The 10 Greatest '80s Soundtracks That Outshine the Movie

The 1980s helped define the modern Hollywood blockbuster with big action, charismatic stars and ambitious effects drawing huge audiences into movie theaters. Adventure films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Back to the FutureThe 10 Greatest '80s Soundtracks Thatcombined spectacle with humor and memorable characters, while teen comedies and dramas flourished, shining a light on adolescence through a ’80s lens. Action movies became larger than life, horror franchises found large audiences and sci-fi created wondrous worlds with sometimes bleak outcomes. The VHS and cable TV boom of the decade gave viewers a new way to discover movies, helping box office flops find a cult following.

Movie soundtracks became a defining force in the 1980s cinema, connecting Hollywood with pop radio and MTV‘s growing influence. Building on the success of 70s film soundtracks like Saturday Night Fever and Grease, movies such as Flashdance, Footloose and Top Gun used hit songs to heighten emotional moments and to attract a larger audience. Music videos featuring movie clips broadened the connection and promoted movies and records together. Even when a movie disappointed, its soundtrack could thrive and produce memorable songs that enjoyed success well beyond its theatrical run. This list comprises either commercial disappointments or critically panned movies that have produced successful soundtracks. Here are the 10 greatest soundtracks of the 80s that outshine the movie, ranked by commercial success and cultural significance.

10

‘Over the Top’ (1987)

Sylvester Stallone’s 1987 film Over the Top was a box office disappointment, but the soundtrack scored two radio hits. The film earned a paltry 16 million dollars at the North American box office with an estimated 25 million dollar budget and tells the story of a struggling truck driver who enters a high-stakes arm-wrestling championship while trying to rebuild his relationship with his estranged son. Its distinctly 80s soundtrack blends sentimental ballads with driving synthesizers and arena-ready rock anthems.

The soundtrack features contributions from Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander, Asia and Eddie Money, but its biggest pop hit was Kenny Loggins‘ “Meet Me Half Way,” which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Sammy Hagar‘s motivational track “Winner Takes All” reached number three on Billboard’s rock chart. Its mix of fist-pumping determination and heartfelt longing mirror the film’s plot of attempting to win a championship and rebuilding a father-son bond.

9

‘Flash Gordon’ (1980)

Flash Gordon might have disappointed at the American box office, earning approximately 27 million dollars, but Queen‘s soundtrack gave it a musical identity that still resonates. The film later found a devoted audience through cable television and VHS, becoming a cult classic with extravagant visuals and theatrical music. Queen’s dramatic synthesizers and soaring harmonies compliment the movie’s colorful and larger-than-life adventure.

The soundtrack peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Album chart and number 10 in the UK. It functions as a dramatic score, combining short instrumental pieces and recurring themes with dialogue from the film. Brian May‘s prominent harmonized guitar work, pounding rhythms, layered vocals and synthesizers match the movie’s comic book spectacle. Its signature song, “Flash,” featuring soaring vocals of the late, great Freddie Mercury, reached number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 in Britain, giving the other worldly space opera an instantly recognizable musical identity and serving as a memorable introduction to the beloved comic book character.

8

‘Absolute Beginners’ (1986)

Absolutely Beginners is another example of a soundtrack outperforming its film. Based on Colin MacInnes‘ 1959 novel, the musical follows a young London-based photographer who struggles to hold onto his girlfriend as she pursues success in the fashion world. The film earned less than one million dollars at the North American box office.

David Bowie’s title track is the soundtrack’s centerpiece, reaching number two in the UK, but failed to reach the top 50 in the US. The album itself peaked at number 19 in Britain and includes an eclectic collection of pop and jazz. Ray Davies‘ “Quiet Life,” and the Style Council‘s “Have You Ever Had It Blue,” and Sade‘s “Killer Blow” are stand out contributions that helped give life to the soundtrack. Legendary composer and arranger Gil Evans, celebrated for his collaborations with Miles Davis, provided the fiilm’s score.

7

‘Xanadu’ (1980)

Xanadu was a commercial disappointment, making just over 22 million dollars in North America during its theatrical run, but its music help sustain a devoted cult following. The fantasy film stars Olivia Newton-John as a Greek muse, who inspires a struggling Los Angeles artist to open a roller skating rink with the help of a former big-band musician, played by legendary actor Gene Kelly. The musical features extravagant sequences and later found an appreciative audience, but the movie initially received poor reviews and earned director Robert Greenwald the inaugural Razzie Award for Worst Director.

