12 Best Saxophone Pop/Rock Songs of All Time.

As a musical instrument, the saxophone was once known as the troublesome new kid on the block. It was invented by Belgian musician Adolphe Sax in the 1840s, who came up with the idea by placing a reed of a woodwind instrument on top of a brass body. As its popularity grew, because of its impressive jaunty boom, but also its subtle elegance, Sax’s rival tried to put his invention out of business. (Interestingly, the saxophone was once banned by the Nazi party, even the Vatican.) Try as they might, the saxophone was here to stay and by the turn of the century it was embraced by military, vaudeville and ragtime bands in the early 1900s. Soon after it was featured in dance orchestras and eventually jazz music when it arrived. In the 1930s and early 1940s, jazz greats like Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt all gravitated to the limitless expression of the saxophone. By the 1950s, sax virtuosos like John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins broke new ground in jazz. Sax great Sonny Rollins once said, “As long as people hear the saxophone they will be seduced by it … To me it is a beautiful sound, which is certainly existing in the heavens.”     

Although the saxophone is mostly associated with jazz, especially the first half of the 20th century, the sax was about to find a new home with the emergence of rock and roll in the mid-1950s. Interestingly in those early days of rock the sax popularity fluctuated between being cool and uncool. A survey of pop and rock in the 1960s for instance showed that it was largely ignored by rock bands. But as the 1970s dawned, Glam rock in particular took a shine to the saxophones sexy nature. Roxy Music was one of the first glam rock groups to include a saxophonist into the band. In turn rock artists like Supertramp, Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen and others embraced the swooning sounds of the saxophone. 

Courtney Love once said that “saxophones don’t belong in rock & roll.” She made the statement in reference to Bruce Springsteen and his long standing love affair with saxophone-infused music, something that was a feature with his E Street band. It’s true Springsteen on occasions relied on the likes of the late saxophonist Clarence Clemons to make him look good. For instance, would have Born To Run or Jungleland had the same impact if not for Clemons rousing sax solos? It’s fair to say Clemons contribution to Springsteen’s vision was vital in helping to usher in that big band sound. While Love has her own opinions, many of us believe she’s missed the point with her comments of what makes great music. 

In the 1980s, the saxophone was a mainstay in almost every genre, especially synth pop. The 80s made it cool again to love the saxophone. As one of the most diverse decades in music, many of the most popular bands of this period like INXS, Spandau Ballet, Huey Lewis and the News, Wang Chung and Hall & Oates (and others) turned their attention to the melodic diversity of the saxophone. Australian rock band INXS in particular leaned on their saxophonist Kirk Pengilly to create an array of instantly recognisable sax hooks. Interestingly, Pengilly’s sax solo for Never Tear Us Apart is often cited as one of the greatest saxophone solos of the 80s. 

The 1990s was unfortunately different. The Saxophone’s glory days began to fade as a supporting act, in favour of, or a return to traditional guitar solos for instance. In the subsequent decades it would continue to wax and wane, periodically given a new lease of life with indie artists. Even the late, great art-pop chameleon David Bowie would return to the saxophone for his final album -released just days before his death in 2016 – reminding us of the versatility of the instrument. That said, the saxophone (even horns) I believe still has a place in pop music today and not just because of Bowie. Take for instance Annie Clark aka St. Vincent who employs woodwind and brass instruments in many of her most popular playful songs. Los Ageless, Digital Witness, New York and Cruel all come to mind. How wonderful it is to see musicians like Clark leading the way in reinventing art rock for the 21st century with the saxophone. 

While we could talk about and debate the virtues of the saxophone all day, here below instead are twelve of the finest saxophone songs ever recorded in pop/rock history. Honourable mentions to Supertramp’s The Logical Song, Foreigner’s Urgent and Paul McCartney’s Listen to What the Man Said. 

12. Quarterflash – ‘Harden My Heart’ (saxophonist: Rindy Ross)

In September 1981, a Portland, Oregon-based band called Quarterflash, led by the married team of Marv and Rindy Ross, took the rock world by storm with the release of their power ballad Harden My Heart. From the get-go, lead singer and saxophonist, Rindy Ross launches into one of the most memorable sax solos all time. While the song would prove to be Quarterflash’s only big hit, it stay on the charts would last beyond their wildest dreams. “For six months, I was a deer in headlights,” Ross once said in 2021 in reference to Harden My Heart’s success. 

11. The Eurythmics – ‘Thorn In My Side’ (saxophonist: Jimmy “Z” Zavala)

While Annie Lennox’s biting lyrics of an unfaithful lover ultimately propel The Eurythmics 1986 song Thorn in My Side forward, it’s impossible to ignore Jimmy “Z” Zavala’s contribution on sax especially his best moment with his swooning sax solo. It’s another great example of perfectly timed strut and swagger employed by the 80s go-to instrument.  

10. The Beastie Boys – ‘Brass Monkey’ (sax sample from Wild Sugar’s Bring It Here)

The 1980s hip hop and rap scene wouldn’t be the same without The Beastie Boys. During their hey day, these bad boys widened our gaze with the level of experimentation they employed, especially when it came to using sampling as creative tool. Their wildest contribution sonically just might be Brass Monkey from their debut album Licensed To Ill (1986). Of course, it wouldn’t be half the song that it is without its catchy hook sampled from Wild Sugar’s raunchy sax-infused 1981 song Bring It Here. 

