©

Getty Images 

Fleetwood Mac, 'Albatross' (1968) -

One of the most instantly recognized instrumentals in rock history, 'Albatross,' written by Peter Green, was a huge hit in several countries. It even inspired a Beatles song, 'Sun King,' from 'Abbey Road.' 

©

Getty Images 

Booker T & the M.G.'s 'Green Onions' (1962) -

The rock-steady interplay between Booker T. Jones' driving Hammond organ and guitarist Steve Cropper's finely-tuned Telecaster has made 'Green Onions' arguably the most definitive instrumental track ever recorded.

©

Getty Images 

The Shadows, 'Apache' (1960) -

The Shadows' version of 'Apache' is noted for Hank Marvin's tremolo arm work on his Fender Stratocaster, a style he developed as a direct result of recording this evergreen classic.

©

Getty Images 

The Beach Boys, ‘Pet Sounds’ (1966) -

Brian Wilson (pictured) worked virtually non-stop on 'Pet Sounds,' an album that includes the Beach Boys' instrumental of the same name. An elaborate and tender arrangement, 'Pet Sounds' was at one stage considered as a piece of music for a James Bond movie.

©

Getty Images 

Harry J Allstars, 'The Liquidator' (1969) -

A reggae instrumental recorded by the Harry J Allstars, the core members of which would later become The Wailers, including drummer Carlton Barrett (pictured). The track is regularly played pregame at UK soccer matches, particularly at Chelsea.

©

Getty Images 

Link Wray, 'Rumble' (1958) -

Pete Townsend from The Who, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and even Bob Dylan have cited Link Wray's 'Rumble' as an influence on their own guitar styles. Its raw power, distorted chords, and intentional feedback saw 'Rumble' become the only instrumental ever banned from radio in the United States.

©

Getty Images 

The Tornados, 'Telstar' (1962) -

Produced by Joe Meek for the English band The Tornados, 'Telstar' was way ahead of its time technically, with a swirling Clavioline keyboard played over futuristic, out-of-this-world electronic sounds. No wonder it reached the top, in fact becoming the first single by a UK band to reach No. 1 on the US pop charts.

©

Getty Images 

The Beatles with Tony Sheridan, 'Cry for a Shadow' (1961) -

This early Beatles number was written by George Harrison with John Lennon while the boys from Liverpool were performing as Tony Sheridan's backup band in Hamburg (pictured, with Sheridan standing on the right).

©

Getty Images 

Bill Doggett, 'Honky Tonk, Part 1 and 2' (1956) -

Sharp-eared aficionados of the rock instrumental will recognize this R&B classic from the film 'Blue Velvet' (1986). Otherwise, this double-sided hit remains a much-admired standard of its era.

©

Getty Images 

The Smiths, 'Oscillate Wildly' (1985) -

Sometimes B-sides can surprise, and the flip side of The Smiths' 'How Soon Is Now?' is no exception. 'Oscillate Wildly' was the first and best of the band's instrumentals, stretching out with pianos and cello. Johnny Marr came up with the memorable title.

©

Getty Images 

The Ventures, 'Walk, Don't Run' (1960) -

Originally recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954, the Ventures' sweeping 1964 rendition helped popularize the electric guitar in the United States and across the world during the 1960s. Furthermore, their version is cited by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

©

Getty Images 

James Brown, 'Ain’t It Funky Now' (1969) -

'Ain’t It Funky Now' was released as a two-part single and features horns, Hammond organ, drums, guitar, and just a few yelps and grunts from the Godfather of Soul.

©

Getty Images 

Duane Eddy, 'Moovin' 'N' Groovin' (1957) -

The revelation that producer Lee Hazlewood set up Duane Eddy’s amp inside a giant empty water tank to achieve the distinctive twangy echo that characterizes 'Moovin' N' Groovin' has gone down in rock 'n' roll lore. The moment is generally considered the birth of the rock guitar as lead instrument.

©

Getty Images 

Pink Floyd, 'Interstellar Overdrive' (1967) -

Taken from Pink Floyd's only album with founding member Syd Barrett ('The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'), this psychedelic instrumental improvisation lasts a trippy nine minutes and 41 seconds.

©

Getty Images 

Funkadelic, 'Maggot Brain' (1971) -

American funk band Funkadelic opened 'Maggot Brain,' their third studio album, with a 10-minute titular instrumental track performed mainly by guitarist Eddie Hazel.

©

Getty Images 

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, 'Fanfare for the Common Man' (1977) -

Adapted from Aaron Copland's 1942 piece of the same name, 'Fanfare for the Common Man' sees Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer perform one of their most popular and enduring tracks.

