Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of films and musical genres. Click “Next Soundtrack” below to explore each soundtrack in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & soundtrack index here.

Back to the Future
MCA (1985)
Selected by Steven Ovadia

Soundtracks are big deals now, but back in the 1980s, they were often just film scores. Back to the Future, a huge movie (the top-grossing film of 1985), also had a huge single on its soundtrack in the form of Huey Lewis and the News' "Power of Love," a number one single for the band.

Although one could argue "Power of Love" is a retread of Lewis' "Heart of Rock and Roll," it interweaves perfectly with the film. It's hard, if not impossible, to think of one without the other. As someone who was just nine when the film came out, I was captivated by both, which provided similar glimpses of danger and adult themes, without actually showing anything. Both the film and the song are fun, great times, but with nothing shockingly profound to say. Which is actually a difficult thing to do.

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