Instrumental music is defined as compositions without sung lyrics, relying solely on instruments to convey meaning.
It emphasizes timbre, rhythm, harmony, and dynamics, and has historically served ceremonial, entertainment, and artistic purposes.
Instrumental music refers to compositions without vocal elements, where instruments alone carry the melody, harmony, and rhythm. While pure instrumentals exclude voice entirely, borderline cases, which may include minimal vocalizations, such as chants, spoken words, or sound effects, are often considered instrumentals if the voice does not dominate.
The characteristics of instrumental music include the absence of lyrics, with meaning conveyed through sound alone, with a focus on timbre and dynamics, in which the instruments create emotional depth. Instrumentals span genres, from classical symphonies to jazz improvisations and electronic soundscapes.
Ancient civilizations used flutes, drums, and lyres in rituals and storytelling, while instrumental dances and court music were common in Medieval and Renaissance times. During the Baroque and Classical eras, symphonies, concertos, and chamber works emphasized instrumental virtuosity. Instrumentals were also used in the 20th and 21st centuries in jazz improvisation, film scores, and popular instrumental singles, including rock instrumentals.
Today, instrumentals thrive in film and television scores (Hans Zimmer, John Williams), electronic genres (ambient, lo-fi, EDM), and background music for study, work, and relaxation. Streaming platforms highlight the enduring popularity of instrumental tracks.
Several instrumentals have reached Number One on the Billboard Hot 100, including The Happy Organ by Dave "Baby" Cortez (USA) in 1959, Sleep Walk by Santo & Johnny (USA) in 1959, A Summer Place theme by Percy Faith (USA) in 1960, Wonderland by Night by Bert Kaempfert (USA) in 1961, Calcutta by Lawrence Welk (USA) in 1961, Stranger on the Shore by Mr. Acker Bilk (USA, UK artist) in 1962, The Stripper by David Rose (USA) in 1962, Telstar by The Tornados (USA, UK band) in 1962, Grazing in the Grass by Hugh Masekela (USA, South Africa) in 1968, Love is Blue by Paul Mauriat (USA, France) in 1968, Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group (USA) in 1973, The Sound of Philadelphia by MFSB (USA) in 1974, Pick Up the Pieces by Average White Band (USA, Scotland) in 1975, Fly, Robin, Fly by Silver Convention (USA, Germany) in 1975, A Fifth of Beethoven by Walter Murphy (USA) in 1976, Gonna Fly Now theme from Rocky by Bill Conti (USA) in 1977, Star Wars theme by Meco (USA) in 1977, Rise by Herb Alpert (USA) in 1979, Chariots of Fire by Vangelis (USA, Greece) in 1982, Miami Vice theme by Jan Hammer (USA, Czech-born) in 1985, Rockit by Herbie Hancock (USA) in 1983 (charted globally but not #1 in the US), Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer (UK, Germany) in 1985, Harlem Shake by Baauer (USA) in 2013, and Love's Theme by Love Unlimited Orchestra (USA) in 1974.
While rare on pop charts, instrumentals are a unique art form, bridging cultures, eras, and genres. Its ability to evoke emotion without words makes it uniquely powerful.
Recommended Resources
The official website and store for composer Aleksandr Shamaluev offers free MP3 downloads, licensing for commercial use, and an online shop with merchandise, albums, and paid track downloads. AShamaluevMusic is best known for its significant YouTube presence, where the creator publishes instrumental and cinematic tracks for content creators, YouTubers, and filmmakers. Premium membership options offer unlimited use across projects and platforms. Users may browse Genres, Moods, or Instruments.
https://www.ashamaluevmusic.com/
The online, easy-listening Internet radio station plays orchestral, Broadway, Hollywood, and vintage instrumental standards, which may be streamed from the station's website or through several radio directories and mobile applications. Its index (home) page shows a "Now Playing" display and a short log of tracks played in the last half hour, so listeners can see recent selections as they air. The station provides a direct stream endpoint for players and Internet radios.
http://www.beautifulinstrumentals.com/
Herb Alpert is an American musician who led the band "Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, sometimes known as Herb Alpert and the TJB, in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. He has recorded 28 albums that have appeared on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, five of which reached No. 1, and is the only musician to have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as both a vocalist and as an instrumentalist. He is best known for his instrumentals, however.
https://herbalpert.com/
The royalty-free music library offers instand downloads, safe licensing, and a range of collections (bestsellers, new releases, themed packs) for creators and businesses. The site processes payments via Gumroad and emphasizes SSL security for transactions. The site positions itself as a source of high-quality, royalty-free instrumental tracks, and promises fast downloads and safe licensing so buyers can use tracks in YouTube videos, podcasts, tutorials, and corporate presentations.
https://www.instrumentalbackgroundmusic.com/
Active since 2013, Instrumental Hits Radio is an online station from the Digital Retroland group that plays a broad mix of instrumental music (easy listening, soundtracks, jazz, classical, bossa nova, lounge, big band) and offers live streaming with selectable audio quality and a listener request system. Focusing on instrumentals, the site presents an embedded live player on the homepage, a direct playlist, and highlights listener testimonials. A mobile app is available.
https://instrumentalhitsradio.com/
Published five times a year, The Instrumentalist has served educators since 1946. The long-running trade magazine for school band and orchestra directors offers practical teaching ideas, interviews, repertoire suggestions, and other resources, including instrument clinics, new music reviews, fundraising plans, and interviews with teachers, performers, and composers, as well as directories of music schools and summer camps, submission forms, and an awards store.
https://theinstrumentalist.com/
