Various Artists - 80s Hits on Saxophone (2015)

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 these of the saxophone being 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.