | #10 (1 wk.) - Ralph Marterie & His Orchestra: "Shish-Kebab"
5/6/1957 | #13 (1 wk.) - Victor Young & His Orchestra: "(Main Theme) Around the World"
5/27/1957 | #12 (1 wk.) - Mantovani & His Orchestra: "Around the World"
8/12/1957 | #14 - Barney Kessel & His Orchestra: "Honey Rock"
11/4/1957 | #4 (1 wk.) - Ernie Freeman: "Raunchy"
11/4/1957 | #2 (1 wk.) - Bill Justis & His Orchestra: "Raunchy"
11/18/1957 | #10 (1 wk.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "Raunchy"
12/9/1957 | #5 (3 wks.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "Sail Along Silvery Moon"
12/30/1957 | #20 (1 wk.) - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra: "March from the River Kwai & Colonel Bogey"
2/10/1958 | #1 (5 wks.) - The Champs: "Tequila"
2/17/1958 | #20 (1 wk.) - Eddie Platt & His Orchestra: "Tequila"
4/14/1958 | #16 (1 wk.) - Link Wray & His Ray Men: "Rumble"
6/2/1958 | #1 (1 wk.) - Perez Prado & His Orchestra: "Patricia"
6/16/1958 | #6 (2 wks.) - Duane Eddy: "Rebel-'Rouser"
7/28/1958 | #20 (2 wks.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "La Paloma"
8/4/1958 | #10 (3 wks.) - Roger Williams: "Near You"
8/11/1958 | #3 (3 wks.) - Cozy Cole: "Topsy II"
8/18/1958 | #7 (2 wks.) - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra: "Tea for Two Cha Cha"
9/22/1958 | #16 (2 wks.) - The Applejacks: "Mexican Hat Rock"
10/6/1958 | #17 (1 wk.) - The Royaltones: "Poor Boy"
10/20/1958 | #15 (1 wk.) - Duane Eddy: "Cannonball"
11/24/1958 | #10 (2 wks.) - Reg Owen & His Orchestra: "Manhattan Spiritual"
12/22/1958 | #8 (1 wk.) - Ray Anthony & His Orchestra: "Peter Gunn"
12/29/1958 | #5 (1 wk.) - Chris Barber's Jazz Band: "Petite Fleur (Little Flower)"
2/23/1959 | #5 (2 wks.) - The Virtues: "Guitar Boogie Shuffle"
3/2/1959 | #1 (1 wk.) - Dave 'Baby' Cortez: "The Happy Organ"
3/23/1959 | #9 (2 wks.) - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles: "Only You (and You Alone) (Loin de Vous)"
3/30/1959 | #4 (2 wks.) - The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny & His Orchestra: "Quiet Village"
5/4/1959 | #14 (1 wk.) - Preston Epps: "Bongo Rock"
6/1/1959 | #9 (1 wk.) - Duane Eddy & The Rebels: "Forty Miles of Bad Road"
7/13/1959 | #1 (2 wks.) - Santo & Johnny: "Sleep Walk"
7/20/1959 | #5 (1 wk.) - Johnny & The Hurricanes: "Red River Rock"
8/24/1959 | #4 (2 wks.) - Sandy Nelson: "Teen Beat"
9/7/1959 | #4 (1 wk.) - Ernie Fields' Orchestra: "In the Mood"
9/14/1959 | #15 (1 wk.) - The Islanders: "The Enchanted Sea"
9/21/1959 | #16 (1 wk.) - Rock-a-Teens: "Woo-Hoo"
11/16/1959 | #17 (2 wks.) - Bill Black's Combo: "Smokie (Part 2)"
12/21/1959 | #13 (1 wk.) - Spencer Ross: "Tracy's Theme"
12/28/1959 | #1 (9 wks.) - Percy Faith & His Orchestra: "The Theme from 'A Summer Place'"
2/1/1960 | #15 (1 wk.) - Johnny & The Hurricanes: "Beatnik Fly"
2/22/1960 | #9 (1 wk.) - Bill Black's Combo: "White Silver Sands"
5/9/1960 | #4 (2 wks.) - Duane Eddy: "Because They're Young"
6/6/1960 | #19 (1 wk.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "Look for a Star"
6/13/1960 | #18 (1 wk.) - Bill Black's Combo: "Josephine"
7/4/1960 | #2 (1 wk.) - The Ventures: "Walk -- Don't Run"
7/11/1960 | #10 (3 wks.) - Ferrante & Teicher: "The Theme from 'The Apartment' (Jealous Lover)"
7/25/1960 | #19 (1 wk.) - Don Costa & His Orchestra and Chorus: "Never On Sunday"
8/29/1960 | #11 (1 wk.) - Bill Black's Combo: "Don't Be Cruel"