Newton-John teamed up with the Electric Light Orchestra and the Tubes on the soundtrack, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Album chart and spawned five top 20 hits. Her shimmering “Magic” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four consecutive weeks in 1980, while ELO’s “All Over the World” and “I’m Alive” both reached the top 20. ELO’s blend of orchestral pop, disco rhythms and glossy pop production compliments Newton-John’s angelic and sultry vocals. Their collaboration on the title track, written by ELO leader Jeff Lynne, reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the band’s only UK number-one single. The soundtrack’s enduring popularity combined with cable broadcasts and home video viewing helped give the film a life beyond its disappointing theatrical reception.

6

‘Maximum Overdrive’ (1986)

Steven King made his directorial debut with 1986’s Maximum Overdrive, which stars Emilio Estevez as a truck stop cook who helps lead a group of survivors against a relentless convoy of murderous, driverless trucks. Its premise is coming closer to reality every day, with the rise of autonomous vehicles, operating without human control. The film earned just over seven million dollars in North America with a reported budget of around 10 million dollars, making it a box office disappointment.

The AC/DC soundtrack, however, enjoyed considerably greater success. Titled Who Made Who features three new songs written for the album: the title track “Who Made Who,” and two instrumentals: “D.T.” and “Chase the Ace.” Six previously released tracks round out the album, including “Hells Bells,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).” The collection peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Album chart and number 11 in the UK, eventually selling over five million copies.

5

‘Under the Cherry Moon’ (1986)

Prince‘s follow-up to his breakthrough film and Oscar-winning soundtrack Purple Rain was the underwhelming 1986 release Under the Cherry Moon. It follows a pianist and hustler in the French Riviera whose plan to swindle a wealthy heiress becomes complicated when he falls in love with her. Prince’s directorial debut was widely panned and tied Howard the Duck for the Razzie for Worst Picture. Nevertheless, the soundtrack became a platinum-selling success.

Released as Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon and recorded by Prince and the Revolution, the album blends funk and psychedelic pop with jazz influences and orchestral arrangements by Clare Fischer. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Album chart and earned platinum certification in the US. Its biggest hits, the irresistibly funky “Kiss,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks and won the 1987 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, alongside a Best R&B Song nomination. “Mountains” and “Anotherloverholeenyohead,” extended the album’s chart success, reaching numbers 23 and 63 on the Hot 100, respectively.

4

‘Vision Quest’ (1985)

Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino‘s 1985 wrestling drama Vision Quest had a modest theatrical run, but its soundtrack became a platinum-selling success. The film follows a determined high school wrestler who sets out to take on an undefeated champion while falling for an older woman. It earned an underwhelming 13 million dollars at the North American box office.

Madonna, who appears in the movie as a nightclub singer, contributed two songs: “Gambler” and the number one hit “Crazy for You.” Journey‘s driving rock song “Only the Young” peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The eclectic collection also features John Waite, the Style Council, Don Henley, Dio and Foreigner, balancing the movie’s competitive theme and a youthful longing.

3

‘Less Than Zero’ (1987)

1987’s Less Than Zero stars Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey Jr., Jami Gertz and James Spader. It tells the story of a college freshman who returns home to Los Angeles to find his former best friend has fallen into drug addiction and dangerous debt. The film was a box office disappointment, earning over 12 million dollars on a reported budget of eight million.

Largely produced by Rick Rubin, the soundtrack mixes hard rock, metal, pop, hip=hop and R&B. It peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Album chart, propelled by the Bangle‘s strong cover of Simon & Garfunkle‘s “Hazy Shade of Winter,” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It also boasts LL Cool J‘s classic “Going Back to Cali,” Public Enemy‘s influential “Bring the Noise,” and a diverse slate of songs from Danzig, Aerosmith, Slayer and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

2

‘Eddie and the Cruisers’ (1983)

1983’s Eddie and the Cruisers became an unlikely success story, overcoming a disappointing theatrical run only to develop a devoted cult following. Cable broadcasts helped the movie find its audience, which helped spark renewed interest in its soundtrack, whose success further fueled the film’s popularity and helped pave the way for the 1989 sequel Eddie and the Cruisers 2: Eddie Lives! The original follows a fictional rock band whose charismatic singer, “Eddie Wilson,” mysteriously disappears at the height of its success in 1963. Michael Paré portrays Eddie, an ambitious musician who grapples with the artistic compromises after working his way through the South Jersey bar scene.

