The Best of Retro Instrumental Music
A blog dedicated to the best retro instrumental music. Find all of your favorites and rediscover some classics.
The 60s
The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Byrds are often cited as the most influential and groundbreaking bands of the 1960s. But what about the instrumentals? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best examples of 60s instrumental music. From jazz to rock to pop, these songs showcase the incredible range of styles that were popular in the decade.
The Beatles – “A Day in the Life”
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, are widely regarded as the most influential band of all time. They were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways; the band later explored music styles ranging from ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. During their initial years, they recorded many songs written by others that achieved commercial success including “Cover of the Rolling Stone”, ” Please Please Me”, “I Want To Hold Your Hand”. As their popularity grew into Beatlemania, they came to be perceived as emblematic of youth rebellion.
The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers before asking Starr to join them in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act sure enough to sign a record contract with EMI’s Parlophone label in May 1962. As pop culture moved from its postwar consensus into the 1960s’ consumerism and instant gratification,[nb 4] the Beatles became an emblematicQuotes about Beatles of the decade’s socio-economic revolution.Their first single “Love Me Do” was released on 5 October 1962 but was not an immediate success: it chartered only at number seventeen on Billboard’s Hot 100 when it was released in January 1963 in the United States after climbing slowly up British charts that had started playing it only during December. In Britain, it reached number two on Record Retailer’s singles chart (now Music Week) after 11 weeks—the slowest rise for any number one single since 1954—and remained there for five weeks before being ousted by She Loves You;[67] however, it ultimately outsold She Loves You by more than two-to-one.[68] “Please Please Me” quickly topped both Record Retailer’s[69] and Melody Maker’s[70] charts in early 1963; Billboard magazine charted it at number three on its Hot 100 chart that April.[71]”From Me to You” followed as their second number one hit later that same month.[72] The band appeared on Sunday Night at the London Palladium on 13 October 1963,[73] causing what musician Kitty Kallen described as “the biggest scream ever heard [in] a theater”.[74][75]
The Beach Boys – “God Only Knows”
The 60s was a decade of change and The Beach Boys were at the forefront of that change. “God Only Knows” is a beautiful ballad that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of love and loss. The song was released in 1966 and quickly became a global hit, reaching #2 on the US Billboard charts. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, but The Beach Boys version remains the definitive version.
The Doors – “Light My Fire”
“Light My Fire” is a song by the American rock band the Doors, which was recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967 on their self-titled debut album. It was one of the first rock songs to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is widely recognized as one of the band’s signature songs. It was written by guitarist Robby Krieger, and its notable piano riff was composed by keyboardist Ray Manzarek.
“Light My Fire” became a door-opener for the Doors. The single quickly shot to number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (dated July 29, 1967), where it remained for three weeks, and went on to sell over a million copies in the United States. In Cash Box magazine’s top 100 singles of 1967, it peaked at number two. Internationally, “Light My Fire” also impressed, reaching number one in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries including France and Germany; in Canada, it peaked at number four on RPM magazine’s weekly singles chart.
The 70s
The 1970s was a decade of incredible music. This was the decade when rock and roll really came into its own, and artists like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix released some of the most groundbreaking and influential albums of all time. But the 70s were also a great decade for instrumental music, with many of the decade’s biggest hits being instrumentals. Here are some of the best instrumental songs of the 1970s.
Pink Floyd – “Money”
The advent of disco in the mid-’70s signaled a shift in pop music tastes, but that didn’t mean that rock ‘n’ roll was dead. Far from it – as this list of the decade’s best rock instrumentals attests. Some, like Pink Floyd’s “Money,” were bona fide hits, while others, like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” (a song with lyrics, but no vocals until the final minute or so), were concert staples. But all 10 of these tracks have one thing in common: they showcase the awesome power of a band playing at the top of its game.
Led Zeppelin – “Kashmir”
It’s hard to overstate the impact that Led Zeppelin had on rock music. The band was less about songwriting and more about pure sonic assault, and their best material has aged remarkably well. “Kashmir” is one of their most beloved tracks, and it’s easy to see why – the opening riff is absolutely huge, and the rest of the song just keeps getting better and better. It’s a perfect example of Led Zeppelin at their peak, and it’s unquestionably one of the best instrumentals of the 1970s.
Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band’s 1975 album A Night at the Opera. The song is a six-minute suite, consisting of several sections without a chorus: an intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock part and a reflective coda. The single reached number one in the UK in 1976 and became one of the band’s most popular songs. It topped the charts in several other countries as well, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and The Netherlands. In the US, it reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Queen’s first hit single there.
