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20 Of The Greatest Sax Solos In Modern Music

Eric Alper
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20 Of The Greatest Sax Solos In Modern Music

The saxophone is the secret ingredient to making a great song unforgettable. It screams, it swoons, it seduces. From late-night slow jams to full-blown rock anthems, the sax has made its mark all over the music map. If you hear it at the right time, it can feel like someone just handed your soul a martini. Here are 20 of the greatest sax solos in modern music—songs that prove once and for all that nothing hits quite like the wail of a horn.

“Baker Street” – Gerry Rafferty
The sax solo that launched a thousand air-sax performances. Raphael Ravenscroft’s smoky, mournful melody is basically the sound of late-’70s melancholy turned into wind and brass. It’s a hook so good, people sometimes forget the rest of the song even exists.

“Careless Whisper” – George Michael
The opening sax line is instant heartbreak. Sexy and sad, sultry and smooth, Steve Gregory’s solo takes you to a candlelit dance floor you never actually danced on but always dreamed of. The sax practically deserves co-writing credit.

“Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
Clarence Clemons didn’t just play a sax solo—he was the sax solo. His moment in “Born to Run” isn’t just iconic, it’s the emotional engine that takes Bruce’s highway dreams into the sky. Rock music has never felt so cinematic.

“Moondance” – Van Morrison
Jack Schroer’s silky solo dances in and out of Van’s jazzy masterpiece like moonlight through the trees. It’s restrained, elegant, and deeply romantic. You can practically smell the autumn leaves when it kicks in.

“Who Can It Be Now?” – Men at Work
Greg Ham’s sax doesn’t wait—it kicks the door open and asks all the questions before Colin Hay does. This solo is paranoid, punchy, and totally perfect for a song about emotional shutdown. It’s a horn with an attitude.

“Money” – Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd didn’t need to put a sax in their time-signature-bending, bass-driven anthem. But when Dick Parry comes in, it makes a song already about excess feel even more decadent. Like soloing through smoke in a velvet suit.

“Urgent” – Foreigner
Junior Walker’s unhinged, ferocious solo is the sound of a saxophone lighting itself on fire and running down the street. He didn’t just show up for the solo—he owned it. It’s a rock song, but that sax is 100% Motown attitude.

“Just the Way You Are” – Billy Joel
Phil Woods glides in like a velvet curtain. Romantic and smooth without being cheesy, the sax solo here is a warm hug at the heart of a wedding dance. This is what timeless love sounds like on a woodwind.

“Midnight City” – M83
The synths are towering, the drums are huge—and then comes the sax, blasting through the digital fog like neon headlights. It’s unexpected, glorious, and gives the song its emotional payoff. An ‘80s throwback done right in the 2010s.

“Walk on the Wild Side” – Lou Reed
Ronnie Ross’ baritone sax outro doesn’t shout for attention—it saunters in with sunglasses and a cigarette. It’s cool, it’s confident, and it brings the song to a close with a knowing wink. The city at midnight, in one horn.

“Freedom! ’90” – George Michael
Another George Michael classic, another unforgettable sax moment. The solo in “Freedom! ’90” bursts through the song like a call to liberation. Stylish, joyful, and strutting like it’s wearing designer jeans.

“Only the Lonely” – The Motels
Marty Jourard’s sax solo is understated, aching, and drenched in California noir. It doesn’t try to steal the show—it just slides right into the shadows of heartbreak. This is new wave with a jazz soul.

“Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
Yes, we’re putting it here again, because Clarence Clemons deserves twice. When he steps into this track, it’s not just a solo—it’s the sound of a best friend taking the wheel when the night’s about to go off the rails.

“Modern Love” – David Bowie
You’re dancing, the groove is tight, the drums are sprinting—and then, BOOM, here comes the sax solo, all color and motion. It’s not just a solo—it’s a party crasher with impeccable style. Bowie knew sax = extra emotion.

“Touch Me” – The Doors
The song might start with strings, but it’s the sax solo that takes it to another planet. Curtis Amy delivers a jazzy flourish that feels both spontaneous and cinematic. It’s the sound of a rock band coloring outside the lines.

“Original Sin” – INXS
Kirk Pengilly’s sax cuts through Nile Rodgers’ production like a sliver of heat in a cold synth storm. It’s equal parts funk, swagger, and political edge, amplifying the song’s message with a sound that feels both urgent and slick. The sax doesn’t just decorate the track—it gives it a pulse.