The soundtrack was performed by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, whose driving guitars, prominent saxophone and heartfelt vocals brought Eddie’s fictional band to life. They scored a major hit with “On the Dark Side,” which topped the Billboard Rock chart for five consecutive weeks and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. The soundtrack reached number nine on the Billboard Album chart, blending Cafferty’s original songs with covers that reinforce the film’s early 60s setting, including Dion‘s 1961 hit “Runaround Sue,” Chuck Willis‘ “Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes,” and Bobby Freeman‘s “Betty Lou Got a New Pair of Shoes.” “Tender Years” extended the album’s success reaching number 10 on the rock chart and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1985.

1

‘Cocktail’ (1988)

Cocktail is the most commercially successful movie on this list, earning over 171 million dollars worldwide, making it the eighth-highest grossing film released in 1988. The blockbuster stars Tom Cruise as an ambitious bartender, whose pursuit of wealth and success takes him from New York to Jamaica, where he reconsiders his priorities after falling or an artist played by Elisabeth Shue. Despite its box office success, Cocktail was critically panned and won Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay at the 1989 Golden Raspberry Awards.

Nevermind turned thirty-five last month and the arguments started up
again immediately, which is what these four records do. Here is yours, what it says about you, and
the case for it being the best album on the list.

You are the beautiful disaster who keeps everybody together
anyway. Rumours was made by five people who were all breaking up with each other in the same
room and refusing to stop working, and it came out sounding like the sunniest record of the
decade.

• You process everything out loud, in company, and your friends know far more than they
  should.
• It won Album of the Year at the 1978 Grammys and has sold somewhere past forty million
  copies since.
• Daisy Jones & The Six was built almost entirely on this era, which is how you know
  the drama still sells.
• Your risk is the band’s risk, which is mistaking the chaos for the thing that makes you
  good.

You are the one who went quiet and came back with a theory. Dark
Side is an album about time, money, pressure and losing your mind, built so carefully that
it still sounds like it was finished yesterday.

• You need silence and a long walk before you can tell anybody what you think.
• It spent well over nine hundred weeks on the Billboard 200, a run no other album has
  come close to.
• The Wizard of Oz sync myth has outlived several generations of stoned students and
  refuses to die.
• You can overthink a thing until it stops being fun, and the people around you notice
  before you do.

You are the main character and you have never pretended
otherwise. Purple Rain is an album, a film and a complete personality delivered at once, by
somebody who decided he was going to be the most interesting person alive and then simply
was.

• You walk into a room and adjust it, and you would rather be talked about than ignored.
• Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score in 1985, and nobody has won it
  since.
• The film is a genuinely strange piece of work, and the title track live is still the
  high-water mark.
• Your weakness is needing the audience, which is fine until the night nobody turns up.

You want it on your own terms or not at all. Nevermind is the
record that dragged the underground into the middle of the mainstream and then spent the
rest of its life uncomfortable about having done it.

• You are suspicious of anything everybody agrees on, including the things you loved
  first.
• It knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard 200 in January 1992 and changed
  what radio sounded like.
• It turned thirty-five in September, and the reissue arguments have been running ever
  since.
• Your flaw is that liking something popular feels like losing, and you miss good records
  that way.

The beachy soundtrack has a breezy and celebratory feel, blending 80s pop rock with bar band energy and familiar rock and roll classics. Bobby McFerrin‘s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks, while the Beach Boys‘ tropical escape anthem “Kokomo” became their fourth and final number one hit. The Cocktail soundtrack peaked at number two on the Billboard Album chart and also features Little Richard, John Cougar Mellencamp, the Georgia Satellites and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. The Beach Boys’ enduring hit “Kokomo” has enjoyed a life far beyond the film, remaining familiar to generations of listeners who may never have seen Cocktail.