The Best Horn Rock Songs of All Time

The parts that make up a great horn rock song aren’t too complicated. Horns, foremost, are necessary. Songs must also include elements of rock ‘n’ roll, whether it’s the basics — guitars, bass and drums — or additional keyboards and other instruments. Finally, it has to move.

In the list below of the Top 35 Horn Rock Songs selected by the UCR staff, the expected names — Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Van Morrison — show up often. But there are some lesser-known artists, though not lesser songs, here as well.

One note: In addition to keeping the list pinned to rock artists (so no R&B, which would have greatly expanded the number), the songs had to include at least two horns. A single saxophone or a flugelhorn solo wasn’t going to cut it. These are ensemble pieces, adding extra oomph to the music and securing their place in history.

35. The Replacements, “Can’t Hardly Wait” (From Pleased to Meet Me, 1987)

When 1985’s Tim didn’t live up to Sire Records’ commercial expectations, Minneapolis punks the Replacements were next paired with Ardent Studios producer Jim Dickinson, who worked with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Big Star during his long career. For “Can’t Hardly Wait,” Dickinson enlisted the Memphis Horns for the ‘Mats’ funkiest track.

34. Wings, “Silly Love Songs” (From Wings at the Speed of Sound, 1976)

Playing on his mid-’70s reputation for pushing out radio-friendly romantic hits, Paul McCartney didn’t hold back on the lead single from Wings’ fifth album, Wings at the Speed of Sound. “Silly Love Songs” begins with the grinding of factory machines and ends with an exultant “I love you” refrain reinforced with trumpet, sax and trombone.

33. Blood, Sweat & Tears, “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” (From Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1968)

Blood, Sweat & Tears quickly rebounded after losing three founding members, including Al Kooper, shortly after their first album’s release. The remaining members recruited singer David Clayton-Thomas and rushed out a second LP before year’s end. The result was a No. 1 album and a No. 2 hit with a cover of “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.”

32. The Rolling Stones, “Rocks Off” (From Exile on Main St., 1972)

Exile on Main St.‘s tattered opener signals the double album’s murky mix and late-night working-through-it aura. In addition to the five Rolling Stones, “Rocks Off” features now-regular contributors Bobby Keys (saxophone) and Jim Price (trumpet and trombone) laying into the darkly soulful groove with primal muscle and precise timing.

31. Genesis, “No Reply at All” (From Abacab, 1981)

Phil Collins first worked with  Earth, Wind & Fire’s horn section, known as the Phenix Horns, on his 1981 debut solo album Face Value. He was recording Genesis’ 11th album, Abacab (also from 1981), around the same time and enlisted the quintet for “No Reply at All,” their most forceful move toward the commercial radio they’d soon conquer.

READ MORE: Top 100 Rock Songs of All Time

30. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, “I Don’t Want to Go Home” (From I Don’t Want to Go Home, 1976)

Written and produced by E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt, the title song of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ debut album owes much to Bruce Springsteen’s savvy blend of ’60s soul and ’70s FM radio rock. (Springsteen wrote two songs on the LP.) “I Don’t Want to Go Home” features New Jersey’s Miami Horns.

29. R.E.M., “Can’t Get There From Here” (From Fables of the Reconstruction, 1985)

For their genre-pushing third album, R.E.M. ditched their usual American producers and studio and went to London to work with Fairport Convention and Nick Drake producer Joe Boyd. The result: Fables of the Reconstruction‘s erratic mix of post-punk, college rock, jangle pop and, on “Can’t Get There From Here,” horn-splattered funk.

28. The Beatles, “Got to Get You Into My Life” (From Revolver, 1966)

Inspired by Motown and their newfound creative freedom in the studio, the Beatles integrated horns into “Got to Get You Into My Life” as the song took shape over two months during the making of Revolver. It was the first time the group used a horn section. Paul McCartney has noted that it isn’t a love song but instead “an ode to pot.” 

27. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “What’s Your Name” (From Street Survivors, 1977)

The original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup’s final album will forever be clouded by the plane crash three days after the LP’s release that claimed the lives of three band members. But Street Survivors is a soulful celebration and expansion of their Southern rock, aided by the Muscle Shoals Horns on songs such as “What’s Your Name,” its first single.

26. Spiral Starecase, “More Today Than Yesterday” (From More Today Than Yesterday, 1969)

Sacramento-based Spiral Starecase placed three songs in the Billboard 100 in 1969 and early 1970 before calling it quits later that year. (They reunited in the mid-’70s for live performances.) The biggest, the No. 12 “More Today Than Yesterday,” anchored the quintet’s only album, fittingly named after their only Top 40 hit. The horns are elevating.

25. Spirit, “Mr. Skin” (From Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, 1970)

Spirit’s ambitious fourth album, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, was initially met with indifference upon its 1970 release, as the LP’s progressive and psychedelic mix was both ahead of and behind popular tastes. “Mr. Skin,” a radio-friendly funk song first released as a B-side, reached No. 92 when it became an A-side three years later.