“The Working Hour” – Tears for Fears
Mel Collins opens this one like he’s painting the sky at dusk—moody, cinematic, and soaring. The saxophone here and and Will Gregory’s solo aren’t a break; it’s a statement, setting the emotional tone for a song about burnout, ambition, and the fragility underneath. It’s art-rock turned soul jazz in one long breath.

“Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” – Billy Joel
This song has everything, including one of the most spirited sax breaks of the ‘70s. Richie Cannata’s solo is a whirlwind, bridging piano ballad and streetwise rock with pure Broadway flair. It’s like watching a musical unfold in four minutes.

“Smooth Operator” – Sade
This isn’t a solo—it’s a spell. Stuart Matthewman’s sax is liquid gold, pouring over the track with elegance and mystery. It’s the sound of candlelight, silk sheets, and secrets whispered at 2 a.m.

“Edge of Glory” – Lady Gaga
Gaga brought Clarence Clemons back for one final curtain call—and he delivered. His solo on “Edge of Glory” is triumphant, wistful, and emotionally raw. A perfect farewell from the Big Man to the dancefloor.

The saxophone never really left—it’s just waiting for the right moment to make everything better. Whether it’s jazz, rock, pop, funk, or electro, the sax finds its way into our favorite songs like an old friend dropping by with stories and wine. These solos? They’re not just notes. They’re feelings.

Tom And Jerry Theme Gets Symphonic Spin By Danish Orchestras

Eric Alper
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Tom And Jerry Theme Gets Symphonic Spin By Danish Orchestras

What do you get when you mix a world-class symphony, a jazz big band, a full choir, and the chaos of Tom and Jerry? Pure cartoon magic. The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, DR Big Band, and Danish National Concert Choir—led by conductor Christian Schumann—delivered a wild, whimsical performance of the classic MGM Tom and Jerry theme, complete with bubble wrap, hammers, and pots and pans. Part of their Cartoons in Concert series, it’s pure nostalgia wrapped in orchestral brilliance.

“Immediate” By Simon Spence Tells The Wild Story Of The UK’s First Indie Label

Eric Alper
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What happens when you throw Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Andrew Loog Oldham, and a maverick dream into the heart of Swinging London? You get Immediate Records—the UK’s first truly independent label, where anything felt possible (and sometimes impossible). Simon Spence’s Immediate: The Rise and Fall of the UK’s First Independent Record Label is packed with rock legends, wild stories, and enough sixties swagger to fill Carnaby Street. It’s the ultimate behind-the-scenes tour through the music industry’s most colorful, chaotic era.

Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham was the enfant terrible of Swinging Sixties London, the man who had crafted The Beatles’ antithesis. By 1965 he was a millionaire notorious for working every publicity angle for his rising stars but he still felt frustrated by the men in grey suits who controlled the music industry. His solution to that problem was Immediate Records – the UK’s first independent label – with a mission statement to wash away those grey men.

What followed was five years of scams, chicanery, sex, drugs, violence and sensational music. Immediate’s ‘in-house’ polymath producers: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Oldham himself, Jimmy Page and Steve Marriott, attracted a crowd of daring, young British talent, forging the hippest scene in the world.

Yet, following his ousting as Stones manager in 1967, the label itself began to fray at the seams as the drugs and booze clouded Oldham’s creative genius and the grey suits quietly took their revenge.

Simon Spence’s acclaimed telling of Immediate’s rise and fall was first published in 2007 but has now been augmented with explanatory footnotes and even more detail following a further decade’s research.

“Only You Know And I Know” Book By Dave Mason Tells Rock’s Untold Stories

Eric Alper
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“Only You Know And I Know” Book By Dave Mason Tells Rock’s Untold Stories

What do you get when a quiet giant of rock finally decides to speak up? Only You Know And I Know by Dave Mason—co-written with Chris Epting—is a backstage pass to some of the greatest moments in music history. From Traffic to Hendrix to Fleetwood Mac, Mason’s life reads like a rock and roll dream… with a few nightmares along the way. It’s raw, riveting, and packed with the kind of stories only a true insider could tell.

