Country Singer, Actor, TV host, Sausage man
JIMMY DEAN, 1928-2010
Click here for his complete list of popular songs


Dec 1959 to Jun 1962

Instrumental Top 20 Songs and Samples
EVERY Instrumental Top 20 Song since 1960 with music samples

Every instrumental hit with samples, instrumental song links, brief information, instrumental artist song discographies, etc., here, at the online music encyclopedia. Choose an instrumental hits date range above. Find instrumental songs!
Dec 1959
4
5
1
 
 
 
In The Mood was made popular in 1940 by Glenn Miller And His Orchestra. Ernie Fields followed-up with more instrumental remakes, but In The Mood was a top 20 one hit wonder.
Jan 1960
17
19
2
Smokie - Part 2
Bill Black's Combo
 
 
 
William P. Black wrote Smokie - Part 2.
Feb 1960
1
1
3
 
 
Instrumental song The Theme From A Summer Place won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year and became the top song of the year and the top song of the 1960s. Percy Faith and others recorded various instrumental and vocal versions. Max Steiner wrote the song. The song was from the movie A Summer Place.
Feb 1960
13
12
4
Tracy's Theme
Spencer Ross
 
 
 
The instrumental song Tracy's Theme was the only top 20 song for Spencer Ross and a one hit wonder. He did not receive mentionable radio airplay with any other solo song. Robert Ascher wrote the song.
Mar 1960
15
16
5
Beatnik Fly
Johnny And The Hurricanes
 
 
 
 
Beatnik Fly was a rock and instrumental adaptation of Blue Tail Fly.
Apr 1960
9
13
6
White Silver Sands
Bill Black's Combo
 
 
 
Jul 1960
4
3
7
Because They're Young
Duane Eddy
 
 
 
The writers of Because They're Young were: Don Costa, Wally Gold, Aaron Schroeder. The song was from the movie Because They're Young.
Jul 1960
18
11
8
 
 
 
The writers of Josephine were: Burke Bivens, Gus Kahn, Wayne King.
Jul 1960
19
9
Look For A Star
Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra
 
 
 
Tony Hatch wrote Look For A Star. The song was from the movie Circus Of Horrors.
Aug 1960
2
2
10
Walk--Don't Run
The Ventures
 
 
Instrumental song Walk--Don't Run was released in 1959. It became popular the next year. John Smith wrote the song.
Sep 1960
10
7
11
Theme From The Apartment
Ferrante & Teicher
 
 
 
Theme From The Apartment was originally titled Jealous Lover. The name was changed when the instrumental song was used for the movie The Apartment. Charles Williams wrote the song.
Oct 1960
19
15
12
Never On Sunday
Don Costa
 
 
 
Never On Sunday was an instrumental from the movie Never On Sunday. It was a top 20 one hit wonder. A few weeks earlier, Don Costa had a top 20 near miss with another instrumental movie score, Theme From The Unforgiven (The Need For Love).
Nov 1960
11
11
13
 
 
 
Don't Be Cruel was an instrumental remake of the 1956 song by Elvis Presley. Otis Blackwell wrote the song.
Nov 1960
2
2
14
Last Date
Floyd Cramer
 
 
 
Floyd Cramer wrote Last Date.
Dec 1960
16
15
Blue Tango
Bill Black's Combo
 
 
 
 
Blue Tango was a popular 1952 song by Leroy Anderson And His Orchestra. The writers of this song were Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parrish.
Dec 1960
1
1
16
 
 
 
The writers of Wonderland By Night were: Klaus, Gunter, Neumann.
Jan 1961
15
18
17
Wonderland By Night
Louis Prima
 
 
 
Louis Prima and Bert Kaempfert both had top 20 versions of Wonderland By Night in 1961. Wonderland By Night was written by: Klaus, Gunter, Neumann.
Jan 1961
1
1
18
Calcutta
Lawrence Welk
 
 
 
The writers of Calcutta were: Hans Bradtke, Heino Gazel, Lee Pockriss, Paul Vance.
Jan 1961
2
2
19
 
 
Ernest Gold wrote Exodus. The song was from the movie Exodus.
Feb 1961
18
20
Pepe
Duane Eddy
 
 
 
The writers of Pepe were Daniel Langdon and Hans Wittstatt.
Feb 1961
3
7
21
 
 
 
Number 7 hit instrumental song Wheels was a top 20 one hit wonder for The String-A-Longs. The group followed-up with other instrumentals that received moderate airplay. Wheels was written by Richard Stephens and Jimmy Torres.
Mar 1961
20
22
Hearts Of Stone
Bill Black's Combo
 
 
 
