Entertainment Music Top '80s Songs Featuring Saxophone Print Music Pop Music 80s Hits Basics Reviews Top Picks Top Artists 90s Hits Rock Music Alternative Music Classical Music Country Music Folk Music Rap & Hip Hop Rhythm & Blues World Music Punk Music Heavy Metal Jazz Latin Music Oldies Learn More By Steve Peake Updated on 12/30/18 If you're even a casual fan of '80s music, you're more than familiar with the rising use of saxophone in pop and rock music during that decade. It's hard to say exactly why the sax solo became so popular and yet so offputting during this period, but maybe a kitchen-sink approach to production helped drown out selectivity in the decade's often busy arrangements. Even so, there are certainly examples like the following where the saxophone is used wisely and even perhaps tastefully during the '80s, especially in the genres of mainstream rock, arena rock, and soft rock. And, of course, there are always surprises. Here's a look - in no particular order - at five of the best saxophone-heavy songs of the era. 01 of 05 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - "Bobby Jean" Michael Ochs/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images It's probably cheating a bit to include a Clarence Clemons-tinged track on this list, simply because Bruce Springsteen's visible sideman always boasted the lightest yet somehow most forceful touch on the saxophone perhaps of any rock musician ever to play it. In this case, a first-rate song helps the cause of Clemons' solo, but it hardly needs that assistance in providing a distinctive inspirational flourish to a rugged, salt-of-the-earth tune that already features plenty of emotional resonance. In this way, the saxophone here becomes the knockout punch, taking on a role rarely afforded it in most musical scenarios. You don't hear much about folks playing air saxophone in their rooms or in the crowd at a concert, but Clemons increases the odds here. 02 of 05 Rick Springfield - "Don't Walk Away" Album Cover Image Courtesy of RCA The prominent role played by sax in this underrated Rick Springfield gem seems initially to be a strike against it, particularly given the sticky, steamy, perhaps even porny tone of the song's intro. But ultimately the track has two major things going for it that help it transcend any dated elements in its sound. First of all, this stands as yet another piece of evidence that Springfield is a fine songwriter, capable of spinning a variety of melodic layers into intricate, solid structures. Even better, the sax part found here delivers a significant, lively boost that combines sublimely with the other equally important components of the song. Though a bit heavy on sax initially, the tune displays a key sense of balance that works wonders. 03 of 05 Glenn Frey - "You Belong to the City" MCA To his credit, Glenn Frey of The Eagles had a pretty good '80s track record when it came to the presence of saxophone in his songs. But even more than the compelling track "The One You Love," this slow-burn classic of the era features abundant sax that genuinely helps it work. Again, by virtue of being one of the rock era's most accomplished songwriters, Frey begins from a position of strength. Also, perhaps this track's association with iconic TV drama Miami Vice may be a factor here, but I always see steam rising from rain-slicked city streets when I hear this song. The saxophone part is tasteful as well as sultry, and the end result turns out to be a solid, rather timeless pop/rock tune that avoids the common pitfalls of saxophone-infused pop. 04 of 05 Sting - "Fortress Around Your Heart" Album Cover Image Courtesy of A&M A perfect example of the favorable potential of the "less is more" philosophy, this sophisticated 1985 Sting solo offering benefits from Branford Marsalis on alto sax, to be sure, but it also demonstrates a proper proportion of restraint. Never blaring or intrusive, Marsalis' contributions provide texture and flavor without ever sounding tawdry. It's a good thing for the saxophone's reputation that ex-Police frontman Sting's solo debut performed as well as it did, although I'd hazard a guess that many listeners fail entirely to notice the subtle presence of the instrument. I know I was surprised on a repeat listen at the layers provided by Marsalis and their uncanny ability to enhance rather than distract within the framework of this well-constructed song. 05 of 05 Fear - "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones" Album Cover Image Courtesy of Slash Perhaps the saxophone's most atypical and fascinating appearance in '80s music takes place on this famous track from Lee Ving's often controversial punk rock band from L.A. The title's reference to the instrument in question certainly seems to carry more than a little disdain, but the fact that a post-modern, frenzied sax solo takes up so much space within the song adds an intriguing, original tone to the whole affair. Ving may be best known for the extreme right wing viewpoints he often seems to espouse, but there's always been a strain of irony and even intellectualism that runs through his confrontational lyrics. That complexity bleeds over into the musical elements of this tune and makes this a transformative '80s sax moment.