The 1980s were a golden era for movie soundtracks, with iconic songs that have left an indelible mark on pop culture. From the new wave and California rock sounds of the decade to the eclectic mix of pop music, the 80s movie soundtracks were a diverse and influential collection of music. Here are the 10 best movie soundtracks of the 80s, in chronological order, each with its own unique story and impact on the decade's music scene.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High: This soundtrack is a perfect blend of New Wave and California rock, with a mix of songs by The Eagles and their associates. While some of the most memorable tracks, like The Cars' 'Moving in Stereo', are absent from the album, they add immensely to the film. The album released as a tie-in more closely reflects California rock, with solo songs by every member of The Eagles except Glenn Frey.
Flashdance: This movie was arguably the first eighties film to truly reflect the MTV aesthetic that would come to define the decade. The soundtrack features signature songs like 'Flashdance! (What a Feeling)' and 'Maniac', and was a smash hit thanks to the music videos cut for MTV.
Footloose: No less than three songs off the Footloose soundtrack made it into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The title track by Kenny Loggins, 'Let's Hear it For the Boy' by Deniece Williams, and 'Almost Paradise' by Ann Wilson and Mike Reno are just a few of the iconic songs from this soundtrack.
Ghostbusters: Would Ghostbusters have been as big of a hit without Ray Parker Jr.'s theme song? 'Who you gonna call?' became the rallying cry for this movie, but the soundtrack actually has a lot of good songs on it, including 'Magic' by Mick Smiley.
Purple Rain: Prince's screen debut became an album inextricably linked to the movie, with two number one hits on the Billboard Top 100 ('When Doves Cry' and 'Let's Go Crazy'), another number 2 hit (the title track), and another that hit number 8 ('I Would Die For You'). The soundtrack went thirteen times platinum and is still one of the highest-selling albums of all time.
Beverly Hills Cop: Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer really knew how to assemble a kick-ass soundtrack. Knowing that Flashdance's soundtrack helped propel it to boffo box office, they went all out on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, which reflected an eclectic mix of pop music. There was Glenn Frey's 'The Heat is On', but also urban tracks like 'Neutron Dance' by The Pointer Sisters.
Back to the Future: When I think of Back to the Future, I can't help but think of Huey Lewis & the News, with their song, 'The Power of Love', arguably the most immediately identifiable soundtrack cut of the decade. But they've got another classic on the soundtrack too - 'Back in Time' - that's almost as good.
The Breakfast Club: John Hughes is the definitive voice of 80s teens on film, and his soundtracks reflected that he had his finger on the pulse of what this generation of kids were listening to. Nowhere was this more obvious than with The Breakfast Club, with the Simple Minds track 'Don't You Forget About Me' being one of the biggest and best songs of the decade.
Top Gun: Another Simpson/Bruckheimer joint, the Top Gun soundtrack had not one but two iconic theme songs it's impossible to separate from the movie - 'Danger Zone' by Kenny Loggins, and 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin. This is another soundtrack that sold so many records it's considered one of the defining albums of the decade.
Dirty Dancing: Despite being set in the 1960s, the makers of Dirty Dancing didn't limit themselves to period tracks. While they included plenty of old-school songs, many of the biggest hits on the soundtrack were brand new, including Eric Carmen's 'Hungry Eyes', 'She's Like the Wind' (which is sung by the movie's star Patrick Swayze), and the most iconic song off the soundtrack, 'I've Had the Time of My Life'.
Bonus: Less Than Zero: This is another movie whose soundtrack is better known than the film it comes from. This adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel was a big flop, but the soundtrack is a banger, produced by Rick Rubin, who included songs from the burgeoning hip hop scene as well as rock tracks, such as The Bangles' cover of 'A Hazy Shade of Winter'. Of all the soundtracks on this list, this is the best curated one.
What do you think of this list and what are we missing? Let us know in the comments and check out our best soundtrack lists for the 90s and 2000s.