9/26/1960 | #2 (4 wks.) - Floyd Cramer: "Last Date"
10/17/1960 | #15 (1 wk.) - The Ventures: "Perfidia"
10/31/1960 | #2 (1 wk.) - Ferrante & Teicher: "Exodus"
10/31/1960 | #1 (3 wks.) - Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra: "Wonderland by Night"
10/31/1960 | #15 (2 wks.) - Louis Prima: "Wonderland by Night"
11/14/1960 | #16 (1 wk.) - Bill Black's Combo: "Blue Tango"
11/28/1960 | #1 (2 wks.) - Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra: "Calcutta"
12/5/1960 | #18 (1 wk.) - Duane Eddy: "Pepe"
12/26/1960 | #3 (2 wks.) - The String-A-Longs: "Wheels"
1/9/1961 | #2 (2 wks.) - Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar: "Apache"
2/6/1961 | #20 (1 wk.) - Bill Black's Combo: "Hearts of Stone"
2/6/1961 | #8 (1 wk.) - Kokomo: "Asia Minor"
2/20/1961 | #8 (2 wks.) - Ray Charles: "One Mint Julep"
2/20/1961 | #4 (1 wk.) - Floyd Cramer: "On the Rebound"
3/20/1961 | #19 (1 wk.) - Al Caiola & His Orchestra: "Bonanza"
5/15/1961 | #4 (1 wk.) - The Arthur Lyman Group: "Yellow Bird"
5/22/1961 | #8 (1 wk.) - Floyd Cramer: "San Antonio Rose"
6/19/1961 | #3 (2 wks.) - The Mar-Keys: "Last Night"
7/31/1961 | #7 (1 wk.) - Bob Moore & His Orchestra: "Mexico"
10/2/1961 | #8 (1 wk.) - Ferrante & Teicher: "Tonight"
10/16/1961 | #7 (1 wk.) - Sandy Nelson: "Let There Be Drums"
12/11/1961 | #17 (2 wks.) - Ace Cannon: "Tuff"
12/30/1961 | #10 (1 wk.) - Billy Joe & The Checkmates: "Percolator (Twist)"
1/20/1962 | #2 (1 wk.) - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen: "Midnight in Moscow"
2/3/1962 | #17 (2 wks.) - King Curtis & The Noble Knights: "Soul Twist"
3/3/1962 | #1 (1 wk.) - Mr. Acker Bilk: "Stranger On the Shore"
4/28/1962 | #1 (1 wk.) - David Rose & His Orchestra: "The Stripper"
6/30/1962 | #10 (1 wk.) - Dave 'Baby' Cortez: "Rinky Dink"
7/7/1962 | #13 (1 wk.) - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra: "A Swingin' Safari"
7/14/1962 | #7 (1 wk.) - Bent Fabric & His Piano: "Alley Cat"
7/28/1962 | #3 (1 wk.) - Booker T. & The MG's: "Green Onions"
9/15/1962 | #15 (2 wks.) - Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd: "Desafinado"
9/29/1962 | #20 (1 wk.) - Jimmy McGriff: "I've Got a Woman (Part 1)"
10/13/1962 | #6 (1 wk.) - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "The Lonely Bull (El Solo Torro)"
10/20/1962 | #19 (1 wk.) - The Routers: "Let's Go (Pony)"
10/20/1962 | #1 (3 wks.) - The Tornadoes: "Telstar"
12/15/1962 | #14 (1 wk.) - Joe Harnell & His Orchestra: "Fly Me to the Moon -- Bossa Nova"
12/15/1962 | #8 (1 wk.) - The Rebels: "Wild Weekend"
1/19/1963 | #9 (1 wk.) - Bill Pursell: "Our Winter Love"
2/16/1963 | #4 (2 wks.) - The Chantays: "Pipeline"
3/2/1963 | #10 (2 wks.) - The Mongo Santamaria Band: "Watermelon Man"
5/25/1963 | #5 (1 wk.) - Lonnie Mack: "Memphis"
6/8/1963 | #2 (1 wk.) - The Surfaris: "Wipe Out"
6/22/1963 | #8 (1 wk.) - Kai Winding & His Orchestra: "More"
9/7/1963 | #6 (1 wk.) - Los Indios Tabajaras: "Maria Elena"
9/7/1963 | #2 (1 wk.) - The Village Stompers: "Washington Square"
11/23/1963 | #3 (2 wks.) - The Marketts: "Out of Limits"
12/21/1963 | #4 (1 wk.) - Al Hirt: "Java"
1/18/1964 | #18 (1 wk.) - The Pyramids: "Penetration"
3/7/1964 | #15 (3 wks.) - Robert Maxwell & His Orchestra: "Shangri-La"
3/28/1964 | #15 (2 wks.) - Al Hirt: "Cotton Candy"
6/27/1964 | #8 (2 wks.) - The Ventures: "Walk -- Don't Run '64"
12/19/1964 | #14 (2 wks.) - Alvin Cash & The Crawlers: "Twine Time"
