Click here to play the episodeYears ago, instrumental songs were everywhere– on the radio, the jukebox, and the Billboard Hot 100 chart. But over time, the instrumental faded from mainstream popularity. When was the last time you heard a new instrumental, or saw one topping the charts? In this episode– our 100th show— we explore the history of the pop instrumental as we ask the question. “Whatever happened to the instrumental hit song?“
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Hello! I’m really loving all of your shows. Grateful that I found them and that I can experience some new music I didn’t know before and revisit many familiar songs with a deeper awareness and new understanding of the story behind the music.
I listened to this podcast (loved it) and I wondered if a song was overlooked: Rockit by Herbie Hancock was a Hit Song in the 80s , right? Let me know if there was a reason it was omitted or if I missed something in the show. I know it only reached #71 in America so maybe it wasn’t high enough for your criteria, but it seems with its Grammy award and global popularity, it definitely deserves some attention. Found some interesting stuff here https://vancouversignaturesounds.com/hits/rockit_by_herbie_hancock/
Hi, Steven, thanks a lot for your feedback. Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit” is an important instrumental, for sure. I probably should have mentioned it, but I was focusing on tracks that cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and since this song didn’t make it that far, I decided to skip over it… I just didn’t have time to cover everything, but it’s nothing against this song, and Herbie Handcock is a legendary musician, he certainly deserves acknowledgement & respect! Thanks again for listening to the show and for sharing your thoughts.
— Brad