Kenny G "My Heart Will Go On"

Not just Celine Dion profited from "My Heart Will Go On", Kenny G also released an instrumental version of the popular ballad in 1998. Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz radio stations couldn't contain themselves and spun both tunes. While Celine's more popular version will go down in history, Kenny G's didn't fare as well: peaking at #19 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

Jan Hammer "Theme from Miami Vice"

Two instrumentals charted during mid-1986: "Axel F" from Harold Faltermeyer from the Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack as well as Jan Hammer's "Theme from Miami Vice". Although Miami Vice premiered in 1985, the single didn't get released to radio stations for another year. The synthesizer-heavy tune took the #1 spot on the Hot 100 and remained the last instrumental to capture that feat until 2013 when "Harlem Shake" matched it.

Spyro Gyra "Morning Dance"

You might remember watching The Weather Channel's Local Forecast segment and hearing "Morning Dance" from Spyro Gyra. The jazz fusion instrumental actually topped the Adult Contemporary Chart for a week in July 1979.

Dave Grusin "Theme from St. Elsewhere"

Imagine picking up the telephone and dialing your favorite soft rock radio station to place a request for the "Theme from St. Elsewhere". This likely happened in 1984 when the NBC medical drama's theme song turned up on the Adult Contemporary Chart. The instrumental was composed by 10-time Grammy Award Winner Dave Grusin.

Mike Post "Theme from Magnum P.I."

Imagine turning on KISS-FM today and hearing the "Theme from Magnum P.I.". Unlikely, right? Well, it happened in 1982 when Mike Post's instrumental theme song from the original version of Magnum P.I. found a home on the radio. Post also composed and charted other TV theme songs on the radio: "Theme from The Rockford Files", "Theme from L.A. Law" and "Theme from Hill Street Blues" are a couple examples.

Harold Faltermeyer "Axel F"

One of 1985's biggest hit songs contained no words. Used on the soundtrack to the movie Beverly Hills Cop, the catchy instrumental from Harold Faltermeyer went to #1 on three different US charts (including Adult Contemporary). The song's title comes from the name of the movie's main character, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy).

Kenny G "Auld Lang Syne"

Just in time for the year 2000, Kenny G released Faith: A Holiday Album -- this was his second album comprised mainly of Christmas songs but also included "Auld Lang Syne". Being that it was the end of the 20th Century, his record company released a "Millennium Mix" of the instrumental that radio stations aired in heavy rotation. The song interspersed historical clips from the 20th Century while Kenny G wailed away on his saxophone. Happy New Year!

Kenny G "Loving You"

Kenny G's first big break was when Artista Records executive Clive Davis heard Kenny G perform a sax solo of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" in 1982. He went on to be the biggest-selling instrumental artist of all-time and now sells his own brand of saxophones.

David A. Stewart & Introducing Candy Dulfer "Lily Was Here"

From the title to the artists, everything about "Lily Was Here" is strange.  The song is an instrumental recorded during a jam session between David Stewart and Candy Dulfer and was never meant to be released.

Donna Summer "On The Radio"

Speaking of Donna Summer, her 1979 disco favorite "On The Radio" was a such a hit that the TV game show The Price Is Right would play an instrumental version of the tune whenever a prize included a jukebox or radio.

Kenny G "The Moment"

Adult Contemporary radio in 1996 continued its transformation from "safe" core artists such as Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, and Elton John as well as embracing newer contemporary artists like Sheryl Crow, Jewel, and Hootie & The Blowfish.  At that time, instrumentals on Adult Contemporary stations were considered a thing of the past that died along with the "beautiful music" format long popular in the 70s and 80s.  Somehow, the year 1996 proved to be an exception as three instrumentals found their way back on AC and Top 40 radio station: Robert Miles' "Children" and"Theme from Mission: Impossible" from Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. (of U2) joined Kenny G's "The Moment" with significant airplay on the radio.

The Alan Parsons Project - "Eye in the Sky"

What do the Chicago Bulls and The Alan Parsons Project have in common?  The song "Eye in the Sky" follows a nearly two minute instrumental called "Sirius" that the team began using in the 1990s to introduce their players.

Kenny G featuring Earth, Wind & Fire - "The Way You Move"

In the '80s, Kenny G's career was highlighted by smooth jazz instrumentals followed by soft rock ballads and Christmas music in the '90s.  By the 2000's, Kenny moved onto duets.  In 2004, he released At Last...The Duets Album.  Aside from some additional requisite Christmas tunes, the album produced a jazzy version of "The Way You Move" with Earth, Wind & Fire.  The year prior, the song was a hit for OutKast's Big Boi and Sleepy Brown.

Vangelis - "Chariots of Fire"

Most people associate "Chariots of Fire" with the Griswold's mad dash through the parking lot of Wally World, but the song was actually a #1 Adult Contemporary hit for five (really?!) long weeks in the spring of 1982.

David Foster - "The Love Theme From St. Elmo's Fire"

My girlfriend watches too many of those mindless TV shows on Bravo.  One show in particular is The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  One hour watching the surgically-enhanced bodies and vapid personalities reminds me why I love the Midwest.  Record producer David Foster began a long run of churning out pop hits in the '80s and the streak continues until present day.  From time to time, Foster turns up on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills because his wife is/was part of the cast.  Foster sometimes performs at his wife's dinner parties and (according to my girlfriend) Foster does not like when you talk while he performs.  His 1985 "Love Theme From St. Elmo's Fire" will go down as one of the top instrumentals of all time.  Enjoy...but please reserve any talking until the song finishes.  Thank you.

Kenny G - "Silhouette"

If we've learned anything about 1980's music, it's that no song was complete without the saxophone.  In certain rare instances, songs even ditched the vocals in favor of all saxophone (a phenomenon known as: NBS or "nothing but sax").  Enter Kenny G whose hair looked much like that of Howard Stern and whose sound exemplified a new radio genre known as "smooth jazz".  Kenny's instrumentals found their way into mainstream music starting with the song "Silhouette" in 1988.