The 25 best soundtracks from the 1980s

Three songs — "Fame," "Out Here on My Own," and "Red Light" — from this celebrated musical drama were released as singles and all co-written by renowned songwriter Michael Gore. The first two were performed by Irene Cara, with "Fame" winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song and reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. "Out Here on My Own" did not enjoy the same commercial success, but Cara's performance of the song was one of the more emotional parts of the film.

The soundtrack to this John Travolta-Debra Winger film has gone triple platinum since it was released as a double album in 1980. It produced three No. 1 songs on the Billboard Country Singles chart in the United States: Johnny Lee's "Lookin' for Love," Mickey Gilley's version of "Stand By Me," and "Could I Have This Dance" from Anne Murray. In addition, established classics "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "Lyin' Eyes" were featured on a record that still makes country music fans swoon.

Music is a major part of the storyline of one of the most popular comedies of all time. The Blues Brothers Band existed in real life and starred behind John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. Though some of the versions differ between the movie and the official soundtrack, all the favorites are there, including "Gimme Some Lovin'," " Shake a Tail Feather" with Ray Charles, and "Minnie the Moocher" highlighted by Cab Calloway's presence. The original soundtrack album went platinum in the United States.

An underrated film with an underappreciated soundtrack. Starring '80s character actors Lawrence Monoson and Diane Franklin, the movie follows a teenager and his buddies going to great lengths to lose their virginity in this coming-of-age comedy. The soundtrack is a pop/arena rock/new wave vibe with classics from The Police ("De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"), Devo ("Whip It"), The Cars ("Since You're Gone"), and The Waitresses ("I Know What Boys Like"). In addition, beloved '80s' ballads "Open Arms" (Journey) and "Keep on Loving You" (REO Speedwagon) are featured in the movie but not on the soundtrack.

When it comes to high school films, comedy or otherwise, Fast Times is hard to beat. One of the more underrated aspects of the movie is the music. Now, some of the most memorable musical moments of the picture -- "Moving in Stereo" by the Cars, Tom Petty's "American Girl" "We Got the Beat" from the Go Go's, and   Led Zeppelin 's "Kashmir" -- are not included on the original soundtrack. But, it does feature notable numbers with Stevie Nicks' severely underappreciated "Sleeping Angel," "Raised on the Radio" by new wavers The Ravyns and Jackson Browne's hit "Somebody's Baby."

We mentioned Irene Cara's contribution to the brilliance of Fame. She struck gold again via the Flashdance soundtrack, co-produced by music heavyweights Giorgio Moroder and Phil Ramone. Her "Flashdance...What a Feeling" spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Original Song. In addition, Michael Sembello's "Maniac" was a No. 1 Hot 100 hit and an MTV favorite. Sembello helped produce the soundtrack, which topped the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Nicholas Cage earned positive reviews in his second film and first starring role in this new-wave teen romantic comedy. Capitalizing on the Southern California "valley girl" culture of the early 1980s, punk and new wave music ruled the day. There have been various forms of the soundtrack released on vinyl and CD. Highlights include Josie Cotton's hit "Johnny Are You Queer," the Modern English classic "I Melt With You," "Love My Way" from The Psychedelic Furs, and The Plimsouls' "A Million Miles Away."

While the fictional tale of rocker Eddie Wilson received mixed reviews, the soundtrack turned Rhode Island's John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band into a household name for a while. The band provided the sound for the Cruisers, with Cafferty's vocals as those of Michael Paré's Eddie Wilson. "On the Dark Side" reached No. 7 on Billboard's Hot 100, while "Tender Years" was also a Top 40 single, and "Wild Summer Nights" a massively underrated party tune.

The guys at Championship Vinyl probably won't agree with us when celebrating anything about The Big Chill. The original 1984 soundtrack featured songs from the 1960s and '70s, notably Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" from The Temptations. A year later, More Songs from the Big Chill was released. Of course, Rolling Stone's "You Can't Always Get What You Want," perhaps the song most associated with the movie, was not included on any soundtracks.

When it came to the Footloose soundtrack, the phrase "all killer, no filler" applies. From Kenny Loggins' No. 1-hit title track to fellow Hot 100 chart-topper "Let's Hear It for the Boy" (Deniece Williams), all nine songs on the record are memorable from an album that topped the Billboard 200. "Dancing in the Sheets" made Shalamar relevant, while the trend of '80s duets kicked into full gear with Loverboy's Mike Reno and Ann Wilson from Heart delivering "Almost Paradise." Underrated rockers "Holding Out for a Hero" (Bonnie Tyler) and "The Girl Gets Around (Sammy Hagar) should also be celebrated.

This Walter Hill "A Rock & Roll Fable" starring Diane Lane, Michael Paré, Rick Moranis, Amy Madigan, and Willem Dafoe was a dud at the box office but had a cult-like following — and a criminally underrated soundtrack. Dan Hartman's soulfully pop " I Can Dream About You" is likely the most recognizable hit from the soundtrack. Meanwhile, Jim Steinman-penned numbers "Nowhere Fast" and "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" brilliantly bookend the film, and The Blasters' "One Bad Stud" and "Deeper and Deeper" by The Fixx deliver two more highlights.

This also doubled as Prince's sixth studio album and just might be the greatest film soundtrack. The 13-times-platinum record features No. 1 Hot 100 hits "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy," while the title track reached No. 2. Prince and the Revolution won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. Purple Rain also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score.

