Is it just me but have you noticed that modern movies don't have iconic "original" soundtrack songs like the good old 1980's produced?
When you watch Back To The Future the song "The Power Of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News is iconic, catchy and infectious. It just brings back those great 1980's vibes. It was great then and still sounds fantastic today.
However the music charts work today movies just don't seem to have "original" songs that catch on fire as songs. Fantastic soundtrack songs achieve stardom in their own right as well as propelling the movie they are tied to.
Top Gun has become a classic although in the 1980s is would probably be called a lesser weight blockbuster. Huge yes, but not up there with Indiana Jones, E.T. or The Empire Strikes Back. However, it has some bonafide classic 1980s songs such as Dangerzone by Kenny Loggins and Take my Breath Away by Berlin.
In Berlin's case it is easily their greatest seller and immediately takes you back in time should you hear it on the radio. Dangerzone by Kenny Loggins has become iconic in its own way and its use in Top Gun Maverick only solidified it's status as an all time great movie soundtrack song.
I went to Top Gun Maverick in an IMAX theatre and the expectation, joy and happiness as Dangerzone rang out over the theatre sound system was truly stupendous. The joy of cinema was back and it was notable that an iconic song can add to the thrill and excitement of your movie experience.
Pretty In Pink is an all time favourite movie of mine and the movie soundtrack only adds to my love of the movie. I have this on original vinyl bought in the 1980's. I always loved the stereophonic effects of the New Order song "Shellshock" and the song "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I" was the perfect song to add to those mix tapes I used to make (with its super short 2 minute run time).
However it is the anthemic song "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds that has become a true 1980s classic whether you've seen the movie or not. It's easily their biggest hit in the States although they have an incredible list of hits in most other parts of the world. That was a huge hit and is an instant sing along today.
The Pretty In Pink movie soundtrack also managed to have another huge hit in "If You Leave" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. This is another fav of mine. Like Simple Minds this is probably their biggest hit in the States although like them they have a multitude of hits in other parts of the globe.
Beverly Hills Cop was a breakout movie hit and made Eddie Murphy a bonafide movie star. "Axel F" by German musician Harold Faltermeyer is a perfect jingle and immediately ties you to the movie. It's just so catchy, perhaps cheesy in a 1980s way and totally memorable. In the modern era you can imagine it would just sky rocket on Tik Tok.
However, the Beverly Hills Cop movie soundtrack also has the huge hit "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey as well as the catchy danceable "Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters. You get my drift? They just don't have these movie tie-in songs now unless they used the tired trope of using classic 60's, 70's and 80's as easy lazy sing-a-long songs.
I could go on and on. The Dirty Dancing movie soundtrack is another. Spawning three monster singles all intimately tied to the movie but equally huge in their own right. "She's Like The Wind" by Patrick Swayze, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes and "Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carmen. Yes, another mega movie soundtrack. These songs were all over radio.
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