Often, it’s not the records that keep a song in rotation; it’s other media that help proliferate them. Movies do an excellent job of introducing us to incredible songs we might not have heard otherwise and launching them into standalone stardom. You probably heard the three rock songs below in a movie scene before you heard them anywhere else. Revisit these cinematic songs and their origins.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds
Scottish rock royalty Simple Minds recorded “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” for the cult classic The Breakfast Club. This rock song, though able to be played on its own, is irrevocably linked to this 80s fan-favorite movie.
In the years since this film was released, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” has popped up time and time again in other movies and TV shows. This song has become a time stamp for the era in which it was released, epitomizing the 80s sound. You first heard this song in The Breakfast Club, but you’ve heard it countless times since.
“Stuck In The Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel
Many cinema fans were introduced to Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck In The Middle With You” in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. The juxtaposition in this movie scene made it endlessly memorable and helped give this song newfound popularity.
Though this song wasn’t written for Reservoir Dogs, the band can certainly thank Tarantino for its success with a new generation of listeners. Moreover, its inclusion in this film put it on the radar of even more music supervisors. This song has been featured in countless films since it first gained popularity in this cult classic.
“The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis And The News
Huey Lewis And The News’ “The Power of Love” was the cherry on top of Back To The Future. While this film didn’t need a hit song to boost its popularity, it certainly didn’t hurt.
This song has become a hit in and of itself, but it couldn’t have done so without the help of this sci-fi classic. Though this song doesn’t completely follow the film’s plot, it nevertheless epitomizes the story. Everyone was introduced to this song through Marty McFly’s storyline and has loved it ever since. It’s impossible to shake this pop hit from our collective memory.
(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)
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