80s Movies and songs were a big part of what made the decade great. Not only in the story, but in music as well. The songs that accompanied the movies we know and love helped us connect even more to these characters we were seeing on screen.
They made us feel like we knew them (or at least their favorite song). And though time changes everything, it doesn’t take away our love for any of these songs or movies from the 1980s! So where can you find some of your favorites?
If you’re looking for famous songs from movies such as Top Gun, Footloose (and all other Kevin Bacon films), Dirty Dancing, Grease, and Raiders Of The Lost Ark, look no further! Listed below are the best places to find these songs and even more 80s classics.
YouTube – If you want to listen to music from your favorite movies, or watch famous scenes from them, YouTube has got you covered. Even if it’s not an official video, people have posted their own versions of popular songs from movies on there. It’s a great way to supplement your movie experience without having to pay for cable TV or rent DVDs. You can also find playlists dedicated entirely to ’80s soundtracks—take time to go through each playlist and relive your favorite movie moments.
Google Music – For just $10/month, you can access tons of movies and songs through Google’s music streaming service. This includes many that may not be available on other services! And if the song isn’t there, you’re allowed to upload up to 50,000 of your own songs for free (and without ads). That means if you want to go crazy singing along like Tom Cruise in Risky Business (1983), hopefully now it’s easier than ever!
Netflix – If you’re a Netflix member, then that’s great news! Their instant streaming service contains some of the most popular 80s movies including Footloose (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981). If it appeals to you, but isn’t on Netflix, reach out to them and ask for it! They might be able to make your dreams come true.
Hulu Classic – If you want old TV shows from the ’80s, look no further than Hulu. They have a sizable collection of different 80s classics, including Diff’rent Strokes (1978), The Facts Of Life (1979), and Punky Brewster (1984). Make some time to go back in time with these great series!
Dailymotion – For music from 80s movies and TV shows, Dailymotion is a great place to check out. It’s similar to YouTube in the sense that you can watch clips of songs or even some full episodes online. It’s also similar to Netflix in that they have certain movies available for streaming—though unfortunately, it does cost money for some of their newer selections.
Google Play – If you’re more interested in purchasing songs than simply listening to them, Google Play is one of your best options! They offer plenty of songs from classic 80s films—and even allow you to purchase just the soundtrack if that’s all you want. They have different collections including Top Gun (1986), Grease (1978), Dirty Dancing (1987), Beat It by Michael Jackson (1983), and many more!
Rdio – Similar to Spotify or Apple Music, Rdio is a paid service that offers access to various songs without having to pay for each one individually. There are many different collections available including ’80s Soundtracks’, ’80s Pop Hits’, and ’80s Dance Hits’. Their website is www.rdio.com, and the monthly price is $9.99/month.
Apple Music – Apple Music works similarly to Spotify in that it offers paid subscriptions at a monthly rate with unlimited usage for offline listening. You can even subscribe for free if you don’t mind seeing ads every now and then (there will be times where it’s basically one commercial after another).
The songs you can listen to include many from movies such as Top Gun (1986), Dirty Dancing (1987), and Ghostbusters (1984).
Spotify – This service is known for its catalog of songs, which was said to have 30+ million as of 2015. As well as having a lot more ’80s songs than either Google or Apple (which was ranked at about 20 million as of 2016), Spotify also has a nifty feature called “Spotlight.”
You can choose from different decades and moods through the main menu, and as you start playing songs within those topics they’ll tell you how many more you have to listen to before your time is up. Spoiler Alert: It’s usually a lot, so get on that playlist quick!
Amazon Instant Video & Prime – If you’re an Amazon Prime member (or just want to rent/buy these movies individually), then the first stop for any ’80s fan should be Amazon Instant Video. Not only can you watch famous films such as Empire Records (1995) or The Lost Boys (1987) free with your membership, but there are actually over 80 of them available to watch for free! (That’s a lot of movies, and with such a wide range of genres it’s sure to be your cup of tea). If you’d rather buy the movie or simply can’t find it on there, most titles are available via Amazon Instant Video as well.
Soundhound – This app is a great one to have as it allows us to hum a tune from a scene in some of our favorite movies and be able to identify the song! It was said that more than 1 million users were using this app at any given point, so you probably won’t be the only one who’s stuck on which song is playing.
Also, if your phone doesn’t have this feature built-in, you can download SoundHound from the App Store or Google Play for free.
Reverb Nation – As well as all of this, you can even find bands online to discover new songs and share them with your friends. One great place to start is Reverb Nation! It’s a website where musicians can promote their music, share it with others, & download their social networking tools for free!
Right now there are thousands of musicians on here promoting themselves by mp3, so check out what each one has to offer before getting into that old-fashioned pattern of just listening to the radio or buying CDs again.
Internet Archive – Last but not least is the Internet Archive, a free online library that can be accessed through both their website and various apps. Here you’ll find over one million audio recordings from people all around the world!
That’s right: full albums, speeches, & more from musicians & bands as well as actors and even authors. It’s a great place to stop by if you want some inspiration for your next project or just feel like relaxing with some amazing music.
iTunes & Apple Store – Where better to complete a blogger-Esque list than on a computer? Although no songs from ’80s movies were mentioned, iTunes has some decent choices on their soundtrack section.
And if you really want every single song from that movie, just download it on iTunes so none go to waste. Plus you can play them all in one sitting if they’re on your iPod/iPhone/Apple!
Soundcloud – Along with YouTube, Soundcloud can be a great place to find original songs from movies and music videos. You’ll find fan covers of famous songs in just about every genre, and if that doesn’t suit your fancy then check out some different bands and artists. It’s also free and easy to use!
Shazam – This app (which is also available as a website) can be great for finding songs. Just click or tap the Shazam icon, then let it listen to the music playing around you. It will then tell you what song that was, all without having to pay for anything!
Grooveshark & 8Tracks – You may not have heard of these if you’re over the age of 21, but they were top apps back in their day. Because of this, they still have a wide selection of songs from classic movies provided that you get the premium version (which costs money).
It used to be free before back in its day. They may be websites instead of apps now, but they’ll always hold a special place in our hearts.
I hope you’re all enjoying your quest for nostalgia—with so much to go around, there should never be a dull moment when it comes to the 1980s. So whether you want to relive them or experience them for the first time, these places should help you connect even better with your favorite films and music than ever before.
