As necessary to a film as visuals and dialog, a motion picture soundtrack can complement an action scene or elevate an emotional moment until you're balling your eyes out (looking at you, Titanic – there was definitely enough room on that door for Jack, too!). When it comes to movie soundtracks, they tend to come in three categories. First, you've got a band that creates the entire soundtrack. Think the Bee Gees and Saturday Night Fever. Second, you've got the soundtrack that's a collection of past and-or present songs, like the animated film Sing. And finally, you've got the movie score – a collection of composed tunes, usually without lyrics, created specifically for the film itself (Honorable mention here for Daft Punks’ Tron soundtrack. It’s a banger).

With more and more soundtracks coming out every year, your friends at Olympus Woodbridge have taken a trip back in time to the 20th century to bring you three movie soundtracks you should definitely check out.

Purple Rain (1984)

This soundtrack is almost 40 years old and it still hits. The late, great artist known as Prince not only starred in and cowrote the 1984 hit movie Purple Rain, he also wrote every song himself and performed each with his real-life band, The Revolution. From the heart-pumping hit "Let's Go Crazy" to the legendary eight-minute rendition of the titular song "Purple Rain," the soundtrack is arguably the greatest collection of songs ever written for a film.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

While you can certainly have a bad movie with a good soundtrack, when it comes to this second entry, we don't have that problem. Dirty Dancing was a modest 1963 period drama that became a smash hit and launched the career of the late Patrick Swayze. The blend of ‘50s doo-wop and modern pop hits (including “She’s Like The Wind,” sung by Mr. Swazye himself) give the movie a contemporary feel that’s used masterfully throughout the film.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

As soon as those horns hit, you know you were in for one wild ride. John Williams’ seminal soundtrack for the first Indiana Jones adventure, Raiders of the Lost Ark, is as popular as it is timeless. Complementing almost every frame of this near-perfect film, the legendary composer’s score seamlessly moves from quirky to intense at a moment's notice – taking you on a rollercoaster in perfect sync with the movie's visuals. The Raiders soundtrack is the gold standard for how a soundtrack should live in perfect harmony (no pun intended) with the film its accompanying. But I don't need to convince you. If you've ever seen the film, you've probably been humming the theme this whole time.

For more articles on a wide array of fun subjects, be sure to check out our other Olympus Woodbridge blog posts.