15 Memorable Songs Popularized By Movies

Anonymous

The songs presented on this list, weren't included on any Original Album version from each band, despite the fact they can be found in some Remastered Version of an album released around the same time or in a Greatest Hits compilation. Still they were included in each movie's OST Album.



Another thing I've noticed, is that songs included in movies tend to have more success in the US than in the UK. See charting positions as well.



(In alphabetical order)


1) A View To A Kill by Duran Duran from A View To A Kill


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #2)





Their second #1 US hit. It was #1 in Italy as well, and it was a Top 10 hit in many other countries as well.


2) Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) by Phil Collins from Against All Odds


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #2)





His first US #1 hit and a Top 10 hit. Phil Collins had 3 other #1 hits in the US charts from movies OST as well. Particularly Separate Lives (with Marilyn Martin), A Groovy Kind Of Love and Two Hearts.


3) Burning Heart by Survivor from Rocky IV


(Highest Charting Positions: US #2, UK #5)




Their second biggest hit, after Eye Of The Tiger from the album of the same name, and from the OST of the movie Rocky III. Burning Heart, was their second and last Top 10 hit in the UK as well. Survivor had another non-album track called The Moment Of Truth from the OST of Karate Kid. It peaked only at #63 in the US charts though.



Another popular song from this movie was No Easy Way Out, from Robert Tepper peaking at #22, and James Brown's Living In America which peaked at #4.


4) Call Me by Blondie from American Gigolo



(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #1)




Their second #1 hit in the US and their third #1 hit in the UK. It reached the Top 10 in many other countries, and it went to #1 in Canada as well.


5) Deeper And Deeper by The Fixx from Streets Of Fire


(Highest Charting Positions: It didn't make it neither in the US Top 40 nor in the UK Top 40, although it peaked #3 in the US Mainstream Rock Charts)





Although it didn't make it in the Billboard Hot 100 as I said, it charted in the Mainstream Rock Charts, and it's still a live favorite till this day among The Fixx's fans. Streets Of Fire OST had some other pretty good songs as well, like Dan Hartman's I Can Dream About You (the most successful song among the OST), or Fire Inc's Nowhere Fast & Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young.



As for who Fire Inc. are...



Personnel


Music and Lyrics: Jim Steinman
Lead Vocals: Laurie Sargent
Background Vocals: Rory Dodd, Holly Sherwood and Eric Troyer
Piano: Roy Bittan
Guitars: Dave Johnstone and Mike Landau
Bass: Steve Buslowe
Synthesizer: Larry Fast
Drums: Max Weinberg and Jim Bralower
Drum Programming: Jim Bralower
Additional Keyboards: Jim Steinman



They were just a studio project that existed only for the sake of this movie.


6) Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds from The Breakfast Club


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #7)





It was the song that helped Simple Minds make it in America. Their album Once Upon A Time did well in the US as well reaching #10 in the album charts, including 3 Top 40 hit singles. Alive And Kicking (#3), Sanctify Yourself (#14), All The Things She Said (#28).


7) Footloose by Kenny Loggins from Footloose


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #6)





Kenny Loggins recorded some successful songs for movie OST during the 80s. Footloose was one of them. Others were Danger Zone from Top Gun and Meet Me Halfway from Over The Top.



Other popular songs from this movie were, Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler, and Almost Paradise by Mike Reno (from Loverboy) and Ann Wilson (from Heart)


8. Hazy Shade Of Winter by Bangles from Less Than Zero


(Highest Charting Positions: US #2, UK #11)





A cover version of the Simon & Garfunkel's song with the same name. It's far superior than the original, because Bangles gave it an edgier rockier sound, that the original version lacked.


9) Heaven In Your Eyes by Loverboy from Top Gun


(Highest Charting Positions: US #12, didn't chart in the UK charts)




One of the most popular songs among Top Gun OST and Loverboy's as well. Still it's a mystery why it never made it in the UK charts. Other popular songs from Top Gun were, Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins as I mentioned above, and of course Take My Breath Away by Berlin.


10) Love Kills by Freddie Mercury from Metropolis (1984 re-release)


(Highest Charting Positions: US #69, UK #10)




Maybe this one was the exception. As I mention in my prologue, most songs included in movies have bigger success in the US than in the UK. Anyway, this song is different from Queen's typical style, yet it's closer to the sound of their hit Radio GaGa released the same year.


11) Only The Young by Journey from Vision Quest


(Highest Charting Positions: US #9, didn't chart in the UK charts)





Perhaps the most popular soundtrack song by Journey. They had 2 other soundtrack songs around the same era, particularly Only Solutions from Tron and Ask The Lonely from Two Of A Kind. The biggest hit from Vision Quest was Crazy For You by Madonna though.


12) St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) by John Parr from St. Elmo's Fire


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1, UK #6)




Perhaps one of the biggest AOR hits ever. #1 in the US, and in Canada as well, and a Top 10 Hit in many other countries. By the way this song was actually included in the UK version of John Parr album.


13) Shakedown by Bob Seger from Beverly Hills Cop II


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1 UK #88)




This song is pretty unusual for Bob Seger's standards, since it's totally different from his signature sound, but sure it was one of his biggest hits from the 80s. It was one of the two biggest hits among Beverly Hills Cop's soundtrack, along with George Michael's I Want Your Sex.


14) The Power Of Love by Huey Lewis & The News from Back To The Future


(Highest Charting Positions: US #1 UK #9)





This song was included in the European and Japanese version of the album Fore! and it's one of their biggest hits from the 80s. Another song of them that was included in the same Soundtrack was Back In Time. The latter peaked at #3 in US Mainstream Rock Charts.


15) Winner Takes It All by Sammy Hagar from Over The Top


(Highest Charting Positions: US #54, didn't chart in the UK charts)




Sammy Hagar was Van Halen's vocalist at the time as well. That fact overshadowed his solo career in some way. Anyway, this movie didn't have any big hit, except Meet Me Halfway by Kenny Loggins that I mentioned above, peaking at #11.

15 Memorable Songs Popularized By Movies
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