16 '80s Movie Soundtracks That Still Deserve To Be In Heavy Rotation

Top Gun appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation."Top Gun," directed by Tony Scott, shows elite Navy fighter pilots training at the Top Gun Naval Flying School. It is a high-flying action drama.

Bands Featured: [List of bands]The soundtrack includes iconic tracks from Kenny Loggins, Berlin, and Cheap Trick.

Soundtrack Highlights: [List of highlights]Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" and Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" show the film's adrenaline-fueled romance and aerial combat.

The Lost Boys appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation.Joel Schumacher directed "The Lost Boys." Two brothers move to a California town full of vampires. They join vampire hunters.

Bands Featured: [List of bands]The soundtrack mixes rock anthems from INXS, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Gerard McMann.

Soundtrack Highlights: [List of highlights]INXS' "Good Times" and Echo & the Bunnymen's "People Are Strange" give the film an edgy, atmospheric feel, matching its dark, supernatural themes.

Ghostbusters appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation.Ivan Reitman directed "Ghostbusters." Eccentric scientists start a ghost-catching business in New York City. It is a supernatural comedy.

Bands Featured: [List of bands]The soundtrack includes tracks from Ray Parker Jr., The Bus Boys, and Mick Smiley.

Soundtrack Highlights: [List of highlights]Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" theme song stands out, capturing the film's humor. The Bus Boys' "Cleanin' Up the Town" adds rock energy.

Dirty Dancing appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation."Dirty Dancing," directed by Emile Ardolino, is a romantic drama. It takes place in 1963 at a Catskill Mountains resort. A teenage girl, Baby Houseman, falls for the dance instructor, Johnny Castle.

Bands Featured: [List of bands]The soundtrack features classic hits from Patrick Swayze, Bill Medley, and Jennifer Warnes.

Soundtrack Highlights: [List of highlights]Patrick Swayze's "She's Like the Wind" and Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" capture the film's romantic, nostalgic mood.

The Goonies appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation.Richard Donner directed "The Goonies." Kids hunt for treasure to save their homes from foreclosure. They face a thrilling, dangerous trip through tunnels and pirate traps.

Bands Featured: [List of bands]The soundtrack includes upbeat tracks from Cyndi Lauper, REO Speedwagon, and The Bangles.

Soundtrack Highlights: [List of highlights]Cyndi Lauper's "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" is the film's theme song. It shows the kids' adventurous spirit. REO Speedwagon's "Wherever You're Goin' (It's Alright)" adds a heartfelt sound.

Back to the Future appears in the list of 16 '80s movie soundtracks that still deserve heavy rotation.Robert Zemeckis directed "Back to the Future." This sci-fi adventure comedy shows teenager Marty McFly accidentally traveling to the 1950s and messing up his parents' romance.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack includes classic hits from Huey Lewis and the News, Chuck Berry, and The Starlighters.

Soundtrack Highlights:Huey Lewis and the News' "The Power of Love" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" are standout tracks. These songs boost the film's nostalgic feel and time-traveling adventures.

Movie Description:"Purple Rain," directed by Albert Magnoli, is a musical drama. Prince plays "The Kid," a gifted but troubled musician facing personal and career problems in Minneapolis' music scene.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack features Prince and The Revolution. They deliver electrifying performances of their famous songs.

Soundtrack Highlights:Prince's "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" are top tracks. These songs define the film and cement Prince's place as a music legend.

Movie Description:John Hughes directed "The Breakfast Club." This coming-of-age comedy-drama happens during a Saturday detention. Five high schoolers from different groups find common ground.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack includes Simple Minds, Wang Chung, and Tears for Fears, plus others.

Soundtrack Highlights:Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is the film's anthem. This track captures youthful rebellion and friendship.

Movie Description:John Hughes directed "Sixteen Candles." This classic coming-of-age comedy follows high school sophomore Samantha Baker. She deals with the highs and lows of her sixteenth birthday.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack includes tracks from The Thompson Twins, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and Spandau Ballet.

