Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass are the most successful instrumental group in the history of the Hot 100, placing more than two dozen singles on the chart during the 1960s.

This one is one is probably my favorite. "Casino Royale" is the title song from the James Bond spoof that starred David Niven and a host of other well-known actors. It reached #27 in 1967.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - Casino Royale.mp3
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - The Wall Street Rag.mp3

Mel Allen

Mel Allen was the voice of the New York Yankees for decades, and this well-respected announcer lent his voice to numerous recordings.

Here are two of them. They are actually seven-inch LPs, but based on their size, I have decided to include them here.

Mel Allen - The Greatest Moments In Sports (excerpt).mp3
Mel Allen - Yankee Stadium 50th Anniversary (excerpt).mp3

Alarm

I always thought of the Alarm as a poor man's version of U2. Hailing from Wales, their music was often as politically charged as U2's, but with an often poppier, more ragged sound.

Here are a few of their picture sleeves from the 1980s, including one of their biggest hits, "Strength," which reached #61 in 1985.

Alarm - Sixty Eight Guns.mp3
Alarm - Pavilion Steps.mp3

Bryan Adams

Although I am not a fan of Bryan Adams, he was a major hitmaker during the 1980s and 1990s in the U.S.

This is the only song of his that I really liked. It was not one of his biggest hits, reaching #24 in 1983.

Bryan Adams - This Time.mp3
Bryan Adams - Fits Ya Good.mp3

Adam Ant/Adam and the Ants

Adam and the Ants were the hottest act in Europe during the mid-to-late 1970s and into the early 1980s. Their mix of rock, pop, punk, new wave and bubblegum was infectious.

Although they only had a hit or two in the U.S., they had many, many hits overseas. These are a selection of their picture sleeves; most are from England.

Some of their sleeves had gatefolds, and I have tried to reproduce them here.

Adam and the Ants - Antrap.mp3
Adam and the Ants - Friends.mp3