1/9/1965 | #11 (2 wks.) - Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra: "Red Roses for a Blue Lady"
3/6/1965 | #10 (1 wk.) - Sounds Orchestral!: "Cast Your Fate to the Wind"
4/24/1965 | #12 (1 wk.) - Horst Jankowski & His Orchestra: "A Walk in the Black Forest"
7/17/1965 | #5 (1 wk.) - The Ramsey Lewis Trio: "The 'In' Crowd"
9/11/1965 | #7 (1 wk.) - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "A Taste of Honey"
11/6/1965 | #11 (2 wks.) - The Ramsey Lewis Trio: "Hang On Sloopy"
11/27/1965 | #3 (1 wk.) - The T-Bones: "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)"
12/11/1965 | #11 (1 wk.) - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "Zorba the Greek"
1/15/1966 | #16 (2 wks.) - Slim Harpo: "Baby, Scratch My Back"
1/22/1966 | #17 (2 wks.) - The Marketts: "Batman Theme"
6/18/1966 | #18 (2 wks.) - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "The Work Song"
6/25/1966 | #19 (2 wks.) - Ramsey Lewis: "Wade in the Water"
7/16/1966 | #16 (1 wk.) - The Surfaris: "Wipe Out"
12/17/1966 | #15 (1 wk.) - The Bob Crewe Generation: "Music to Watch Girls By"
12/24/1966 | #11 (2 wks.) - Cannonball Adderley: "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"
4/15/1967 | #20 (1 wk.) - Whistling Jack Smith: "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman"
5/6/1967 | #17 (1 wk.) - The Bar-Kays: "Soul Finger"
12/23/1967 | #1 (5 wks.) - Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra: "Love Is Blue (L' Amour Est Bleu)"
2/3/1968 | #2 (1 wk.) - Hugo Montenegro & His Orchestra: "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"
5/11/1968 | #2 (3 wks.) - Cliff Nobles & Co.: "The Horse"
5/25/1968 | #1 (2 wks.) - Hugh Masekela: "Grazing in the Grass"
6/8/1968 | #2 (2 wks.) - Mason Williams: "Classical Gas"
6/29/1968 | #17 (1 wk.) - Booker T. & The MG's: "Soul-Limbo"
10/26/1968 | #9 (2 wks.) - Booker T. & The MG's: "Hang 'Em High"
11/16/1968 | #3 (1 wk.) - Young-Holt Unlimited: "Soulful Strut"
2/22/1969 | #4 (1 wk.) - The Ventures: "Hawaii Five-0"
3/1/1969 | #6 (2 wks.) - Booker T. & The MG's: "Time Is Tight"
4/26/1969 | #1 (2 wks.) - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra: "Love Theme from 'Romeo & Juliet'"
5/31/1969 | #13 (2 wks.) - The Charles Randolph Grean Sounde: "Quentin's Theme"
7/19/1969 | #16 (2 wks.) - The Electric Indian: "Keem-O-Sabe"
10/18/1969 | #10 (1 wk.) - Ferrante & Teicher: "Midnight Cowboy"
6/27/1970 | #16 (2 wks.) - The Assembled Multitude: "Overture from Tommy (A Rock Opera)"
1/2/1971 | #13 (2 wks.) - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra and Chorus: "(Theme from) Love Story"
10/16/1971 | #6 (3 wks.) - Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band: "Scorpio"
12/18/1971 | #6 (1 wk.) - Apollo 100: "Joy"
1/1/1972 | #8 (3 wks.) - The Chakachas: "Jungle Fever"
2/5/1972 | #18 (2 wks.) - Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band: "Taurus"
4/8/1972 | #2 (1 wk.) - Billy Preston: "Outa-Space"
5/6/1972 | #11 (1 wk.) - The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards: "Amazing Grace"
6/24/1972 | #9 (1 wk.) - Hot Butter: "Popcorn"
7/8/1972 | #7 (2 wks.) - Gary Glitter: "Rock and Roll (Part 2)"
12/30/1972 | #2 (4 wks.) - Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell: "Dueling Banjos"
1/20/1973 | #2 (1 wk.) - Deodato: "Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001)"