24. U2, “Angel of Harlem” (From Rattle and Hum, 1988)

During The Joshua Tree tour that catapulted them to worldwide stardom, U2 traveled across the U.S., writing songs about their experiences along the way. Inspired by American roots music, the band recorded “Angel of Harlem” — written about Billie Holiday — at Memphis’ Sun Studio with the Memphis Horns providing backup.

23. Fleetwood Mac, “Tusk” (From Tusk, 1979)

Fleetwood Mac didn’t enlist just a basic horn section for Tusk‘s title track; they employed the entire USC Trojan Marching Band for the song’s climactic ending, underscoring Lindsey Buckingham’s grand vision for the group’s follow-up to the titanic-selling Rumours. It’s unconventional pop music filtered through a wild new lens.

22. Golden Earring, “Radar Love” (From Moontan, 1973)

Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” already sounds like a definitive statement from the Dutch band that formed in 1961. But the brass section that joins the quartet in the choruses of their 1973 global breakthrough elevates the song to exciting new levels. The tricky drum shuffle builds momentum throughout, but the horns carry it all home.

21. Average White Band, “Pick Up the Pieces” (From AWB, 1974)

The six-piece Average White Band hailed from Scotland but came to prominence after appearing at Eric Clapton’s comeback concert in London in 1973. A year later, they had placed their second album, AWB, at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, thanks to the popularity of the mostly instrumental single “Pick Up the Pieces,” also a No. 1 hit.

20. Neil Diamond, “Sweet Caroline” (From Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show, 1969)

Inspired by a magazine cover photo of the young Caroline Kennedy, daughter of slain U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Neil Diamond wrote 1969’s “Sweet Caroline” during a productive period. Cutting his teeth at New York’s famous Brill Building, he scored his first Top 10 hit in 1966. The ebullient “Sweet Caroline” was his biggest hit at the time.

READ MORE: Top 250 American Songs

19. Chicago, “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” (From Chicago Transit Authority, 1969)

Chicago cofounder Robert Lamm has said that “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” was the first song recorded for the band’s 1969 debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, and was written to showcase the group’s horn section, particularly trumpet player Lee Loughnane. The song became Chicago’s third consecutive Top 10 single.

18. The Who, “5:15” (From Quadrophenia, 1973)

For the Who’s second rock opera, following Tommy, Pete Townshend structured the double album’s four sides to reflect the group’s four members and the split personality of its main character. “5:15” is a highlight of Quadrophenia, punctuated by John Entwistle’s multitracked horns. Live versions featured a full brass section.

17. David Bowie, “Let’s Dance” (From Let’s Dance, 1983)

Coproduced by Chic mastermind Nile Rodgers and enthusiastically supported by MTV’s growing popularity, David Bowie’s second U.S. No. 1 arrived after a period of ambient electronic experimentation and other non-commercial ventures. “Let’s Dance”‘s post-disco funk features horns, synths and guitar by young Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan.

16. Huey Lewis and the News, “The Power of Love” (From Back to the Future: Music From the Motion Picture Soundtrack, 1985)

Written for the Back to the Future soundtrack, Huey Lewis and the News’ “The Power of Love” became the band’s first No. 1 in the summer of 1985, though frontman Lewis was initially hesitant to contribute a film song. Alongside the period synths is a full brass section that accents “The Power of Love”‘s chorus hook, an ’80s power pop gem.

15. Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (From Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1968)

Written by Blood, Sweat & Tears’ recently recruited singer David Clayton-Thomas, “Spinning Wheel” soon became a new standard, with singers from Peggy Lee and Sammy Davis Jr. to Shirley Bassey and James Brown covering it. It was a big success for the jazz-rock group, too, becoming their second consecutive No. 2 hit.

14. Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer” (From So, 1986)

Following four similarly titled solo albums of prickly art-rock, Peter Gabriel headed down a more commercially accessible route for 1986’s So. The result was a No. 2 album that featured two Top 10 hits, including the No. 1 “Sledgehammer.” Along with an award-winning video, the song’s horn-powered dance-rock brought in legions of fans.

13. Chicago, “Saturday in the Park” (From Chicago V, 1972)

Chicago cofounder and keyboardist Robert Lamm was inspired to write the easygoing “Saturday in the Park” while spending time in Central Park during the recording of the group’s 1971 album Chicago III. It became their biggest hit at the time, peaking at No. 3, and sending Chicago V to No. 1, the first of five consecutive chart-topping LPs. 

12. Boz Scaggs, “Lido Shuffle” (From Silk Degrees, 1976)

By the time Boz Scaggs released his multiplatinum 1976 album Silk Degrees, he had released five solo albums going back a decade and spent some time in the Steve Miller Band. Working with a backing band of session musicians who’d soon form Toto, Scaggs leaned into genuine blue-eyed soul. The climbing horns of “Lido Shuffle” are a highlight.