©

Getty Images 

Miles Davis, 'Right Off' (1971) -

American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis performs 'Right Off' as a near half-hour opener on the album 'Jack Johnson,' much of it based on improvisation.

©

Getty Images 

Neil Young, 'Dead Man' (1995) -

Neil Young was commissioned to compose the soundtrack to the 1995 Western-themed film 'Dead Man' and wrote the mostly instrumental score alone in the recording studio while watching the newly edited film in post-production. The main theme, played over the opening and end credits, has been described as a "magnificently moving symphony."

©

Getty Images 

Frank Zappa, 'Peaches en Regalia' (1969) -

This instrumental jazz fusion composition appeared on Zappa's 1969 album 'Hot Rats.' He used the track both as an opener and encore at many of his concerts. More recently, 'Peaches en Regalia' has been used by the BBC in London as background music for a number of radio shows.

©

Getty Images 

Beastie Boys, 'Electric Worm' (2007) -

'Electric Worm' is included on 'The Mix-Up,' which won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album. 'nufff said!

©

Getty Images 

Jeff Beck, 'Beck’s Bolero' (1967) -

Famed British guitarist Jeff Beck's first solo recording, 'Beck’s Bolero' brought together such noted musicians as Jimmy Page, Keith Moon, and Nicky Hopkins, to produce what has been described as "one of the great rock instrumentals, epic in scope, harmonically and rhythmically ambitious yet infused with primal energy." Wow!

©

Getty Images 

David Bowie, ‘Speed of Life' (1977) -

Bowie's first vocal-less composition, 'Speed of Life' is the first track on the album 'Low.' It features heavy use of drums and synthesizers and was originally supposed to be sung to.

©

Getty Images 

Led Zeppelin, 'Over the Top' (1969) -

In 1969, Led Zeppelin were already a force to be reckoned with. 'Over the Top' starts out as a extraordinary musical duel between Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones before it turns into a real battle as drummer John Bonham makes it a threesome—and with it sets the bar for rock drum solos. Period!

©

Getty Images 

Jack White, 'High Ball Stepper' (2014) -

'High Ball Stepper' was chosen by Jack White as the first single off his second studio album, 'Lazaretto,' and it did quite well, charting in several countries—an unusual achievement for an instrumental in the 2000s.

©

Getty Images 

Steely Dan, 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo' (1974) -

Jazz legend Duke Ellington wrote the original, but in the hands of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the jaunty 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo' takes on a totally different complexion. Guitarist Jeff Baxter ingeniously imitates a ragtime mute-trombone solo by using a pedal steel guitar.

©

Getty Images 

The Beatles 'Flying' (1967) -

The Beatles are listed here twice by virtue of this mellotron-led instrumental from the film 'Magical Mystery Tour.' It is one of the few songs credited to all four members of the band, and all four on non-lyric vocals.

©

Getty Images

Pixies, 'Cecilia Ann' (1990) -

American rock band the Pixies released 'Bossanova,' their third studio album, in 1990, with 'Cecilia Ann' opening the show. The track features lots of frantic fretwork, inspired as it by surf rock and space rock, as is the rest of the recording. Pictured is front man Black Francis in 1993.

©

Getty Images 

Foals, 'Prelude' (2013) -

The Foals' album 'Holy Fire' opens with 'Prelude.' At a little over four minutes long and threatening to boil over at any time, the track is testament to the foursome's simmering chemistry.

©

Getty Images 

The xx, 'Intro' (2009) -

Fittingly, 'Intro' is the opening track of English indie band The xx's debut album, 'xx.' Popular with the public, the composition ended up being used widely in television commercials and at shows and events.

©

Getty Images 

R.E.M., 'New Orleans Instrumental No. 1' (1992) -

R.E.M.'s classic album 'Automatic for the People' yielded six singles. But tucked away among those hits is the mellow instrumental 'New Orleans Instrumental No. 1,' named after where it was recorded.

©

Getty Images 

Radiohead, 'Meeting in the Aisle' (1997) -

English rock band Radiohead included the instrumental track 'Meeting in the Aisle' on their 1998 EP release 'Airbag/How Am I Driving?' It made its live debut in 2012 on the band's King of Limbs tour.

©

Getty Images 

Average White Band, 'Pick Up the Pieces' (1974) -

Scottish funk and R&B group Average White Band's classy 'Pick Up the Pieces' featured the so-called "Dundee Horns," the saxophone duo of Roger Ball and Malcolm "Molly" Duncan. The track went to the top of the US singles chart.

See also: The best music to come out of Scotland.

©

Getty Images