2/17/1973 | #9 (2 wks.) - Focus: "Hocus Pocus"
2/24/1973 | #1 (1 wk.) - The Edgar Winter Group: "Frankenstein"
9/8/1973 | #4 (2 wks.) - Billy Preston: "Space Race"
11/17/1973 | #1 (1 wk.) - The Love Unlimited Orchestra: "Love's Theme"
2/16/1974 | #1 (2 wks.) - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees: "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)"
3/9/1974 | #3 (2 wks.) - Marvin Hamlisch: "The Entertainer"
9/7/1974 | #1 (B-side) - Bachman-Turner Overdrive: "Free Wheelin'"
11/23/1974 | #1 (1 wk.) - The Average White Band: "Pick Up the Pieces"
1/11/1975 | #4 (3 wks.) - B.T. Express: "Express"
1/25/1975 | #14 (1 wk.) - Herbie Mann: "Hijack"
3/29/1975 | #10 (1 wk.) - Bazuka featuring Tony Camillo: "Dynomite (Part 1)"
4/5/1975 | #1 (1 wk.) - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony: "The Hustle"
5/3/1975 | #10 (2 wks.) - Mike Post: "The Rockford Files"
7/19/1975 | #11 (2 wks.) - The Ritchie Family: "Brazil"
8/9/1975 | #11 (1 wk.) - The People's Choice: "Do It Any Way You Wanna"
11/1/1975 | #1 (1 wk.) - Rhythm Heritage: "Theme from 'S.W.A.T.'"
1/10/1976 | #18 (1 wk.) - The Salsoul Orchestra: "Tangerine"
3/20/1976 | #14 (1 wk.) - Brass Construction: "Movin'"
3/27/1976 | #20 (2 wks.) - Rhythm Heritage: "Barretta's Theme (Keep Your Eye On the Sparrow)"
5/15/1976 | #1 (1 wk.) - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band: "A Fifth of Beethoven"
8/14/1976 | #8 (2 wks.) - Barry DeVorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr.: "Nadia's Theme (The Young & The Restless)"
4/9/1977 | #1 (1 wk.) - Bill Conti & His Orchestra: "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from 'Rocky')"
6/25/1977 | #10 (1 wk.) - John Williams & The London Symphony Orchestra: "Star Wars (Main Title)"
7/23/1977 | #1 (2 wks.) - Meco: "Star Wars Theme / Cantina Band"
12/10/1977 | #13 (2 wks.) - John Williams & Orchestra: "Theme from 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'"
1/28/1978 | #4 (1 wk.) - Chuck Mangione: "Feels So Good"
1/13/1979 | #3 (1 wk.) - Frank Mills: "Music Box Dancer"
6/28/1979 | #1 (2 wks.) - Herb Alpert: "Rise"
1/5/1980 | #18 (2 wks.) - Chuck Mangione: "Give It All You Got"
5/31/1980 | #18 (2 wks.) - Meco: "The Empire Strikes Back (Medley)"
8/8/1981 | #10 (2 wks.) - Mike Post: "The Theme from 'Hill Street Blues'"
10/17/1981 | #10 (2 wks.) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: "Hooked On Classics"
11/28/1981 | #1 (1 wk.) - Vangelis: "Chariots of Fire (Main Title)"
3/16/1985 | #3 (3 wks.) - Harold Faltermeyer: "Axel F"
8/10/1985 | #15 (1 wk.) - David Foster: "Love Theme from 'St. Elmo's Fire'"
8/24/1985 | #1 (1 wk.) - Jan Hammer: "Miami Vice Theme"
3/21/1987 | #4 (1 wk.) - Kenny G: "Songbird"
10/15/1988 | #13 (1 wk.) - Kenny G: "Silhouette"
10/14/1989 | #11 (1 wk.) - Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers: "Swing the Mood"
5/4/1991 | #11 (2 wks.) - David A. Stewart & Candy Dulfer: "Lily Was Here"
12/5/1992 | #18 (2 wks.) - Kenny G: "Forever in Love"
4/27/1996 | #7 (2 wks.) - Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen: "Theme from Mission: Impossible"
12/25/1999 | #7 (1 wk.) - Kenny G: "Auld Lang Syne (The Millenium Mix)"
11/23/2002 | #2 - Kenny G: "Auld Lang Syne (Freedom Mix)"
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Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Heres a chart of Alvins list...

