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Top movie songs of the '80s: the top 20
Are you ready for the epic conclusion to our list of the Top 80 movie songs of the 1980s? Did you throw a party to celebrate the unveiling? Skip work, get a pony keg, rent the entire Karate Kid franchise on DVD? Oh man, I am so there.
This has been a tough list to put together. Remember, the major hitch is that the song must invoke the movie. Only songs are here; scores and orchestrations will be a future list. Basically any song in the top 40 is a top 10 contender of any of our personal lists. But the readers have spoken, common sense has played out, and a top 20 must be chosen.
Today's big winner: Probably Netflix or Blockbuster.com, because you're going to want to run out and rent these killer movies again. (Well, not Hard to Hold or Electric Dreams, but the rest are solid gold.)
TOP MOVIE SONGS OF THE '80s: The top 20
(See 21-40, 41-60, 61-80. Click artist name to see video.)
20. To Live And Die In L.A. - Wang Chung (To Live and Die in L.A.)
19. Slave To Love - Bryan Ferry (9 1/2 Weeks)
18. Jungle Love - Morris Day & the Time (Purple Rain)
17. Together In Electric Dreams - Philip Oakey & Georgio Moroder (Electric Dreams)
16. Love Somebody - Rick Springfield (Hard to Hold)
15. Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls (Valley Girl)
14. Somebody's Baby - Jackson Browne (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
13. Fame - Irene Cara (Fame)
12. Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles (Less Than Zero)
11. Man in Motion - John Parr (St. Elmo's Fire)
10. Melt With You - Modern English (Valley Girl)
9. Highway to the Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins (Top Gun)
8. Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution (Purple Rain)
7. Footloose - Kenny Loggins (Footloose)
6. If You Leave - OMD (Pretty in Pink)
5. I'm Alright - Kenny Loggins (Caddyshack)
4. Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News (Back to the Future)
3. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor (Rocky III)
2. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (Say Anything)
1. Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)
THE RATIONALE: Any of the top 10 songs could be in the No. 1 spot, but Don't You Forget About Me is not only the symbol of John Hughes' signature flick, it was perhaps the signature anthem of anyone who grew up in the '80s.
OK, so what songs are missing? Which are overranked or underranked?
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About the blogger
Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times entertainment news editor Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com
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