Why was the saxophone such a prominent instrument in 80's pop music?

The worst Sax solo pales in comparison to that trend of shouting the name of the singer(s) randomly throughout a song in case we are not sure who the artist is.

9 of the coolest wrote:

Nine of the best sax solos are, according to this list—sax player names noted in the link:

1. Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'

2. Billy Joel - 'Just the Way You Are'

3. Sade - 'Smooth Operator'

4. George Michael - 'Careless Whisper'

5. David Bowie - 'Modern Love'

6. Duran Duran - 'Rio'

7. Bruce Springsteen - 'Born to Run'

8. Lou Reed - 'Walk on the Wild Side'

9. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - '(I've Had the) Time of My Life'

https://www.smoothradio.com/features/best-saxophone-songs-playlist/

Baker Street: recorded '77; released '78

Just the Way You Are: '77

Born to Run: '75

Walk on the Wild Side: '72

David Bowie had put out sax-based " Young Americans" in '75.

There are so many other prominent sax songs from the '70's, there's no point in cataloging, but I'll just mention the Stones' Brown Sugar from '71, driven by Bobby Keys' sax solo.

So hardly "unique" to that next decade.

Uh....I don't know, maybe because it's super badass

+1 for the late Bobby Keys' inspired '70's work in the long tradition of saxophone solos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fa4HUiFJ6c

It wasn't just the saxophone was it

What was the instrument dexys midnight runners played

Brass and wind instruments seemed to be the in-thing

Today's music needs a real kick in the ass. Bring back the sax, or maybe change it up and add the clarinet or something.

this:

Born to Run (the song not the book) came out in 1975 so not really an 80s song. Anyway, the trend was due to the influence of The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, and its usage in Springsteen's work.

this was a tasty sax solo

https://youtu.be/Ou96vLl--e4?t=130

Roxy Music was a huge influence on British rock and pop and they resurreccted it from 50's rock, pop and black music's especially.

Roxy we're as influential to 70's and 80's music as the Beatles were to the 70's.

Almost every British band cited Roxy Music as an influence - even the Sex Pistols!

Nobody has mentioned them yet, but the Psychedelic Furs and their sax players Duncan Kilburn and Mars Williams deserve to be in this conversation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xsEOGRENb0

maybe this wrote:

Born to Run (the song not the book) came out in 1975 so not really an 80s song. Anyway, the trend was due to the influence of The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, and its usage in Springsteen's work.

No. No. No.

Springsteen's band used sax more in a 50's style.

Roxy Music was out 2 years before that, and was a huge influence even if just w musicians.

They were considered original, groundbreaking and "musicians musicians," Always showing up in year end lists of artists faves.

Even if they were massive in the UK and Europe and not so much on AM radio here... They were solid on FM Radio and influenced producers and musicians.

Few copied Springsteen and Clarenves sax approach.

Y’all wrote:

Y’all need to get your decades straight. ‘75 (Born to Run) and ‘94 (Run Around) are not the eighties. Don’t be like the president—truth and accuracy matter.

I like the notion that Clarence Clemons inspired the trend. The sax solo from Jungleland was playing in my head as I was going to sleep last night, coincidentally. So good.

Anyway, I think the whole premise of the thread is wrong, and that sax solos were just as popular (& likely better) in the late 70s (Springsteen, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Chicago, etc.) as the 80s. Think “Young Americans” (1975).

Bowie was a huge Roxy Music fan and wanna be Bryan Ferry.

He was influenced to cut his hair, change his style etc. By Roxy.

Even teamed up w Roxy's synth man, Eno, for 3 LP's.

9 of the coolest wrote:

Nine of the best sax solos are, according to this list—sax player names noted in the link:

1. Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'

2. Billy Joel - 'Just the Way You Are'

3. Sade - 'Smooth Operator'

4. George Michael - 'Careless Whisper'

5. David Bowie - 'Modern Love'

6. Duran Duran - 'Rio'

7. Bruce Springsteen - 'Born to Run'

8. Lou Reed - 'Walk on the Wild Side'

9. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - '(I've Had the) Time of My Life'

https://www.smoothradio.com/features/best-saxophone-songs-playlist/

How the hell is the sax solo from Pink Floyd's "Money" (1973) not on this list?

Danny Democrat wrote:

9 of the coolest wrote:

Nine of the best sax solos are, according to this list—sax player names noted in the link:

1. Gerry Rafferty - 'Baker Street'

2. Billy Joel - 'Just the Way You Are'

3. Sade - 'Smooth Operator'

4. George Michael - 'Careless Whisper'

5. David Bowie - 'Modern Love'

6. Duran Duran - 'Rio'

7. Bruce Springsteen - 'Born to Run'

8. Lou Reed - 'Walk on the Wild Side'

9. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - '(I've Had the) Time of My Life'

https://www.smoothradio.com/features/best-saxophone-songs-playlist/

How the hell is the sax solo from Pink Floyd's "Money" (1973) not on this list?

Because it's not smooth?

The correct answer to this question is, of course, Michael Brecker.

And if you don't know who he was you shouldn't be talking about saxophone. Or music.

Pop is music for kids. Every generation thinks the music of their youth was the best. There's a good chance you'll grow out of it. Then you'll hear the saxophone - or any other instrument - is better than just providing accompaniment to yet another teenage anthem.

Armstronglivs wrote:

Pop is music for kids. Every generation thinks the music of their youth was the best. There's a good chance you'll grow out of it. Then you'll hear the saxophone - or any other instrument - is better than just providing accompaniment to yet another teenage anthem.

That was to me? If so, you clearly don't know who Michael Brecker was.

Fwiw, the Beatles wrote pop music. So did the Stones, Zep, Jimi, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, The Police, Floyd, ad infinitum.

Disco sucked so bad the 80s needed something that blew!!