Playlist: Dance Like It's 1987

No film epitomizes the ’80s like “Dirty Dancing.” Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s iconic romantic drama turns 35 on May 12, 2022, and there’s no better way to celebrate it than by listening to lovey-dovey, seize-the-moment ’80s and ’80s-reminiscent tunes.

Written by Arundhati Ghosh

Image courtesy of Vestron Pictures

The ’80s didn’t just give us McNuggets, disposable cameras, and en vogue leg warmers: it also produced some longstanding media that still scratches the romance itch to this day. Hardly any movie or song encompasses the sweet highs and stumbling lows of being in a relationship in the same way “Dirty Dancing” did back in 1987 — and continues to do so. There’s nothing quite like what the vibe of ‘loving in the 1980s’ has come to mean. 

Whether you’re currently single, in a loving relationship, getting through a talking stage, or impatiently waiting for hot girl summer to dawn upon us, everyone deserves a little nostalgic romance in their lives. The funky, bouncy rhythms of Thomas Dolby’s pop hit “She Blinded Me With Science” will have you groovin’ to the beat. Whitney Houston’s classic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” is practically guaranteed to ignite listeners’ yearning, and “You Might Think” by The Cars is the kind of softer pick-me-up we all need sometimes. 

From songs about puppy-love infatuation to tracks inspiring recovery from unrequited love, there’s something for everyone on this playlist. You don’t have to be Baby Houseman or Johnny Castle to grab a loved one and dance.