9. Pink Floyd – ‘Money’ (saxophonist: Dick Parry)

Session musician Dick Parry’s barking, wailing bluesy saxophone on Pink Floyd’s 1973 song Money is nothing short of brilliant. Its unsettling nature is what makes it stand out on this classic track, which by the way includes many interesting elements, maybe no more so than the ringing cash register and a jingle of coins sound effects. 

8. Dire Straits – ‘Your Latest Trick’ (saxophonist: Michael Brecker)

Your Latest Trick is a song by British rock legends Dire Straits. It appears as the fourth track on their fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms (1985), and is known for its foreboding and melancholic saxophone solo by session musician Michael Brecker. In short, it’s the perfect song for that more laid-back listen.

7. David Bowie – Young Americans’ (saxophonist: David Sunburn)

In a major shift in the mid 1970s, away from the glam rock David Bowie had embraced most of his early career, he next turned his attention to Philly soul in 1975. Only Bowie it seems could pull off such a transformation and he did it in empathic fashion on his ninth studio album Young Americans. They say a good saxophone riff can make a good song great and there is no doubt alto saxophonist David Sunburn makes a statement like no other on the album’s title track. Instantly catchy Young Americans is often cited as one of Bowie’s best song’s ever.

6. Men At Work – ‘Who Could It Be Now’ (saxophonist: Greg Ham)

Australian new wave rock band Men At Work announced their arrival with their debut single Who Could It Be Now? in 1981. It went to number one in both Australia and New Zealand. Interestingly, America was the last place to pick up on the band. Eventually when they did, Men At Work led by frontman Colin Hay had scored a brace of American No.1 hit singles with Who Can It Be Now? and Down Under before breaking up in 1986. While the latter will forever be remembered to many as Australia’s unofficial national anthem, it is the former which really left it mark in pop music with one of the great saxophone solos of all time. The famous sax hook was recorded in rehearsals by Greg Ham after playing it through only once. His improvised solo was so good, the band’s record  producer Peter McIan decide to include it in the song. The sax riff was originally slated to appear at the mid point of the song but was moved to the opening helping make it one of the most recognisable sax tracks of the 80s.    

5. Billy Joel – ‘Just The Way You Are’ (saxophonist: Phil Woods)

The vocals, electric keyboard and saxophone are all superb on Billy Joel’s Just the Way You Are. It is one of his most memorable love ballads, in which the saxophone helps set the romantic mode of the song between verses. Even though the saxophone isn’t as prominent throughout as many of the songs on this list, the sax solo is still worth waiting for, including its fabulous role in the outro. Just the Way You Are garnered the ‘piano man’ Billy Joel two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1979.

4. Sade – ‘Smooth Operator’ (saxophonist: Stuart Mathewman)

With one of sophisticated pops most recognisable saxophone riffs, Sade’s sultry Smooth Operator became an instant classic upon its release in 1984. Four decades later, this torch ballad about an unapologetic lothario or con-man still resonates with audiences because it seems we can’t get enough of the tracks melodic saxophone and lead singer Sade Abu effortlessly seductive vocals.

3. George Michael – ‘Careless Whisper’ (saxophonist: Steve Gregory)

While writing credit for Wham’s Careless Whisper (released in 1984) is often attributed to both George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, but there is no doubt to many that the genesis of the song belongs almost entirely to Michael who wrote the lyrics and composed the saxophone riff in his head. When it came to recording the song Michael was adamant that the saxophone solo had to be perfect. Michael and company went through eight saxophonist before session jazz musician Steve Gregory (as number nine) finally nailed it. Along with many other elements, Gregory’s mournful tenor saxophone on Careless Whisper (featuring George Michael on vocals) undoubtedly helped turn the song into one of the biggest pop ballad hits of the 1980s.

2. Glen Frey – ‘You Belong To The City’ (saxophonist: Bill Bergman)

Glen Frey’s You Belong To The City was specifically written for the television series MiamiVice in 1985. Anyone who was a fan of the show will remember how the king of cool, Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett, strolled New York’s streets (for the Season 2, Episode 1 premiere,” The Prodigal Son”)  with Frey’s epic saxophone-infused track wailing in the background. This mid-tempo rocker went on to chart very well for the ex-Eagles frontman peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.  

1. Gerry Rafferty – ‘Baker Street’ (saxophonist: Raphael Ravenscroft)

Baker Street has one of the most iconic music intros to any song ever recorded. If the eight-bar saxophone riff is all you remember about this song, no one will hold it against you. It also features a memorable guitar solo, which together with the iconic alto sax riff concludes the song. Released in 1978 by Gerry Rafferty (of Stealers Wheel fame), Baker Street was played on the record by session musician Raphael Ravenscroft. For decades many believed Ravenscroft wrote the melody, but in actual fact it was Rafferty who came up with the idea first on guitar. Baker Street was a worldwide hit, notably topping charts in Australia and Canada at number one. In the US it spent six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 at number two. It almost feels like Baker Street was fated to be number one on this list. There is a good reason for that. They say that the song’s riff was so catchy when it was first released that it sparked what became known as the “Baker Street” phenomenon, wherein saxophone sales went through the roof and the saxophone’s popularity in pop music increased and soared especially during its peak in the 1980s.