The 80's were full of iconic movies with rising-star casts, well-written stories, and most of all, out-of-this-world music. Whether it was a musical film full of dancing, underdog stories about guys and their older proteges, or children's animation bursting with Alan Menken classics, it had the music to match.
While some films had popular songs written specifically for them, others got the audience's heads bobbin' with hit songs from the time that are forever associated with the movies they were featured in.
'Back To The Future'
Back to the Future came out in 1985 and starred Christopher Lloyd and 80's heartthrob Michael J. Fox. Following a teenage boy on his journey to the past, Lloyd's Doc must help Fox's Marty get back to the future before he disrupts his parents' lives entirely.
But BTTF's soundtrack stands out for being original songs written by Huey Lewis and the News and a recognizable score by Alan Silvestri. When you're not singing along to those memorable instrumentals, you'll find yourself dancing to hits like "Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode" or swaying along to the beautiful "Earth Angel."
'Rocky'
While the first Rocky film debuted in 1976, it was followed by four more films spanning the decade of the 80's. Created by and starring Sylvester Stallone, the story follows an underdog boxer who fights to the finish to beat his opponent.
If its cast and story weren't enough, the Rocky films were home to several songs on their soundtracks. Although "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti is considered the franchise's theme song, songs like "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III and "Hearts on Fire" during the Rocky IV training montage are memorable contenders.
'The Karate Kid'
The Karate Kid is one of those timeless films that were good beloved, they made a whole five-season-and-counting reboot of it. Starring Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and the late Pat Morita, The film follows a teenage boy on his journey to learning not only karate, but valuable life lessons from his sensei Mr. Miyagi.
But the film (and its reboot Cobra Kai) wouldn't be what it is without its upbeat and uplifting soundtrack. When viewers aren't headbanging to "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama, they were cheering on Daniel as he beat Johnny at the All-Valley while "You're The Best" by Joe Esposito played.
'The Little Mermaid'
Disney's The Little Mermaid kicked off what is referred to as the Disney Reinassance, a decade full of new animated movies that went back to the roots of reimagining classic stories and fairytales and turning them into musical adaptions.
The Little Mermaid - much like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin - got the Alan Menken treatment, featuring magical and memorable songs like "Part of Your World" and "Under The Sea," which helped earn the film an Academy Award for Best Score in 1989.
'Footloose'
1984's Footloose tells the story of a teenage boy who moves to a small town with plans of overturning the local ban on dancing. Kevin Bacon's Ren enlists the help of his new friends to change the conservative town he now calls home and hopes to get them all moving again.
The film was home to the titular song "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, which simultaneously shot the film and its conjoining dance number to fame in the 80's, and can't be heard without thinking of Bacon's moves to this day.
'Fast Times At Ridgemont High'
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is your typical 80's teen movie about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll and sticking it to the man for a group of high schoolers. Out in 1982, the film put Sean Penn on the map for his iconic role of Jeff Spicoli.
But if that wasn't enough, the film was jam-packed with 80's hits like "Somebody's Baby" by Jackson Browne, "Raised On The Radio" by The Ravyns and "I Don't Know" by Jimmy Buffet, which is considered Spicoli's theme song.
'Say Anything'
Say Anything premiered in 1989 and starred John Cuscak and Ione Skye as Lloyd and Diane, two teens who experience the passion that comes along with first love and what it means to fight for it.
The most memorable scene in the movie came in the form of song when Lloyd, dressed in a trench coat and standing in front of his blue Chevy Malibu, held that iconic boom box up toward Diane's window and let "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel do all the talking, making for one of the most romantic moments in film history.
'Little Shop Of Horrors'
Little Shop of Horrors is a Halloweentime classic with a theme song to match. Following a flower shop clerk and his man-eating Venus fly-trap, this horror-comedy musical debuted in 1986 and stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene.
As a musical, the film is full of songs, but the most recognizable is the titular tune "Little Shop of Horrors" - also known as the prologue to the movie - and was written by another composer known in the 80's, Alan Menken.
'The Breakfast Club'
The Breakfast Club came out in 1985 and follows a group of teens from different high school cliques who wind up in Saturday detention together and end up learning and bonding over their experiences.
But the film made famous the hit song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds during the unforgettable ending where the characters solidify the bonds they've made while Anthony Michael Hall's Brian reads aloud the group essay, in which signs from The Breakfast Club.
'Dirty Dancing'
1987's Dirty Dancing stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey as Johnny and Baby, the unexpected dance pairing between a dance instructor and a wayward teen.
It's during the final dance number of the summer (and of the movie) when Johnny and Baby perform a "Dirty Mambo" to "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, turning into an iconic dance song and the most memorable moment of the film.