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.
Pretty in Pink
A&M (1986)
Selected by Andy Healy
Like a quintessential mix tape of the mid ‘80s, the Pretty In Pink soundtrack melds together pure pop with the likes of INXS and OMD and collides it with the post-punk sounds of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Smiths. The album comes full circle with “Pretty In Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs which served as inspiration for the film before being rerecorded for the project. Other bands recorded tracks especially for the movie which would go on to be major hits, most notably “If You Leave” by Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark and “Bring On The Dancing Horses” by Echo and The Bunnymen recorded specifically for the movie, while New Order’s “Shellshock” appeared first on the soundtrack before being released as a standalone single (a cheeky move considering only a short snippet of the song plays in the film.
Pretty In Pink ranks up there with the best of youth culture soundtracks and reflects the musical landscape of the ‘80s perfectly.
LISTEN & WATCH: