The immediate novelty of the rock 'n' roll beat was such that many singles didn't even need vocals to get airplay. These instrumental tracks were made for dancing and frequently highlighted the newfound power of the electric guitar. Duane Eddy and Chet Atkins were two axe slingers who ignited the teenage guitar craze with their deft picking and solid backbeat. Eventually, the heavily reverberated twang of the Ventures and Dick Dale spearheaded an instrumental surf-music craze, and the tropical exotica of Les Baxter and Esquivel hinted at the imminent jet-age future. When the shimmering vocal harmonies of the Beatles ignited the British Invasion, instrumentals fell out of favor with the rock crowd but continued onto the dance floor of R&B. Booker T. & the MG's scored huge hits with classics like "Green Onions" and "Time Is Tight" while inspiring scores of instrumental combos to keep the form alive. During the '70s, disco singles frequently omitted a lead vocalist and relied solely on the groove; and by the 1990s, the post-rock movement was exchanging a lyrical thrust for instrumental texture.

Notable Artists: The Shadows, Link Wray, Duane Eddy, Godspeed You Black Emperor!