Which song became the first instrumental recording to top the Billboard Hot 100?

“Theme from A Summer Place” by Percy Faith became the first instrumental recording to top the Billboard Hot 100.

The lush orchestral piece came from the 1959 film A Summer Place, where it served as the movie’s central musical theme. Percy Faith’s recording became a major pop success and reached No. 1 in February 1960. Its sweeping strings helped define the polished easy-listening sound that was popular on radio at the time.

The song was written by Max Steiner, who composed the film score. Faith’s version is an instrumental orchestral performance, so it has no lead singer or lyrical verse. That distinction matters because many songs described as “instrumentals” include spoken words, vocal hooks, or brief sung passages.

Later instrumental No. 1s included “Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet,” “The Hustle,” “Chariots of Fire,” and the “Miami Vice Theme.” Percy Faith’s recording came first on the Hot 100, making it a useful milestone in the chart’s early history.