Danger Zone ( song ) - wikipedia Danger Zone ( song ) This article is about the Kenny Loggins song. For other songs with the same title, see Danger Zone ( disambiguation ). `` Danger Zone '' Single by Kenny Loggins from the album Top Gun ( soundtrack ) B - side `` I 'm Gonna Do It Right '' Released May 13, 1986 Format 7 '' single, 12 '' single, CD Recorded January 1986 Genre Hard rock, new wave Length 3 : 36 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Giorgio Moroder Tom Whitlock Producer ( s ) Giorgio Moroder Kenny Loggins singles chronology `` I 'll Be There '' ( 1985 ) `` Danger Zone '' ( 1986 ) `` Playing with the Boys '' ( 1986 ) `` I 'll Be There '' ( 1985 ) `` Danger Zone '' ( 1986 ) `` Playing with the Boys '' ( 1986 ) `` Danger Zone '' is a song, with music composed by Giorgio Moroder and lyrics written by Tom Whitlock, which American singer - songwriter Kenny Loggins recorded and released in 1986. The song was one of the hit singles from the soundtrack to the 1986 American motion picture Top Gun, the best selling soundtrack of 1986 and one of the best selling of all time. According to Allmusic.com, the album `` remains a quintessential artifact of the mid - ' 80s '' and the album 's hits `` still define the bombastic, melodramatic sound that dominated the pop charts of the era. '' Contents 1 Background 2 Overview 3 Music video 4 Personnel 5 Charts 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 6 Sales certifications 7 In popular culture 8 References 9 External links Background Film producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, along with music supervisor Michael Dilbeck, had over 300 songs to employ on Top Gun. Testing compositions against the dailies of the opening scenes at the aircraft carrier, nothing satisfied them, and Bruckheimer asked soundtrack producer Giorgio Moroder to write something. With the help of songwriter Tom Whitlock, he composed `` Danger Zone '' and had Joe Pizzulo record a demo. With the approval of the producers, soundtrack distributor Columbia Records requested Moroder to have `` Danger Zone '' performed by an artist signed by the label. The band Toto was originally intended to perform the track, but legal conflicts between the producers of Top Gun and the band 's lawyers prevented this. Bryan Adams was approached to allow his song `` Only the Strong Survive '' on the soundtrack and perform `` Danger Zone '', but Adams refused any involvement, feeling that the film glorified war, and he did not want any of his work linked to it. REO Speedwagon was also approached to perform `` Danger Zone '', but the group declined due to not being allowed to contribute any of its own compositions to the soundtrack. Corey Hart was also approached to perform `` Danger Zone, '' but he declined, preferring to write and perform his own compositions. Eventually, the film producers agreed that `` Danger Zone '' would be recorded and performed by Kenny Loggins. Whitlock went to Loggins ' Encino home, and once shown the lyrics, the singer added his own improvisations. Overview Dann Huff, lead singer and guitarist of the 1980s hard rock group Giant, played guitar on the song. The bass line is performed on a Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, with the drums being provided by a LinnDrum drum machine, both instruments extensively used in 1980s pop music. A tenor saxophone is added near the end of the song. The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of July 26, 1986, kept from the top spot by Peter Gabriel 's `` Sledgehammer ''. Music video A music video was released in May 1986 to promote the single. The video was directed by Tony Scott and featured footage of Loggins singing, as well as clips from the film Top Gun, which Scott also directed. According to the MuchMusic network 's program Pop - Up Video, the U.S. Navy described this video as `` the most effective recruiting poster ever produced ''. Personnel Kenny Loggins -- vocals, guitar Dann Huff -- guitar Giorgio Moroder -- keyboards Nathan East -- bass Tom Whitlock -- synthesizer John Robinson -- drums Tom Scott -- saxophone Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1986 -- 87 ) Peak position Canada ( RPM ) 7 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 10 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 12 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 6 United Kingdom ( The Official Charts Company ) 45 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks 7 Year - end charts Chart ( 1986 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 42 Sales certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Japan ( RIAJ ) Gold 100,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone In popular culture On September 21, 1989, the song was played in an episode of the American animated series `` The Super Mario Bros. Super Show ! ''. On November 21, 1999, the song was played in an episode of the American animated comedy series `` The Simpsons ''. On October 24, 2005, the song was played in an episode of the American comedy series `` How I Met Your Mother ''. On July 27, 2008, the song was played in an episode of the Australian television travel series `` Postcards ''. In 2009, this song was played in the American comedy film `` 17 Again ''. On July 20, 2010, the song was played