What was the last totally instrumental song to reach number one?

gmackematix

Have there been any since "Eye Level", that theme to TV series "Van Der Valk" by the Simon Park Orchstra in 1973? "Doop" doesn't count as the title is sang by flapper girls through some of it, so I would have to say it is "Flat Beat" by Dr Oizo. How could I forget the little nodding puppet techno-head that kept Eminem from the top of the charts? http://ukcharts.20m.com/inst1.html Jul 06 05, 10:13 AM

barker111

In the US there was The Miami Vice Theme by Jan Hammer in the earlier 80s. Although I am not sure if it hit Number One? Jul 07 05, 6:24 AM

MrsAce

Barker, it did in 1986: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Vice_Theme I'm sure John Williams with his great movie scores, Kenny G, Wynton Marsalis, The Safaris with Wipe Out, Hawaii 5-0, Herb Albert, Chariots of Fire, and Henry Mancini's Pink Panther and Romeo & Juliet and many more, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Beverly Hills Cop theme, A Fifth of Beethoven, even Moby must have hit number one. I just can't think of anyone recent. But my favorites in the US, Gmack, were Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield and the theme from Jaws. Jul 08 05, 4:10 PM

gmackematix

I'm afraid none of those you mentioned reached the top spot in the UK. E.g. John Williams's highest place was #17 with "Theme from ET" (the guitarist John Williams got higher with "Cavatina" at #13), Kenny G's highest place was #22, no Marsalis has been in the UK top 75, The Surfaris reached #5 back in '63 with "Wipe Out", "Hawaii 5-0"'s theme wasn't in the charts except as part of a Jive Bunny mix, Herb Alpert's highest place was #3, Vangelis only made #12 here with "Chariots of Fire" (it topped the US charts), Mancini never released "Pink Panther" as a single and Moby's highest was #5 with "Porcelain". Face it, all of the UK's instrumental number ones are listed in the site I gave. A close call was Percy Faith who reached #2 with "Theme From 'A Summer Place'" which I think was instrumental and reached #2 in the UK. Oh, and one more thing, Jan Hammer's "Miami Vice Theme" reached #5. Source for most of this is, of course, "The Guinness Book of Hit Singles." Jul 08 05, 5:48 PM