The song was preceded by the release of two other singles from the album: “Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to…)”, a scathing attack on former manager Norman Sheffield; and “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”, which featured Brian May on lead vocals. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released as a double A-side with “I’m in Love with My Car”. The song was received positively by music critics and has become one of Queen’s most popular songs. It has been voted by Rolling Stone as one of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, and in 2004 it placed at number fifty-nine on their list of “The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time”. In 2011 it was voted at number two in Classic Rock magazine’s poll of “The 30 Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time”. Thesingle sold more than 1 million copies globally within ten days of release and went platinum five times in January 1977 alone Europe
The 80s
Michael Jackson – “Billie Jean”
“Billie Jean” is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 2, 1983, as the second single from Jackson’s sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produced by Quincy Jones and Jackson. “Billie Jean” blends elements of pop, R&B, disco, and funk.
The song is accompanied by one of the most famous basslines in popular music. The lyrics describe a woman’s claim that the narrator is the father of her illegitimate son: “She says I am the one / But the kid is not my son.” Jackson received a Record of the Year Grammy Award for “Billie Jean”, as well as two Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance. The single became one of only three songs in history to top both Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 pop singles chart and its R&B singles chart in separate weeks (the other two songs being “My Boo” by Usher featuring Alicia Keys and “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas). It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2009, “Billie Jean” was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally significant”.
Prince – “When Doves Cry”
In 1984, Prince released his album “Purple Rain”, which contained the hit single “When Doves Cry”. The song was a massive success, spending five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. “When Doves Cry” is a haunting ballad with a distinctive guitar riff and lyrics that deal with loss and longing. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, but Prince’s version remains the most popular.
Madonna – “Like a Prayer”
“Like a Prayer” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her fourth studio album of the same name. Sire Records released it as the album’s lead single on February 28, 1989. She co-wrote and produced the track with Patrick Leonard. A pop ballad, the song includes a gospel choir and features saxophone solos by Clarence Clemons and Eric Leeds. “Like a Prayer” has been described as a career-defining track for Madonna; Rolling Stone magazine included it in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004) list, while NME ranked it as the greatest single of her career in 2000.
The song is expounded as a hymn to freedom and includes several references to Catholic imagery and literature, but subverts Catholic iconography. It talks about civil rights, race relations and late-twentieth century social injustice. “Like a Prayer” became one of Madonna’s signature songs, reaching number one in almost every country where it was released—including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom—and peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart after spending six weeks at number two behind “Eternal Flame” by Bangles. The music video for “Like a Prayer”, directed by Mary Lambert, presents Madonna as a witness to murder who encourages racial equality and tolerance; the black Jesus Christ figure symbolizes love for all races despite color differences.
Lambert’s portrayal of Madonna as both saint and martyr drew unfavorable reviews from critics; however its symbolic qualities were praised. The video is noted for its subversion of traditional Catholic iconography plane crash on February 3rd 1992 that impacted public opinion on Vatican activities in Latin America; Sales was praised by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro which also contributed to conservative groups disagreeing with her handling of Central American issues such as Salvadoran Civil War refugee camps near San Salvador airport notably known as Comalapa Airport .
The 90s
Who could forget the 90s? The fashion, the music, the movies? It was a decade that was truly iconic. And the music was a big part of that. From grunge to boy bands to girl power, the 90s had it all. But what about the instrumental music of the decade? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best of retro instrumental music from the 90s.
Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
The 90s were a great time for music, and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the best examples of the decade’s defining sound. Featuring a heavy guitar riff and anguished vocals from Kurt Cobain, the song captured the frustration and angst of a generation of young people. Nirvana would go on to become one of the most successful bands of the 90s, selling millions of records and influencing countless other artists.
Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
Released as a single in May 1997, “Paranoid Android” was the first taste of Radiohead’s third album, OK Computer, for many fans. The song is an epic six-and-a-half minutes long, and its three distinct sections reflect the band’s influences at the time: pensive and vulnerable verse, explosive and anthemic chorus, and a chaotic and jarring middle section. The song was a commercial success, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart, and has since become one of Radiohead’s most iconic and defining tracks.
Oasis – “Wonderwall”
One of the most popular songs of the 90s, “Wonderwall” was released by the English rock band Oasis in 1995. The song became an instant hit, reaching number one in several countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada. It has since been covered by numerous artists and has been featured in movies and TV shows.
