There’s something delightfully nostalgic about watching a gratuitous fight scene to Bonnie Tyler’s 1984 hit ‘Holding out for a Hero‘ or a tense dance off between two groups of super humans to Kenny Loggins’s foot-tapping ‘Footloose‘ (both coincidentally recorded for the soundtrack to the film Footloose). The 1980s blessed pop culture with a colourful variety of both music and film, and aside from the fashion and various Pepsi and Coke ads, this vibrant synergy of music and film has become synonymous with the decade. Ever since films such as Footloose, cinema has continued to pepper soundtracks with the most popular 80s hits. But why has this tradition continued for so long in cinema? And why have films always gone back to 80s music rather than use the most popular contemporary music? The answers to these questions can be gained from a delightful excursion through the history of pop music in film.
The pop musical energy of the 1980s is most often captured in fun, fast-paced flicks which don’t take themselves too seriously. A prime example that has excelled at using a retro soundtrack to capture this energy is the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Granted, not all of the songs in those films are of the ‘80s, but it seems overlaying a tense fight scene with some retro beats was the perfect way to capture the comical, vivacious energy of happy-go-lucky superhero characters. Even more mature superhero content such as The Boys and The Umbrella Academy series has used ‘80s pop music in some scenes to capture it’s hyper violent and sexual energy. What better way to capture this energy with music from a time where the world was more carefree and fun loving? ‘80s rock has trickled its way into Romcoms, coming-of-age films, and even horror. From 1999’s 10 Things I hate about You using Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation to incite title character Kat’s rebellious nature, to comedy horror Zombieland opening with a montage of zombie antics to Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, ‘80s rock seems to boost a film’s sense of chaotic fun. It ensures an audience knows a film doesn’t take itself too seriously in all the right ways.
Why do films use ‘80s music specifically? Pop music from the 60s and 70s is also often used in film, but they don’t quite capture the same vibe. 60s music in film tends to be used for more pure, cathartic energy with that raw guitar-bass-drum sound. Ironically one of the best examples is The Beatles’ Twist and Shout in the 1986 classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, in which Ferris gets a whole parade dancing to the sound of Paul, John, George and Ringo. The energetic yet edgy rock of the 70s however tends to be used to make gratuitous scenes more enjoyable. Take Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 rock song Free Bird in 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, which perfectly captures the slick yet violent energy of Colin Firth murdering a group of brainwashed Church goers. The increasing use of synthesisers and electrical experimentation with classic rock instruments in the 80s provided film soundtracks with the foot-tapping, cathartic energy of the 60s, but also the enjoyable edginess of the 70s. It seems therefore that 80s music effectively merges these two vibes together. Even the vast diversity of 90s music means it tends to capture different vibes in film. Known best for its cheesy Britney Spears, edgy Nirvana rock, or hard-hitting gangster rap, all of which have their own unique effect in film, but don’t quite match the colourful vibrancy of the 80s. As for the modern day, it’s difficult to imagine the music of Drake, Beyoncé or the Weekend to have the same colourfully nostalgic effect as Kenny Loggins, TOTO or Bon Jovi.
Thanks to modern day film and TV, the 1980s have come to be appreciated by a younger audience who aren’t quite old enough to have experienced the decade first hand. Given the huge revival in popularity of songs such as Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill thanks to Stranger Things (which saw a staggering 9,900% streaming boost on Spotify) and Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine thanks to Thor: Love and Thunder, love of the ‘80s shows no signs of stopping. Who would have thought a decade could invoke such a unique sense of nostalgia for those that hadn’t even experienced it first time around? The ‘80s were a wonderfully simpler time with the coolest gadgets, cheesiest special effects, no internet spoilers, and enough funky synth tunes to keep Kevin Bacon dancing for decades to come.
G does Films 