Top 17 outstanding soundtracks from 1980s movies revealed

1980s Movie soundtracks with sales of 2 million units

When Harry Met Sally  

Maybe for this 1989 film with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, it’s not the music that immediately jumps to mind when you think of a scene and sounds. The album from the film did very well though with over 2 million sales. It helped establish Harry Connick Jnr. who provided the soundtrack, arranging and performing 11 classics written by the likes of George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. 

Beverley Hills Cop 

This 1984 film set Eddie Murphy on his way as a worldwide film star with his role as Axel Foley. The soundtrack was another 2 million seller and featured a range of artists. The standout hit was the overall theme song. An instrumental “Axel F” by German musician Harold Faltermeyer, in another clue, he’s back again on another movie later in this list.

Honeysuckle Rose

This might be one that slipped your mind if you were trying to guess the 16 films. The film was also known as On The Road Again. Willie Nelson played the lead role in the film and he and his family also get the credit for the music to this 1980 western romance. The film wasn’t a huge hit, but the song “On The Road Again” by Nelson picked up a Grammy nomination and the whole soundtrack album reached over 2 million sales. 

Xanadu 

This wasn't much of a box office hit either. A 1980 musical fantasy story about a nightclub called Xanadu. Olivia Newton-John was one of the stars in the cast and she, along with Electric Light Orchestra featured heavily on the soundtrack record with an album side each. The album did far better than the film with over 2 million sales and six singles released from it.

La Bamba

The story of Ritchie Valens with music by Mexican-US rock band Los Lobos came out in 1987. As you’d expect it featured them performing several Valens songs, the catchy “La Bamba”, originally a Mexican folk song was a stand out track and hit single. The soundtrack album was another 2 million seller.