 
The writers of Hearts Of Stone were Rudy Jackson and Eddy Ray.
Apr 1961
2
12
23
Apache
Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar
 
 
 
In 1960, The Shadows had a UK number one instrumental song with Apache. Jordan Ingmann brought the song to the US, and reached number 2. He became a top 20 one hit wonder, but followed up with many instrumentals that received airplay, including Anna. Apache was written by Jerry Lorden.
Apr 1961
4
11
24
On The Rebound
Floyd Cramer
 
 
 
Floyd Cramer wrote On The Rebound.
Apr 1961
8
10
25
Asia Minor
Kokomo
 
 
 
Instrumental song Asia Minor was based on Piano Concerto in A Minor by Edvard Grieg.
Kokomo was actually Jimmy Wisner, hiding his identity from other classically trained musicians. Kokomo was a top 20 one hit wonder, but Jimmy Wisner received some airplay with other songs as Jimmy Wisner Trio also. The 1970s group Kokomo was unrelated.
May 1961
8
6
26
One Mint Julep
Ray Charles
 
 
 
The link to listen to One Mint Julep here is an alternate from the hit recording. Rudy Toombs wrote the song.
May 1961
19
16
27
Bonanza
Al Caiola
 
 
 
 
The writers of Bonanza were Ray Evans and Jay Livingston. The song was from the TV show Bonanza.
Jul 1961
8
18
28
San Antonio Rose
Floyd Cramer
 
 
 
Bob Wills wrote San Antonio Rose.
Jul 1961
4
10
29
Yellow Bird
Arthur Lyman Group
 
 
 
The writers of Yellow Bird were: Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith, Norman Luboff.
Aug 1961
3
5
30
 
 
 
The Mar-Keys were a Memphis instrumental band who had a top 20 one hit wonder with Last Night. A few other songs by the group received some airplay.
Oct 1961
7
13
31
Mexico
Bob Moore And His Orchestra
 
 
 
Although instrumental song Mexico was a top 20 one hit wonder hit for Bob Moore, he received some airplay in 1963 for another instrumental, Kentucky. Mexico was written by Boudleaux Bryant.
Oct 1961
25
17
32
Take Five
Dave Brubeck Quartet
 
 
Paul Desmond wrote Take Five.
Dec 1961
8
15
33
 
 
 
The Ferrante & Teicher version of Tonight was mostly instrumental. The writers of this song were Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.
Dec 1961
7
9
34
Let There Be Drums
Sandy Nelson
 
 
 
The writers of Let There Be Drums were Sandy Nelson and Richard Podolor.
Dec 1961
11
16
35
Moon River
Henry Mancini And His Orchestra
 
 
 
This instrumental version of Moon River won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. The song was from the album Moon River & Other Great Movie Themes, and from the movie Breakfast At Tiffany's. The writers of this song were Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer.
Mar 1962
7
36
 
 
Bert Kaempfert wrote Afrikaan Beat.
Mar 1962
17
37
Tuff
Ace Cannon
 
 
 
Ace Cannon wrote Tuff.
Mar 1962
2
2
38
Midnight In Moscow
Kenny Ball And His Jazzmen
 
 
 
Mar 1962
10
11
39
Percolator (Twist)
Billy Joe & The Checkmates
 
 
 
Instrumental song Percolator (Twist) was a top 20 one hit wonder for Billy Joe And The Checkmates. He followed-up with Rocky's Theme, which received slight play.
Billy Joe was actually Lew Bedell, a record producer, a New York radio and TV star, and comedian. The Checkmates here are not related to the Emile Ford Checkmates nor to The Checkmates, Ltd. The writers of this song were Lou Bideu and Ernie Freeman.
Apr 1962
17
8
40
Soul Twist
King Curtis And The Noble Knights
 
 
 
Curtis Ousley wrote Soul Twist.
May 1962
1
3
41
Stranger On The Shore
Mr. Acker Bilk
 
 
 
Stranger On The Shore was originally named Jenny after Acker Bilk's daughter. The writers of this song were Acker Bilk and Robert Mellin.
Jun 1962
1
1
42
The Stripper
David Rose And His Orchestra
 
 
 
The Stripper lived for years in Noxema commercials. The song was from the album The Stripper And Other Fun Songs For The Family. David Rose wrote the song.







Full Artist Song Discography Pages:

Kelly Rowland
Cage The Elephant
Avenged Sevenfold
The Chemical Brothers
Faithless
Yes
The Allman Brothers Band
David Bowie
We combed through thousands of instrumental compilations and found a few that have authentic instrumental top 20 hits.

Click on the pictures for more details.
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