11. Steely Dan, “My Old School” (From Countdown to Ecstasy, 1973)

In 1973, Steely Dan were still finding their way toward the jazz-informed soft-rock sheen that would come to characterize their later albums and career. “My Old School,” from their second LP, Countdown to Ecstasy, includes four guitar solos from Jeff Baxter, but Jimmie Haskell’s big-band horn arrangement points the way forward for the group.

10. Van Morrison, “Caravan” (From Moondance, 1970)

Van Morrison’s tribute to the radio became the centerpiece of both his 1974 concert album, It’s Too Late to Stop Now, and the Band’s Thanksgiving Day 1976 performance, The Last Waltz. The original studio version from 1970’s Moondance features the same energy, with the folk-soul horns doing leaps around Morrison’s vocal acrobatics.

READ MORE: Van Morrison Albums Ranked

9. The Doors, “Touch Me” (From The Soft Parade, 1969)

The Doors were in poor shape to record a fourth album in mid-1968, following a demanding tour and singer Jim Morrison’s increasing alcohol-related problems. So producer Paul A. Rothchild proposed a reboot for The Soft Parade, suggesting brass and strings. “Touch Me,” the LP’s first single, would be the Doors’ last U.S. Top 10 hit.

8. Van Morrison, “Wild Night” (From Tupelo Honey, 1971)

Van Morrison delved deeper into ’60s R&B roots with “Wild Night,” a Stax-influenced, horn-abetted song that opened his fifth album, Tupelo Honey, and served as its lead single. It became his fifth Top 40 hit as a solo artist and further promoted the sax-and-trumpet union that had become a staple of his early ’70s records.

7. Van Morrison, “Domino” (From His Band and the Street Choir, 1970)

Van Morrison wrote his Fats Domino tribute a couple of years before it appeared on 1970’s His Band and the Street Choir, and first tried recording it around the time of Astral Weeks‘ release. He tried again in 1969. In 1970, he finally nailed it in New York’s A&R Studios with trumpet and sax backing. It reached No. 9, his biggest U.S. single.

6. Paul Simon, “You Can Call Me Al” (From Graceland, 1986)

Set back by divorce, depression and an underperforming album, Paul Simon went to Johannesburg in 1984 after hearing a tape of South African music. Graceland was soon conceived. “You Can Call Me Al” features a mix of South African musicians and a horn section made up of U.S. session pros like Randy Brecker and Lew Soloff.

5. Bruce Springsteen, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” (From Born to Run, 1975)

Three albums in, with no hint that his big break was imminent, Bruce Springsteen nonetheless turned to self-mythologizing his band and music. Although he claimed to have no idea what “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”‘s title meant, it doesn’t matter. The soaring horns of David Sanborn, Clarence Clemons and the Brecker brothers are clear.

4. George Harrison, “What Is Life” (From All Things Must Pass, 1970)

Despite his controversial mixes and overly florid arrangements on the Beatles’ Let It Be album, Phil Spector continued to work with George Harrison and John Lennon into the ’70s. For Harrison’s first proper solo LP, All Things Must Pass, the producer applied his Wall of Sound to many tracks, including the buoyant, horn-supported “What Is Life.”

3. The Ides of March, “Vehicle” (From Vehicle, 1970)

Chicago-based Ides of March formed in 1966 but added horn players around the same time Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago were getting attention, which no doubt helped the success of their only Top 40 single in 1970, “Vehicle.” The group’s singer and songwriter, Jim Peterik, would later have more success with the band Survivor.

2. The Rolling Stones, “Bitch” (From Sticky Fingers, 1971)

Released as the B-side of the single “Brown Sugar” (which featured Bobby Keys on saxophone), “Bitch” retained Keys and added trumpeter Jim Price for one of the Rolling Stones’ most energetic tracks. Though a riff-driven rock song at its core, the punchy horns give “Bitch” a soulful sway that would help define the band’s sound in the ’70s.

1. Chicago, “25 or 6 to 4” (From Chicago, 1970)

Peter Cetera laid down the lead vocal for “25 or 6 to 4” with a wired jaw, the result of an altercation at a baseball game two months earlier. While “25 or 6 to 4” has been the center of controversy over the decades for its alleged drug reference, writer Robert Lamm explained that the title refers to the time in the middle of the night when he was trying to write the song. That’s a lot of drama and history for one of Chicago’s most direct and popular tracks. Recorded in a day, the song became Chicago’s first Top 5 hit a year later, in the summer of 1970. Lifted by the band’s trio of horn musicians — trumpeter Lee Loughnane, trombonist James Pankow and saxophone player Walt Parazaider — few songs in the group’s catalog kick like “25 or 6 to 4.” Horn rock at its finest.