A co-founder of the legendary band Traffic, Dave Mason’s musical path started strong and only grew more significant over time. In addition to his renowned work as a revered guitar player and singer-songwriter (who penned “Feelin’ Alright,” one of rock’s most-covered anthems, when he was only 21), Mason has appeared on some of the most acclaimed recordings in music history, including The Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin,’” George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album, The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Mam” and close friend Jimi Hendrix’s classic “All Along the Watchtower.” After leaving Traffic, Dave’s popularity exploded with the release of his debut solo album, Alone Together, igniting one of the most successful careers of the 1970s—marked by sell-out performances at Madison Square Garden and requests from artists such as Paul McCartney, who recruited Dave to play guitar on Wings’ #1 hit “Listen to What the Man Said.”

But the triumphs didn’t come without hurdles. By the mid-1970s, cocaine and a seemingly endless touring schedule began to take their toll. Workmanlike in his dedication, however, the determined craftsman never gave up. Here, for the first time, Dave shares some of the great untold tales in rock and roll—his complicated relationship with Steve Winwood, his wild legal episodes with record companies, his tenure in Fleetwood Mac, his battle with addiction and the loss of a child, and his eventual induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He dives deep on the music, from “World in Changes” to “We Just Disagree,” and shares inside stories featuring a cast of characters that includes Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Cass Elliot, Delaney and Bonnie, Eric Clapton, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Dave Mason’s reputation as a “quiet giant” has long been one of music’s great mysteries. Now, one of rock’s true heroes finally shares his colorful, unique, and ultimately triumphant journey through a life in music.

Tariq Trotter’s “The Upcycled Self” Is One Of Hip-Hop’s Most Powerful Memoir

Eric Alper
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Tariq Trotter’s “The Upcycled Self” Is One Of Hip-Hop’s Most Powerful Memoir

Today Tariq Trotter—better known as Black Thought—is the platinum-selling, Grammy-winning co-founder of The Roots and one of the most exhilaratingly skillful and profound rappers our culture has ever produced. But his story begins with a tragedy: as a child, Trotter burned down his family’s home. The years that follow are the story of a life snatched from the flames, forged in fire.

In The Upcycled Self, Trotter doesn’t only narrate a riveting and moving portrait of the artist as a young man, he gives readers a courageous model of what it means to live an examined life. In vivid vignettes, he tells the dramatic stories of the four powerful relationships that shaped him—with community, friends, art, and family—each a complex weave of love, discovery, trauma, and loss.

And beyond offering the compellingly poetic account of one artist’s creative and emotional origins, Trotter explores the vital questions we all have to confront about our formative years: How can we see the story of our own young lives clearly? How do we use that story to understand who we’ve become? How do we forgive the people who loved and hurt us? How do we rediscover and honor our first dreams? And, finally, what do we take forward, what do we pass on, what do we leave behind? This is the beautifully bluesy story of a boy genius’s coming-of-age that illuminates the redemptive power of the upcycle.

Luna Lee Reimagines Stevie Wonder Classic “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” On Gayageum

Eric Alper
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Luna Lee Reimagines Stevie Wonder Classic “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” On Gayageum

What happens when you take one of the smoothest love songs of all time and play it on a 1,500-year-old Korean string instrument? You get Luna Lee’s breathtaking take on Stevie Wonder’s “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.” It’s funky, it’s fresh, it’s proof that great music knows no borders—and the Gayageum just might be the coolest instrument you’re not listening to (yet).

“Rise Up!” By Craig Harris Celebrates Indigenous Music’s Legacy

Eric Alper
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“Rise Up!” By Craig Harris Celebrates Indigenous Music’s Legacy

Music historian Craig Harris explores more than five hundred years of Indigenous history, religion, and cultural evolution in Rise Up! Indigenous Music in North America. More than powwow drums and wooden flutes, Indigenous music intersects with rock, blues, jazz, folk music, reggae, hip-hop, classical music, and more. Combining deep research with personal stories by nearly four dozen award-winning Indigenous musicians, Harris offers an eye-opening look at the growth of Indigenous music.

Among a host of North America’s most vital Indigenous musicians, the biographical narratives include new and well-established figures such as Mildred Bailey, Louis W. Ballard, Cody Blackbird, Donna Coane (Spirit of Thunderheart), Theresa “Bear” Fox, Robbie Robertson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joanne Shenandoah, DJ Shub (Dan General), Maria Tallchief, John Trudell, and Fawn Wood.

Willie Nelson’s “Energy Follows Thought” Book Is Songwriting Gold

Eric Alper
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Willie Nelson’s “Energy Follows Thought” Book Is Songwriting Gold

In Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs, Willie Nelson—alongside co-authors David Ritz and Mickey Raphael—invites readers into the heart and soul of his songwriting journey. Both whimsical and wise, this beautifully crafted memoir is filled with lyrical insights, candid reflections, and decades of musical memories from one of country music’s most legendary voices.