in an episode of the British comedy series `` Mongrels ''. On July 19, 2012, the song was played in an episode of the American television game show `` Take Me Out ''. On October 13, 2013, the song was played in an episode of the British reality television series `` Rude Tube ''. On November 11, 2014, the song was played in an episode of the American comedy series `` The Mindy Project ''. On March 18, 2015, the song was played in an episode of the American comedy series `` It 's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ''. On November 8, 2015, the song was played in an episode of the American animated comedy series `` Family Guy ''. On September 17, 2016, the song was played in an episode of the British television game show `` Go for It ''. On September 23, 2017, the song was played in an episode of the British television game show `` Cannonball ''. On April 1, 2018, the song was played in an episode of the American animated comedy series `` Family Guy ''. On April 4, 2018, the song was played in an episode of the American comedy - drama series `` Suits ''. References Jump up ^ `` Pop > Picks > Kenny Loggins -- Danger Zone ( 3 : 35 ) ''. Billboard. Vol. 96 no. 19. May 10, 1986. p. 79. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ Denisoff, R. Serge ; Romanowski, William D. ( 2011 - 12 - 31 ). Risky Business : Rock in Film. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 9781412833370. ^ Jump up to : `` Top Gun ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) - Original Soundtrack Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 19. ^ Jump up to : Back to the 80s : Interview with Tom Whitlock, co-writer of ' Take My Breath Away ' & more -- Kickin ' it Old School ^ Jump up to : `` Official TOTO Website - Encyclopedia ''. www.toto99.com. 2007 - 04 - 29. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Encyclopedia ''. thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. 2007 - 04 - 29. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Kenny Loggins Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Kenny Loggins -- Danger Zone ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Kenny Loggins -- Danger Zone ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Japanese single certifications -- Danger Zone '' ( in Japanese ). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 27 December 2016. Select 2016 年 4 月 on the drop - down menu External links Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone - Official music video Top Gun soundtrack Original release `` Danger Zone '' ( Kenny Loggins ) `` Mighty Wings '' ( Cheap Trick ) `` Playing with the Boys '' ( Kenny Loggins ) `` Lead Me On '' ( Teena Marie ) `` Take My Breath Away ( Love Theme from Top Gun ) ( Berlin ) `` Hot Summer Nights '' ( Miami Sound Machine ) `` Heaven in Your Eyes '' ( Loverboy ) `` Through the Fire '' ( Larry Greene ) `` Destination Unknown '' ( Marietta ) `` Top Gun Anthem '' ( Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens ) 1999 Special Edition bonus tracks `` ( Sittin ' on ) the Dock of the Bay '' ( Otis Redding ) `` Memories '' ( Harold Faltermeyer ) `` Great Balls of Fire '' ( Jerry Lee Lewis ) `` You 've Lost That Lovin ' Feelin ' '' ( The Righteous Brothers ) `` Playing with the Boys '' ( 12 '' Version ) ( Kenny Loggins ) 2006 Deluxe Edition bonus tracks `` Ca n't Fight This Feeling '' ( REO Speedwagon ) `` Broken Wings '' ( Mr. Mister ) `` The Final Countdown '' ( Europe ) `` Nothing 's Gonna Stop Us Now '' ( Starship ) `` The Power of Love '' ( Jennifer Rush ) Kenny Loggins Studio albums Celebrate Me Home Nightwatch Keep the Fire High Adventure Vox Humana Back to Avalon Leap of Faith Return to Pooh Corner The Unimaginable Life December More Songs from Pooh Corner It 's About Time How About Now All Join In Compilation and live albums Kenny Loggins Alive Outside : From the Redwoods Love Songs of Kenny Loggins Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow : The Greatest Hits of Kenny Loggins The Essential Kenny Loggins Soundtrack appearances Caddyshack Footloose Top Gun Over the Top Caddyshack II The Jungle Book One Fine Day Singles `` Celebrate Me Home '' `` Whenever I Call You Friend '' `` What a Fool Believes '' `` This Is It '' `` Keep the Fire '' `` I 'm Alright '' `` Do n't Fight It '' `` Heart to Heart '' `` Welcome to Heartlight '' `` Footloose '' `` I 'm Free ( Heaven Helps the Man ) '' `` Vox Humana '' `` Forever '' `` Danger Zone '' `` Playing with the Boys '' `` Nobody 's Fool '' `` Conviction of the Heart '' `` For the First Time '' Related articles Discography Loggins and Messina Blue Sky Riders Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Danger_Zone_(song)&oldid=841012814 '' Categories : 1986 songs 1986 singles Columbia Records singles Kenny Loggins songs Songs about the military Songs from Top Gun Songs written by Giorgio Moroder Songs written by Tom Whitlock Hidden categories : CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018 Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Swiss Certification Table Entry usages for Japan Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Edit links This page was last edited on 13 May 2018, at 14 : 37. 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Question: when was highway to the danger zone written
Answer: 1986