Some possible reasons for the decline?

1. 1960's The Beatles
2. The End of Studio Orchestras
3. The rise of guitar led bands
4. TV & Videos show attractive singers
5. Music Education dropped from schools
6. Teeny boppers drive the industry now

Dom Rolling Eyes

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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

When you consider the fact that Autotune is the most popular vocalist today, you discover that half of the songs on the pop chart are instrumentals.
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Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

So Kenny G. scored with 5 out of the last 10... Whoa!

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Gary Lee Gimble · From: Fredericksburg, VA.

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Gary Lee Gimble · From: Fredericksburg, VA.

Lend me a dallah....and I'll be your friend too Laughing

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Sid Hudson · From: Virginia, USA

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

No doubt, there are still excellent instrumental recordings being made. Looking at the list, I notice that artists seem to peak for a few years and they give their instrument a showcase: Ramsey Lewis & Floyd Cramer (piano) Booker T. (Organ)
Herb Alpert & Chuck Mangione(Trumpet) Kenny G. (Sax) etc.
Dom Very Happy

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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

There's still tons of great instrumental music being made. The fallacy here is focusing on mainstream pop. In my opinion, that declining chart pattern represents equally well the relevance of the Billboard Top 20/40/100 or whatever list to the subject of music. People keep on railing about radio and Top XX lists, but the fact is that most music is elsewhere, and most audiences actually interested in music have moved on. But that 'other' music world is highly fragmented. I don't consider that bad - it simply means that there is a great deal of diversity in both audiences and available music. Great music is no longer a cash-cow for the big-music oligopoly, but there's still tons of great music.

The days of 'great mass-appeal pop music' are long over. People seriously making music are back to just seriously making music, not positioning themselves to be the 'next big thing'. My opinion.

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