From his earliest work in the 1950s to today, Willie looks back at the songs that have defined his career, from his days of earning $50 each to his biggest hits, from his less well-known songs (but incredibly meaningful to him) to his concept albums. Along the way, he also shares the stories of his guitar Trigger, his family and “family,” as well as the artists he collaborated with, including Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Dolly Parton, and many others.

Willie is disarmingly honest—what do you have to lose when you’re about to turn 90? —meditating on the nature of songwriting and finding his voice, and the themes he’s explored his whole life—relationships, infidelity, love, loss, friendship, and, of course, life on the road.

“The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn’t” by Barrett Martin Tells The Wild, Untold Story Of Screaming Trees

Eric Alper
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“The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn’t” by Barrett Martin Tells The Wild, Untold Story Of Screaming Trees

In 1992, the Screaming Trees were expected to become the next big band to come out of the Seattle music scene during the heyday of grunge. Except it never happened. It wasn’t because the band didn’t have great songs-indeed, the Trees were revered for their ability to write a great song that was both artistically original and commercially viable, which is no easy task. Other Seattle bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden were fans of the Screaming Trees, playing shows with them and collaborating on albums, long before their own bands broke through into the mainstream. That kind of success eluded the Screaming Trees, and it seemed as if there were more demons than angels in the band’s corner when it came time for the Trees to make their mark. Their songwriting skills, however, remain as their greatest legacy.

Written by Screaming Trees long-serving drummer, Barrett Martin, The Greatest Band That Ever Wasn’t reads like a Greek comedy or tragedy, depending on your viewpoint. Each of the three acts contained in this book features 11 short stories, for a combined total of 33 stories. These tales will make you laugh and perhaps even cry, which is why the saga of the Screaming Trees reads more like a great myth-one that is incredible, at times unbelievable, yet still contains volumes of humor and wisdom.

How Hip-Hop Influences College Campuses: From Music to Fashion

Eric Alper
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By Mitch Rice

Hip-hop is more than music—it’s a cultural movement. Since its emergence in the 1970s Bronx, hip-hop has evolved from street corners to global stages, impacting art, politics, identity, and education. On college campuses, it’s not just playing in headphones or on party playlists; it’s shaping mindsets, sparking conversations, and redefining expression. From the clothes students wear to the way they speak and even the way they think, hip-hop’s fingerprints are everywhere.

And its influence isn’t superficial. For many students, hip-hop acts as a mirror and a megaphone. It reflects lived experiences and gives voice to marginalized stories. It challenges academic norms, introduces new ways of storytelling, and bridges gaps between disciplines. Some students even find themselves thinking, “I wish I had someone to write a paper for me,” just to unpack the complexity of a Kendrick Lamar verse or the social commentary embedded in a J. Cole album. That’s because hip-hop isn’t simple entertainment—it’s often nuanced, political, poetic, and worthy of deep analysis.

Music as a Tool for Learning and Resistance

In classrooms, hip-hop is increasingly being used as a pedagogical tool. Professors across disciplines—English, Sociology, History, African American Studies, and even Political Science—are incorporating lyrics, documentaries, and hip-hop scholarship into their curricula. Artists like Tupac Shakur and Lauryn Hill are studied for their lyrical brilliance and socio-political commentary. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Nas’s Illmatic have been dissected like Shakespearean sonnets.

This academic interest isn’t performative. Hip-hop, with its roots in systemic resistance, gives students—especially students of color—a cultural framework through which they can analyze structural inequality, express identity, and build critical thinking skills. Through beat and rhyme, students explore the complexities of poverty, race, policing, and class struggle in a way that traditional textbooks sometimes fail to capture.

Colleges that adopt hip-hop as part of their pedagogy not only make education more relatable but also more inclusive. They validate the experiences and voices of students who’ve often felt alienated in academic spaces.

 

A New Fashion Language: Style as Identity

Hip-hop’s impact on campus fashion is impossible to ignore. Baggy jeans, oversized hoodies, Air Jordans, gold chains, crop tops, Timberlands, and bold streetwear brands like Supreme or Off-White—these styles aren’t just about following trends. They carry identity, attitude, and social commentary.

