Flashdance (soundtrack)

Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 1983 American musical Flashdance, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Jennifer Beals and Michael Nouri. It has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling albums of all time.[3] The film is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and follows Alex, a welder and exotic dancer and her dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. In 1984, the album received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and won for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special.

Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by various artists
Released	26 March 1983 (1983-03-26)
Recorded	1982
Genre	Electro Euro disco Hi-NRG synthpop pop rock
Length	36:52
Label	Casablanca
Producer	Giorgio Moroder (1, 3, 5, 8), Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte (7), Phil Ramone (4, 6, 10), Ronald Magness (2), Keith Olsen (9)
Compiler	Giorgio Moroder
Singles from Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" Released: April 3, 1983 "Maniac" Released: June 5, 1983 "Lady, Lady, Lady" Released: 1983

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B−[2]

The film's three singles feature on the album. Two of these singles, "Flashdance...What a Feeling" by Irene Cara and "Maniac" by Michael Sembello, peaked at #1 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The track "Romeo" by Donna Summer was released as a promo video to MTV prior to the film's release, composed only of outtakes from the film. However, the song was not released to radio as Summer was on the verge of releasing her 1983 album She Works Hard for the Money, and the title track was already becoming a major hit. ("She Works Hard for the Money" was actually in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 consecutively with both "Flashdance...What a Feeling" and "Maniac".)

The Flashdance album was massively successful, selling over 6 million copies in the U.S. and 1 million in Japan. It was certified gold by the RIAA on June 17, 1983 (1983-06-17), and became multi-platinum on October 12, 1984 (1984-10-12) and again on June 21, 1996 (1996-06-21).[4] In addition to its own success, the album is notable for having supplanted Michael Jackson's Thriller after the latter had remained Billboard's number-one album for 17 weeks. Thriller would again overtake Flashdance at number one after 2 weeks. In Japan, the album became the biggest-selling album of 1983, spending ten weeks at the number one position.[5][6]

The music in Flashdance was supervised by Phil Ramone. There are several pieces of music used in the film that do not appear on the soundtrack album, including "Gloria" by Laura Branigan; "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; and the "Adagio in G Minor" by Remo Giazotto. The title track "Flashdance... What a Feeling" was originally recorded by Joe Esposito before Irene Cara was asked to re-record the song as in line with the film's female perspective.

Commercial performance

In the United States the album debuted at number 166 on the Billboard 200 the week of April 30, 1983, and it finally reached number one after nine weeks on the chart on June 25, 1983, supplanting Michael Jackson's Thriller after the latter had been the number-one album for 17 weeks.[7][8] Flashdance remained on the chart for seventy eight weeks.[9] The album was certified six times platinum by the RIAA on June 21, 1996 for shipments of six million units.[10]

The soundtrack debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 40 on July 2, 1983, and peaked at number nine during its 30 weeks on the chart.[11] It was certified gold by the BPI on September 21, 1983, denoting shipments of 100,000 units.[12]

It also topped the album charts in Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
1.	"Flashdance... What a Feeling"	Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, Irene Cara	Irene Cara	3:53
2.	"He's a Dream"	Shandi Sinnamon, Ronald Magness	Shandi Sinnamon	3:28
3.	"Love Theme from Flashdance"	Moroder	Helen St. John	3:27
4.	"Manhunt"	Doug Cotler, Richard Gilbert	Karen Kamon	2:36
5.	"Lady, Lady, Lady"	Moroder, Forsey	Joe Esposito	4:09
6.	"Imagination"	Michael Boddicker, Jerry Hey, Phil Ramone, Michael Sembello	Laura Branigan	3:35
7.	"Romeo"	Pete Bellotte, Sylvester Levay	Donna Summer	3:13
8.	"Seduce Me Tonight"	Moroder, Forsey	Cycle V	3:31
9.	"I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is"	Kim Carnes, Duane Hitchings, Craig Krampf	Kim Carnes	4:36
10.	"Maniac"	Sembello, Dennis Matkosky	Michael Sembello	4:04
Total length:				36.52

Chart positions and certifications

Album Chart (1983) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[13] 1 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[14] 1 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[15] 2 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 9 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] 1 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[6] 1 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[18] 2 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[19] 1 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 1 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[22] 9 US Billboard 200[8] 1 Singles Year Single Chart Position 1983 "Flashdance...What a Feeling" Billboard Hot 100 1 UK Singles Chart 2 "Maniac" Billboard Hot 100 1 "Lady, Lady, Lady" 86 Sales and certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[23] 9× Platinum 900,000^^ France (SNEP)[24] Gold 100,000[25] Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[26] — 81,635[27] Germany (BVMI)[28] Platinum 500,000^^ Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[29] Platinum 20,000^* Japan (RIAJ)[30] — 1,061,000[31] Spain (PROMUSICAE)[32] Platinum 100,000^^ Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[33] 4× Platinum 200,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Gold 100,000^^ United States (RIAA)[10] 6× Platinum 6,000,000^^ ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of best-selling albums
• List of best-selling albums in Japan

References

1. AllMusic review
2. Robert Christgau review
3. Wuench, Kevin (June 18, 2013). "Remember that 'other' song from the 'Flashdance' soundtrack? ... Me neither". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 27, 2019. The Flashdance soundtrack was one of the most successful of the ‘80s selling more than 20 million copies worldwide and spawning two number hits in 1983 with Irene Cara’s Flashdance … What a Feeling and Michael Sembello’s Maniac.
4. Flashdance RIAA Accessed August 28, 2007 (2007-08-28)
5. 【オリコン年間】『アナ雪』CD98万枚のヒット 映画サントラ21年ぶりTOP3 [(Oricon Yearly Charts) Frozen a hit selling 980,000 physical copies, first film soundtrack in the yearly top three albums in 21 years] (in Japanese). Oricon. December 20, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
6. 【オリコン】『アナ雪』、映画サントラ30年ぶりV3 50万枚超はタイタニック以来 [(Oricon) Frozen first film soundtrack in 30 years to top the charts for three weeks, first soundtrack to sell 500,000 copies since Titanic] (in Japanese). Oricon. May 20, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
7. "Top 200 Albums". Billboard 200. Billboard. April 30, 1983. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
8. "Top 200 Albums". Billboard 200. Billboard. June 25, 1983. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
9. "Soundtrack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
10. "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Flashdance". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
11. "Flashdance: Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
12. "Original Soundtrack – Flashdance - Ost". British Phonographic Industry. September 21, 1983. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "Austriancharts.at – Soundtrack – Flashdance" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
15. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6255a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack – Flashdance" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Soundtrack – Flashdance" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
18. "Charts.nz – Soundtrack – Flashdance". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Soundtrack – Flashdance". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
20. "Swedishcharts.com – Soundtrack – Flashdance". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
21. "Swisscharts.com – Soundtrack – Flashdance". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
22. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
23. "Canadian album certifications – Various Artists – Flashdance". Music Canada.
24. "French album certifications – BOF – Flashdance" (in French). InfoDisc. Select BOF and click OK. 
25. "Les Albums Or" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
26. "Elokuvamusiikkia" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
27. "Finnish album certifications – Elokuvamusiikkia – Flashdance" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
28. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (O.S.T. - Various; 'Flashdance')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
29. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1984". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
30. "Japanese album certifications – フラッシュダンス" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
31. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
32. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
33. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Soundtrack; 'Flashdance')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
34. "British album certifications – Original Soundtrack – Flashdance - OST". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Flashdance - OST in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.