The image of the Louden Swain (Matthew Modine) running through the streets of Spokane, Wash., to Journey's "Only the Young." In addition, Red Rider's underrated "Lunatic Fringe," John Waite's "Change," and Dio's stellar "Hungry for Heaven" reinforce Louden's quest for prep wrestling greatness. Of course, the star of the soundtrack is Madonna's soulful ballad "Crazy for You," which was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and a popular homecoming and prom theme throughout the U.S.

When it comes to rap soundtracks, it doesn't get much better than Krush Groove. It's a case where the soundtrack might be better than the movie. Loosely based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings, most of the major players in the rap and hip-hop game at the time could be found on this soundtrack: LL Cool J ("I Can't Live Without My Radio"), Chaka Khan ("(Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street"), Kurtis Blow ("If I Ruled the World") and Sheila E. ("Holly Rock"), to name a few.

While famed Rocky franchise composer Bill Conti did not score the film, the soundtrack to the series' fourth installment cracked the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Survivor, which scored a massive hit with "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III — a tune that also found its way on this soundtrack — produced another top-five Billboard Hot 100 single with "Burning Heart. Meanwhile, James Brown introduced himself to a new generation on "Living in America" — another top-five hit. John Cafferty's "Hearts on Fire" is highly underappreciated, and "No Easy Way Out" earned Robert Tepper one-hit wonder status. Not to be outdone, Vince DiCola's instrumentals "War" and "Training Montage" captured the movie's emotions.

Music was always a vital part of John Hughes' beloved teen dramas. The best of the bunch remains Pretty in Pink. Legend has it that the Psychedelic Furs' post-punk/new-wave classic of the same name actually inspired the film. Meanwhile, OMD's "If You Leave" reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. The cover of Nik Kershaw's "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by former Three Dog Night vocalist Danny Hutton (as the Danny Hutton Hitters) can hang with the original. Fellow '80s heavyweights New Order, INXS, The Smiths, and Echo & the Bunnymen also contribute to the soundtrack.

For five straight weeks, the Top Gun soundtrack sat atop the Billboard  200 — adding to the legacy of this iconic Tom Cruise picture. Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" was a No. 1 single, while aforementioned soundtrack guru Kenny Loggins pulled off more musical magic with " Danger Zone" and "Playing with the Boys." Famed soundtrack composer Harold Faltermeyer produced one of the great film instrumentals of all time with the "Top Gun Anthem." "Mighty Wings" is one of Cheap Trick's more under-the-radar tracks.

Tex-Mex rock band Los Lobos has a major presence on the popular soundtrack to the biopic about rock star Ritchie Valens. Los Lobos covers six of Valens' most popular tunes, including the film's legendary title track, "Come On, Let's Go!" and "Donna." The band's participation in the film's music brought international attention to the East L.A. outfit, which was already respected. In addition, music from Bo Diddley, Brian Setzer, and Marshall Crenshaw is included on the soundtrack. 

The Lost Boys made vampires cool (well before Twilight), and the "Coreys" a popular moniker. The official soundtrack is a nice blend of pure rock, classic rock, alternative and pop greatness. Echo & the Bunnymen's cover of the Doors' "People Are Strange" is top-notch, while former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm delivers a strong performance on "Lost in the Shadows." In the album's opener, INXS teams with Aussie buddy Jimmy Barnes for an underrated highlight on "Good Times."

The original Dirty Dancing is simply iconic. And it's not just because of Patrick Swayze's moves, the bridge, the stairs, or the lift. Or, even the line: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." It's beloved because of the music. Thanks to Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and fellow top-five hits "Hungry Eyes" and Swayze's own "She's Like the Wind," the film soundtrack spent 18 weeks atop Billboard's albums chart. In the years since its release, the Dirty Dancing soundtrack has gone 14-times platinum.

The film version of Bret Easton Ellis' acclaimed novel was brilliantly done. The soundtrack, co-produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons from Def Jam, was rightfully lauded. Two singles cracked the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100: LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali" (No. 31) and The Bangles' cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter" (No. 2). However, Slayer's trimmed-down version of the metal classic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" and Poison's take on Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite" must be recognized.

With film dialogue from Robin Williams' Adrian Cronauer interspersed between some of the most recognizable and beloved pop, rock, and R&B tracks of the Vietnam War era, the Good Morning, Vietnam soundtrack has earned platinum status, reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. and won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" charted from the album. Meanwhile, other classics include "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown, "Nowhere to Run" and "I Get Around" by the Beach Boys.

We know how Cameron Crowe makes music an important part of his movies. And one of the most iconic moments in film history came when Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) held the boom box over his head, blaring Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" to proclaim his love to Diane Court in this popular teen rom-com. The soundtrack's other notable highlights are Nancy Wilson's "All for Love," "Skankin' to the Beat" from Fishbone, and The Replacements' "Within Reach."

Director Spike Lee's father, Bill, a renowned jazz musician, had a hand in scoring his son's highly acclaimed film The Do the Right Thing.  Meanwhile, the actual movie soundtrack was quite popular thanks to the inclusion of the Public Enemy anthem, "Fight the Power." There were several other gems on the soundtrack: Guy's "My Fantasy," Perri's "Feel So Good," and "Don't Shoot Me" from a cappella act Take 6.

The music in almost any Disney animated movie, especially in the 1980s and '90s, was fantastic. The Little Mermaid, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and music composed by Alan Menken, won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children and Best Original Score ("Under the Sea"). Samuel E. Wright, who voiced Sebastian and sang the latter, also performed the memorable "Kiss the Girl" from the movie.