College campuses have become runways for self-expression where fashion rooted in hip-hop reflects everything from cultural pride to political rebellion. The rise of Black-owned clothing brands and campus-based fashion entrepreneurs is a testament to this movement. These creators channel hip-hop’s aesthetic while addressing issues like sustainability, representation, and economic independence.

It’s also common to see student orgs or clubs centered around fashion inspired by hip-hop culture. Whether it’s through fashion shows, campus photo shoots, or DIY apparel lines, students are not only consumers of style—they’re producers of it, remixing what hip-hop started and turning it into their own campus-centric dialect.

Slang, Speech, and Campus Conversation

Language is one of hip-hop’s most overlooked yet powerful tools. Phrases like “on fleek,” “woke,” “no cap,” “drip,” and “sus” didn’t just pop up—they evolved out of Black vernacular and hip-hop’s influence. These terms have made their way into everyday student conversations, group chats, campus events, and even classroom discussions.

More importantly, this linguistic influence reflects a shift in how authority and intelligence are expressed. Students are more confident using their own voices and cultural codes, rejecting the notion that academic language has to be dry, Eurocentric, or devoid of personality. Professors who embrace this—who allow students to write in ways that fuse formal analysis with an authentic voice—are helping dismantle outdated academic barriers.

Hip-hop’s language democratizes communication on campus, allowing for a blend of intellect and culture that’s refreshing, empowering, and deeply personal.

Campus Events and Hip-Hop Communities

Walk through almost any college campus, and you’ll find hip-hop embedded in student life. Dance crews rehearse routines in quads. Rap battles take place in dorm lounges. Poetry slams filled with freestyle verses spill over into campus cafes. From open mic nights to DJ sets at student unions, hip-hop is a communal experience—one that builds belonging and challenges traditional campus norms.

Organizations like Hip-Hop Congress, Black Student Unions, and performance arts collectives offer spaces for expression and activism. These groups don’t just entertain—they educate. They bring in speakers, organize panels, and create safe spaces for discussion around race, gender, justice, and identity.

Homecoming concerts, talent showcases, and student-produced cyphers are more than just entertainment. They’re cultural affirmations, places where students can be unapologetically themselves, free from the pressure to conform to outdated academic or social molds.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation on Campus

One of hip-hop’s most inspiring legacies is its entrepreneurial spirit. And this has translated into how students hustle on campus. Inspired by artists who built empires from mixtapes and YouTube videos, many students are launching side hustles that blend creativity with commerce.

Whether it’s producing beats, managing campus artists, selling fashion lines, creating hip-hop-themed podcasts, or offering music production services—college students are using hip-hop’s DIY ethos to turn passion into profit. This mindset encourages independence, risk-taking, and financial literacy in a way traditional education rarely does.

College incubators and business programs have started to notice. More universities now include startup support tailored toward student creatives, bridging the gap between cultural capital and economic opportunity.

Mental Health, Identity, and Representation

Hip-hop has long been a medium for emotional expression. In recent years, artists like Kid Cudi, Logic, and Megan Thee Stallion have opened up conversations around anxiety, depression, and trauma. These themes resonate deeply with students juggling school pressure, social expectations, and personal challenges.

For many, listening to hip-hop isn’t just entertainment—it’s therapy. The vulnerability expressed in lyrics makes it easier for students to talk about their own struggles. On some campuses, counseling services have even begun using hip-hop in group therapy sessions or student outreach programs.

Hip-hop gives students language for what they’re feeling. It helps them articulate experiences around race, gender, sexuality, and mental health in ways that traditional discourse often fails to reach.

The Challenges and Criticisms

Of course, hip-hop’s influence on college campuses isn’t without controversy. Lyrics with misogynistic, violent, or materialistic messages can reinforce harmful stereotypes or clash with campus values. There’s also the issue of cultural appropriation—when students adopt the style or language of hip-hop without understanding its origins or respecting its roots.

This tension creates important conversations around accountability, allyship, and respect. Many student organizations are now pushing for more conscious consumption and education about hip-hop’s history and political roots. These efforts are essential in ensuring the culture is appreciated rather than exploited.

Conclusion: More Than a Soundtrack

Hip-hop isn’t just a backdrop to campus life—it’s an active force shaping how students express themselves, challenge norms, and build communities. From the classroom to the dorm room, from fashion statements to business startups, hip-hop continues to redefine what it means to be a student in the 21st century.

It teaches resilience, celebrates authenticity, and demands justice. It empowers students to bring their full selves to campus; no filter is needed. And that’s what makes its influence not only relevant—but revolutionary.

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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