Awesome Instrumentals of the 80s – Side 2

The decade of the 80s proved that instrumental songs could still top the charts. Whether it was Herbie Hancock and M.A.R.R.S. using turntables, synthesizers, and mixers or Kenny G and Joe Satriani using traditional instruments, Side 1 of this column examined some great innovative instrumental tracks. Now it’s time to fast forward and flip the cassette over to side two! On this side, let’s look at instrumental hits that climbed the pop charts due to their association with popular 80s movies or TV shows.

Instrumental themes have been appearing on the Billboard Top 100 chart for many decades. You can go back to the 50s with the Dragnet theme, the 60s with Henry Mancini’s Pink Panther theme, the 70s with the Star Wars theme (that also became a #1 disco hit), and even into the 90s with the X-Files and Mission: Impossible themes. But if you stand back and look at the big picture, the 80s gave us the highest chart-impacting instrumental themes. That’s right 80s kids; it’s time to break out the keytars again.

Mike Post produced many famous 80s TV themes. Two of his instrumental themes climbed the charts in the early 80s. In 1981, the Hill Street Blues theme proved to be an intricate part of the success of the show by making it to #10 on the US charts. The next year in 1982, Post would write a theme for a friend he had known since grade school, Tom Selleck. The theme for Magnum, P.I. (which actually wasn’t used as the main theme in the pilot episode) would also become a popular top 25 hit on the US charts.

As mentioned in the intro, the artist Meco turned the Star Wars theme into a #1 disco hit in 1977. He would go on to release disco versions of other themes in the late 70s/early 80s like Close Encounters, The Wizard of Oz, and Superman. Playing off of the success of “Hooked on Classics,” Meco would release “Pop Goes the Movies” in 1982, which used famous movie themes to a disco beat. The single reached #35 on the US charts. Anyone up for releasing a compilation of TV themes with a techno beat?

In 1984, a relatively unknown soundtrack composer would get his big break with his work on the highly anticipated film Beverly Hills Cop. With the overwhelming box office success of the film, Harold Faltermeyer would become a household name across the globe. His theme “Axel F” reached the top 5 in eight different countries. It would also launch his career which would include producing, writing, and composing for dozens of soundtracks and music artists. What’s the ultimate form of flattery? Parody…or maybe in this case, parody weirdness. The animation sensation Crazy Frog released a remixed version of Axel F in 2005 and outsold the likes of Coldplay all the way to #1 in the UK and ten other countries!

Also in 1984, the experimental synthpop band Art of Noise made some noise on the charts with singles “Beat Box” and “Close (To the Edit)”. They would also go on to make some Grammy noise in 1986 by collaborating with legendary guitarist Duane Eddy. They would release a new wave remix of the classic 1958 Peter Gunn TV theme that would reach #2 on the US dance chart and win a Grammy award for Best Rock Instrumental. The use of the theme in earlier films like The Blues Brothers and the arcade game Spy Hunter most definitely helped the success of this single.

Okay, it’s time for “adult skate”…16-time Grammy award winning producer/writer David Foster released his most successful single in 1985. He would compose the score for the film St. Elmo’s Fire and also write its theme “Man In Motion,” which became a #1 hit for John Parr. Foster’s instrumental “Love Theme” from the film would also climb to #15 on the charts as a single. His tribute concert in 2008 featured Kenny G playing the saxophone parts. Once you are through watching the video below, the rink will go back to “all skate.”

Czech Republic native Jan Hammer orchestrated one the most successful instrumental themes of all time in the fall of 1985. Miami Vice exploded onto television sets everywhere with its visual and audio style. It blended the new wave culture of MTV with pastel tones and the backdrop of South Beach, Florida. Hammer’s synthesized sound complimented the show so well that people begged to hear it on the radio. The Miami Vice theme became a #1 hit and earned Hammer two Grammy awards. The musical success of the show would carry on for two more soundtracks, but the original soundtrack remains an 80s classic, having sold over 4 million copies.

Since I included “Pump Up the Volume” on side 1, I decided to include this song that to me, has more “sounds” than lyrics. The only single to chart in the US for the electronic group Yello was due mainly to its association with the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. “Oh Yeah” would take a Ferrari ride up the charts in 1987 and then zoom into other late 80s films like The Secret of My Succe$s, K-9, and She’s Out Of Control as well as countless commercials up until the present day.

Honorable mentions:

The oft-parodied Chariots of Fire theme was a #1 hit in 1981. If I knew how to write in slow-motion, the last sentence would have taken you three minutes to read. It’s also apparent by the music video that nicotine was an early performance enhancing drug for piano players.

Bill Conti’s theme from the prime-time soap opera Dynasty made it half way up the Billboard Top 100 chart in 1981 (you should’ve seen the catfight between me and this site’s creator Howie Decker to make sure I mentioned it in this column).

Two of my personal favorites are by artists already mentioned in this column. Jan Hammer’s “Crockett’s Theme” which was released on the 2^nd Miami Vice soundtrack is just as good as the main theme in my opinion. Although it didn’t chart in the US, it went top ten in 4 other countries. Finally, Harold Faltmeyer and guitarist Steve Stevens created the perfect background to a flight deck with the “Top Gun Anthem” in 1986. It won a Grammy, but never charted. It remains a favorite of mine on Guitar Hero, but I only play it now if I can find a large black wig and enough tin foil to wrap around my entire body. I like to get the full Steve Stevens experience.

Jason Gross is a child of the 80s and loves to subject his two sons to cartoons, TV, movies, and music from the decade. Currently promoting a M.A.S.K. live-action movie script (co-writer), he also enjoys freelance writing about 80s music & pop culture. Background includes radio broadcasting and B2B direct marketing. Follow Jason on Twitter@SockOfFleagulls and check out Rediscover the 80s!