The eighties saw an explosion of teen films, and the main auteur behind this golden age was John Hughes. Something that is pretty amazing about these films - besides just how much some of us of a certain age identified with them - are the soundtracks. In retrospect, the track listings read like a who’s who of new wave, UK post-punk and MTV classics. Some key artists who set the mood for angsty love between kids from the wrong side of the tracks, misfits bonding in detention, nerds inventing their dream girl and their clueless parents: The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Billy Idol, Altered Images, the Stray Cats, Spandau Ballet, General Public, Psychedelic Furs, OMD, Sigue Sigue Sputnik and many more.

John Hughes Retrospective
Top Ten Musical Moments from Pretty in Pink
Stereogum’s take on Pretty in Pink

The Breakfast Club trailer

The ridiculous Breakfast Club dance montage

Simple Minds - “Don’t You Forget About Me” video

Oingo Boingo - “Weird Science” video

Sixteen Candles trailer

Psychedelic Furs - “Pretty in Pink” (video for movie version)

OMD - “If You Leave” (video)

Some Kind of Wonderful scenes

Some other eighties high school classics:

Fast Times at Ridgemont High, penned by Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe

Modern English’s “Melt with You” from Valley Girl

Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” from Say Anything