Soundtrack Highlights:The Thompson Twins' "If You Were Here" is a standout track. This song captures the film's wistful, romantic mood. OMD's "Goddess of Love" adds synth-pop nostalgia to the music.

Movie Description: Tim Burton directed "Beetlejuice.""Beetlejuice" is a dark fantasy comedy. A recently dead couple asks a mischievous spirit named Beetlejuice to help them get rid of their home's annoying new residents.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack includes quirky tracks from Harry Belafonte and Danny Elfman, who also wrote the film's score.

Soundtrack Highlights:Harry Belafonte's "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" is a standout track. It gives the film's supernatural antics a whimsical, eerie feel. Danny Elfman's original score adds to the film's offbeat charm.

Movie Description: Adrian Lyne directed "Flashdance.""Flashdance" is a dance drama. Alex Owens works as a welder during the day and an exotic dancer at night. She dreams of getting into a top dance academy.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack features electrifying tracks from Irene Cara, Michael Sembello, and Donna Summer, among others.

Soundtrack Highlights:Irene Cara's "Flashdance... What a Feeling" and Michael Sembello's "Maniac" are memorable tracks that embody the film's themes of passion, determination, and self-expression.

Movie Description:Directed by Cameron Crowe, "Say Anything..." is a romantic comedy-drama following the blossoming relationship between Lloyd Dobler, an earnest and unconventional high school graduate, and Diane Court, a focused and ambitious valedictorian.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack features a mix of heartfelt tracks from artists like Peter Gabriel, Fishbone, and Nancy Wilson.

Soundtrack Highlights:Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is the film's iconic song, capturing the emotional depth and romantic longing of Lloyd and Diane's relationship, while Fishbone's "Skankin' to the Beat" adds a fun and energetic vibe to the soundtrack.

Movie Description:Directed by Amy Heckerling, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that follows a group of California teenagers as they navigate the trials and tribulations of high school life.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack boasts a mix of rock hits from artists like Jackson Browne, The Cars, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Soundtrack Highlights:Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby" and The Cars' "Moving in Stereo" are standout tracks that capture the film's carefree spirit and teenage angst, making it a quintessential representation of '80s youth culture.

Movie Description:"Pretty in Pink," directed by John Hughes, is a quintessential '80s teen romantic comedy that follows the life of high school outsider Andie Walsh as she navigates love, friendship, and social hierarchies. Set against the backdrop of a fictional Chicago suburb, the film explores themes of class divide and self-discovery, as Andie finds herself torn between her feelings for her wealthy classmate Blane and her loyal friend Duckie.

Bands Featured:The soundtrack of "Pretty in Pink" features an eclectic mix of new wave and post-punk bands that capture the essence of the era. Notable artists include The Psychedelic Furs, whose title track "Pretty in Pink" became synonymous with the film's aesthetic, along with other iconic bands like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), New Order, and Echo & the Bunnymen.

Soundtrack Highlights:Among the standout tracks on the "Pretty in Pink" soundtrack is The Psychedelic Furs' titular song, "Pretty in Pink," which perfectly encapsulates the film's themes of adolescent longing and identity. Additionally, OMD's "If You Leave" is a poignant ballad that underscores the film's emotional climax, while Echo & the Bunnymen's "Bring On the Dancing Horses" adds a touch of cinematic grandeur to pivotal moments in the narrative.

Movie Description:John Hughes directed "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." This classic teen comedy shows high school senior Ferris Bueller. He takes an epic adventure through Chicago while skipping school.

Bands Featured: The soundtrack includes music from bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys.The soundtrack includes songs from The Beatles, Yello, and The Dream Academy, plus more.

Soundtrack Highlights: The music features tracks from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys.The Dream Academy's "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" and Yello's "Oh Yeah" stand out. These tracks boost the film's playful and rebellious feeling.